Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with steel

Do worn peg holes affect acoustic guitar intonation?

davidriley — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:45:44 -0800

Guitar filter: Will worn-out peg holes affect the intonation of a steel string acoustic guitar? If so, what should I do? My old $250 Washburn has terrible intonation these days. The twelfth fret is almost a half-step sharper than the harmonic. I sanded a new bridge and a new nut, but there is not a noticeable difference between the old set-up and the new one. Then, I noticed that the peg holes are dramatically worn away from string tension. Then I realized that this might be bringing the breaking point of the string closer to the twelfth fret. Is this what might be affecting my intonation?

If this is the case, can I fill the holes with putty and re-drill them?

Where in Los Angeles can I Cut and Drill Metal Plates?

VikingSword — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:38:57 -0800

Recommendations for Los Angeles: machine shop - metal work. I have a little project that's extremely simple, but I don't have the tools.

I need some flat metal plates - steel or hard aluminum - cut to a specific size. The plates would be pretty thick 0.25", sizes of 4"x36" and 8"x8".

I also need several holes drilled into these plates of specific diameter and exact placement.

But first, I need to acquire the metal sheets and plates so I can have them cut to size and drilled.

Where can I (a)obtain the steel and/or aluminum plates/sheets 0.25" thick approx 8"x8" and 4"x36" and (b)have them cut and drilled in specific ways?

This machine shop - metal work (maybe even a DIY hobby place) can be anywhere in Los Angeles, though West side - Hollywood area is a plus. Hopefully won't cost an arm and a leg. TIA!

Need recommendations for kitchen appliances

gfroese — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:19:22 -0800

Need a full new suite of kitchen appliances, would like some recommendations. Got some prices on some Electrolux models today that looked great, but some quick research on the web doesn't leave me so confident. Is this a case of the squeaky wheel complaining online and they're actually a solid product? Or should I be worried. I'm looking for all stainless steel appliances: fridge with ice-maker, slide-in stove, dishwasher, and range-hood microwave. Specifically I'm looking for a large fridge and electric stove I'm in Canada if that makes a difference.

Smudgy Stainless

yellowcandy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:37:52 -0800

Stainless steel everywhere. What's the best way to clean it to be free of fingerprints and smudges? We inherited a kitchen that is pretty much wall-to-wall stainless steel (cabinets, countertops, sink, fridge, etc.). The smudges and fingerprints make me crazy. What's the definitive word on cleaning it?

Is it safe to drink from stainless steel?

pasici — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:54:08 -0800

Trying to be safer and heeding the advice of many, I threw out all my plastic water bottles and bought new stainless steel ones including this stainless steel cup. On the cup (but not on the bottles), there was the California Proposition 65 warning that "This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." Why? I thought the whole point of switching to stainless steel was that it was not a carcinogen. Is the manufacturer just being overly cautious? Is there some difference between the cup and the bottles? Is this something for my (worry-prone) wife to worry about?

Why are Slim-Fast shakes in steel cans rather than aluminium?

Fortran — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:38:31 -0800

My lunchtime obsession has finally percolated onto Ask MeFi. The question that I ponder every day I have at my midday repast: Why are Slim-Fast shakes in steel cans rather than aluminium? I've been drinking Slim-Fast shakes as one way to help lose weight. I've also been intrigued by the fact that their cans are made of steel and not aluminium. It surprised me as the last time I'd seen a steel can was long ago (one of my chores as a kid was crushing cans for recycling and part of that job was using a magnet to separate out the steel).

I've been trying to think of reasons: it can't be cheaper than aluminium because if it was, every Coke and Pepsi can would be steel as well one would assume. It's not as if the contents are under such pressure that a sturdy steel can might be needed. Corrosion? I'm stumped.

I have asked a question at Slim-Fast/Unilever's site, but it has gone unanswered for a month or so. My Google-fu (and Bing-fu) is apparently not great because if the answer is out there, I can't find it. So, I thought I'd ask the experts who know all!

