Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Affordable replacement for terne plate?

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I am desperately searching for an affordable replacement for tern plate (spell). We use to use this all time because it was self lubing, easily formed, very available and economical. We bought per plated coil stock. I can't find this any where now unless I want to buy a mill quantity (I need lots of about 1 to 2,000 bs.).

I think maybe "galvineel" (spell) is a reasonable alternative but I can't get any comparative specs.

Can you point me to a web site where I can access a zinc plating reference book? (I'm not about to buy a 500 lb. book I'll need a crane to move)

Thanks for your help!
Have a great day,
Jack

Jack Prince

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Jack, the problem here is that the metallic elements are by their nature very different from each other, and nobody can tell you that it's okay to subsitute zinc for terne (lead) unless you can tell them the essential functions of the lead in your particular application.

If you feel that the self-lubing characteristic was important, then you would be on the wrong track looking at zinc coatings such as galvanized, galvaneal, etc. Rather, what you probably want is some kind of dry lube coating like a phos & oil, magananese phosphate, etc. But I am talking theoretically, and hopefully someone who has actually replaced terne plate in their application will chime in.

As for the on-line zinc plating reference book, believe me, you won't find it. The internet offers a world of free information of some types, but progressive, organized, tutorial learning requires someone to invest years of their life into authoring a book; and after 15 years of development, the internet still offers no financial model that would compensate someone to invest so much time in organizing a topic for the web.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey