Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-26

where 1, 500 horse power is used to produc
], 200 pounds of aluminium a day, or Il
tons year. We may, therefore, say tha
aluminium is now being made at the rate
about $500 pounds q day, or $40 tons
year
In spite of this large manufacture it is
fact, that, at the present time, the demand
for the metal far exceeds the supply. Con
sumers cannot obtain from the makers al
that they are willing to buy. Let us In
quire what is being done with SO much al
uminsum, and what more is yet demanded
The valuable properties of aluminium are
in the order of their Importance, its great
] lightness, resistance to corrosion, worka
bility, strength and comparative cheapness
Suited for Some Particular Purpose.
1t is no longer necessary in a newspaper
article to rehearse in detail the comparative
! weights of aluminium and the other metals.
That ambiguitous person. the general
reader, may now, thanks to the prominence
which aluminium has attained be assumed
to be tolerably familiar with its general
physical and chemical properties. Since
aluminium is, generally speaking, only one
third or one-fourth as heavy as the other
/ common metals, we notice this as its first
claim to peculiar usefulness In this re-
spect it stands apart from and superior to
all ordinary metals. The consequence OF
this is that wherever a metallic article
must be of a given size and is wanted as
| light as possible, aluminium puts in
o claim to be the metal of all metals best
suited for such purpose Let the reader
reflect a moment and he will be surprised
to find how many articles of common use are
fixed in regard TO size; in fact, almost all
| are, be they spoons, cooking utensils, door
knobs, pen holders, paper cutters, or al
most anything one can think of. For all
such purposes q will not attempt to enumer-
ate them, wherever Hghtness is to be de-
sired, aluminium stands first, and may re-
place any of the common metals. Ofcourse,
in considering the prac.icability Of making
any article in aluminium. the other proper
ties about to be discussed should also be
taken into consideration.
There are some purposes for which alu-
n: :nium is particularly suited because of its
resistance to corrosion; 1 mean uses for
which it would be peculiarly we'll suited,
even were it as heavy as the other metals.
These uses are culinary utensils, surgical
instruments, interior decorations.
Heat Passes Through 1t Very Fas.
1t resists so well the action of all kinds
of food, all the humors of the body, and all
the various sulphur gases arising from
burning coal that for the purposes named
it is almost invaluable. In cooking, the
wearing out of rinware, the rusting out of
ironware, the poisonous effect and difficulty
of cleaning copper-ware, the cracking of
enameled wear. Further, 1t has the light
ness to its credit, and it is almost startling
to note the rapidity with which heat passes
through it and cooks the contents with
much less fire than is ordinary needfuL
After years use in our kitchen our alu-
minimum boilers are apparently as good as
new, and our scales-weighing to half an
ounoe-fail to indicate any sensible loss
in their weight They are the per-
fection of cooking utensils. Regard
ing surgical instruments, those made of
aluminium are so easily kept clean, the
metal is so harmless and light, that their
use has proved veritable comfort to the
profession. For interior decoration alu-
minimum leaf takes the place of silver Leaf to
perfection, and keeps its white color un-
changed in an atmosphere which would turn
silver black in day. Here its lightness is
unimportant, but for chandeliers both these
properties are of first Importance, and it is
surprising that aluminium gas fixtures are
not in more general use.
1t is certain that we will soon see them
made in large quantities and used almost
everywhere. We may, therefore, expect !
that aluminium will in a measure replace
cast iron, timed iron, copper and brass for
culinary use, steel, german silver and brass
for surgical instruments, zinc, brass and
silver leaf for decorations
Aluminium Is a Very Soft Metal.
Regarding workability, aluminium is in
some respects peculiar metal Those who
study the metal and experiment with it
patiently can learn to do anything they
ft Tf hoe -.xs-
which mnst be mastered, but when properly
taught by experience any article can be
made OF aluminium that can be made of any
other metal For instance, in regard to
soldering, aluminium is one of the most
difficult metals known. The difficulty of
soldering it easily and satisfactorily has in
times past been great hindrance to its use
in the arts. The writer has the pleasure
of saying that his father. Mr. Joseph Rich |
ards, of Philadelphia, has removed all un- |
certainty from this question by inventing |
is almost everything that can
be desired. Its successful use has removed |
one of the greatest drawbacks to aluminium
in the workshop. The hammering, forging, |
rolling, drawing, stamping, cleaning and |
polishing of aluminium ali present certain |
peculiarities which must be mastered before |
results are obtained; bu. when |
once this experience is had aluminium can |
be easily worked into any shape desired.
Regarding strength, pure aluminium is a |
soft metal On this account aluminium is |
frequently hardened by small addition of |
silver, nickel, copper or titanium, Just as
gold is hardened by silver or copper. This |
aluminium is fully as strong as
ordinary brass, though it cannot compare at |
all with steel. 1t is, however, strong
enough for all purposes except construc- |
tions, and we NAV, therefore saw "that for |
all the purposes heretofore named aluminium |
can be made as strong as the cases require.
1t is, therefore, not lacking in strength |
sufficient for all practical purposes outside |
Of constructions
1t Is Selling Cheaply just Now.
Regarding cheapness the writer has lately |
been tempted to aver that aluminium is |
cheap enough. When we consider that in |
many respects it resembles the noble met
ais, and yet can be bought, bulk for bulk, as
cheap as tin AID almost as cheap as copper,
which are commonly regarded as base |
metals, it seems as if we have all that we |
have right to expect If we can think of
The metals as worth outright so much
pound, am quite ready to say that, con-
sidering what aluminium is and how it |
compares with the other metals, 80 cents a
pound is low price for it. At that price
the world is getting cheap aluminium.
1t is not to be overlooked-nor can we
Justly complain-that articles made of alu-
ninium cost at present rather high. The
reasons for this are two-fold. The low price
1t which ordinary articles of other metals are
'old is largely due to their being made in i'm
nense quantities Ask a manufacturer to
make half dozen spoons, or dozen stew
pans, and it will be found that they would