(PS: I'm thinking there might be off-topic'ing about Slim-Fast's efficacy, their taste, &c., which is why I decided to be IUPAC-approved and use 'aluminium'. I figure that'll attract all the pedants and at least amuse the chemist in me.)

how to mount plexiglas on stainless steel fridge?

kenliu — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:23:56 -0800

I have a stainless steel fridge and a toddler who is learning to walk. I want to mount a sheet of plexiglas over the bottom portion of the door to prevent it from getting dented. I would like this to look decent and be non-permanent so I can remove it when we eventually move. Any ideas on how I could do this? All I can think of is using some kind of tape, but I think that would sag after a while. Bonus for suggestions on how to also stick stuff to the plexiglas so that I can post up my kid's artwork (the stainless steel is non-magnetic).

Stress Strain Diagram

gzimmer — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:25:13 -0800

Looking for a quality Stress-Strain Diagram of Structural (Mild) Steel to use to study from. Googling around has only given me pretty low res and crummy pictures.

Bonus points if you can find one that has any of the more important aspects denoted.

Please help me identify this guitar.

no1hatchling — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:30:56 -0800

I need help identifying a guitar. I'm embarrassed to ask, but I'm not even sure if it's a weird nylon string or a weird steel string acoustic. I took some pictures of it to help: one two three four. My sister picked up this guitar at a yard sale. The nut had fallen off and the saddle was obviously loose, but she knew that I've successfully fixed a few guitars in similar condition so she bought it for about $5. I play guitar but I'm no luthier and I'm stumped by some basic questions about this guitar, most notably if it's supposed to be nylon or steel stringed. I can make a case for either.

Nylon: The guitar doesn't seem to be braced very extensively under the soundboard. I don't see any evidence of a truss rod. There is no pick guard. There are only 19 frets. Slam dunk case, right? But...

Steel: The neck is narrow, much narrower than the nylon that I occasionally play and have compared it to. Also, the neck joins the body at the 14th fret, unlike the nylon, which joins at the 12th. This seems to be common according to google and this page.

Basically I feel pretty sure that it's a nylon, but I'm confused by the shape and size/orientation of the neck. Perhaps it's a nylon string that's meant to be played as a "folk" guitar instead of "classical"? Perhaps the truss rod is hidden/unecessary and it's a little steel string that's supposed to be strung with very light gauge strings?

Additional photos here. I am willing to take additional pics if that will help anyone.

Bonus question: There is not a single marking on the guitar to indicate a manufacturer or model. The bridge and nut seem to be real bone, which says "expensive/old" to me, while the body seems to be cheap softwood and the trim seems to be plastic, which screams "cheap/new". Can you give me any clues as to the age/manufacturer/origin of this guitar?

Who cuts steel?

wannaknow — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:00:10 -0800

Where can I find someone to cut a hole in the side of a steel metal locker? I want to have a large hole cut in the side of this steel locker from ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00086683

I have neither the knowledge nor the tools to do this on my own, so where I can find the appropriate person to do it for me? It would be quick and easy, so I'd imagine it would be pretty cheap.

Would Home Depot do it for a fee?

I live in Los Angeles.

PS, if you have any suggestions on what to put around the hole so it won't cut someone who sticks their hand inside, it would be appreciated.

Machine shop for custom handgun parts?

jjsonp — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:22:28 -0800

Steel gun parts custom-made in small batches? I have read & seen videos of computer-controlled milling machines, laser cutters, 3D scanners, etc., and I figure there must be shops out there making small runs of complex shapes using the latest equipment.

I have a Springfield XD .45 pistol, and I want some spare extractors in case the OEM model breaks. However the company doesn't sell the extractor.

There could be safety issues with custom parts, but the extractor won't compromise the safety of the gun were it to fail (unlike a barrel or something). Still I'd want any custom parts made of steel with similar (or better) properties, so I suppose some assay as to alloy-type would have to be made?

Several places sell their own custom parts for XDs online - trigger kits, sears, barrels, guide rods, etc. - so clearly it's possible to find machine shops to make quality parts.

How can I find a shop like that, particularly one doing small runs for a reasonable price (I'd only want 3 or 4 spare extractors, though I might be able to find other people wanting to pool funds or order themselves)?

Galvanized Steel & Penetrol

philmas — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:00:24 -0800

Is Penetrol a good coating for galvanized steel? I live in an old tobacco warehouse and the HOA is having the entranceways replaced, with steel railings, which will be exposed to the elements. After seeing some local steel sculpture with a transparent finish, I researched it and found that the finish was called Penetrol. We have gotten bids for our entranceways, for galvanized steel, not just the standard steel. My thinking is that the galvanized is already finished and will the Penetrol actually work (i.e. penetrate the galvanized finish). The alternatives are painted or powdercoated steel but the HOA wanted a more industrial look. Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks.
Philmas

Etch a sketch

Sophie1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:22:07 -0800

Metal art/craft question - I need to scratch a design into a lot of cold rolled 22 gauge steel. My brother is cutting out the designs that I am drawing. Here's the problem. I drew them on with a Sharpie but the ink melted as he torched. Now I'm working with an engraver that is for shit. It might be the actual engraver -- possibly old. Also, it leaves a deeper cut when it is off and I am engraving by hand but I am now killing my hands.

Therefore, I need suggestions on what to use to etch a design into steel so that my brother can follow it with the torch.

Help me hive mind. You're my only hope!!!

The poem that haunts my nightmares!

InnocentBystander — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 09:02:33 -0800

Help me find a poem I read over 10 years ago and have hazy memories of! It's about termites that eat steel. Does this ring any bells? A man wanders into a decaying cityscape, and at the end of the poem, he sees some termites and wants to keep them away from wood, or something, and an old-timer tells him: "They don't eat wood any more," and pulls from its jaws a glistening crumb of steel.

I've been thinking of this poem for days and haven't been able to successfully google it. I think I read it in my 8th grade literature anthology, if that helps any.

Help me find information about Coatesville, Pa.

deafmute — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:46:25 -0800

I need to write a twenty page paper about the economic and social situation of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, a dying rust-belt steel town. Is there a Coatesville expert in the room? Someone who grew up there? Someone who spent time there or did business there? I need your expertise, or at the very least access to resources that might not be readily apparent to me. I've already got a visit to the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum planned, and I have access to reams of census data, a car, and the Metropolitan Philadelphia Indicators Project, but I'm looking to deeply massage the Mefi hivemind, to suss out any local experience or knowledge anyone might have.

I need to focus on the interface between global economic forces and local economies that eventually torpedoed this city, so if you have any expertise in that area, awesome.

A Novel Method of Escape

Tube — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:45:04 -0800

Has anyone ever escaped from jail or prison using this novel method, either in fiction or in real life? As a child I remember hearing about an escape by a prisoner using string and an abrasive to saw through the steel bars of his cell. I believe the story involved the string being coated with soap, which was used to adhere powdered mortar or concrete. The improvised "saw" was then pulled back and forth against the metal bar until it cut through.

I honestly can't remember where I came across this idea, whether I was told it as historical fact by my father, or if I read about it or perhaps saw it on TV as a work of fiction.

Has anyone else heard of this? I'm not so much interested in speculating whether it is really possible or not, rather if anyone can provide any specific examples.

Stainless in DC

RandlePatrickMcMurphy — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:20:11 -0800

Where in the DC area would I get a custom-shaped piece of stainless steel for a kitchen countertop? Design peculiarities in my kitchen have resulted in the need for an L-shaped piece of stainless steel -- or more accurately a piece of wood clad in stainless steel approx. 48" x 15" x 1" thick to match up with this Ikea countertop/sink. No backsplash or anything else fancy.

Where do I go to get this done? If not a specific location, what kind of a shop? I asked at a local machine shop, they said they don't do that; I called a bigger machining place I found online, they said its too small for it to be worthwhile for them. (I'd try it myself, but don't see how I would manage the corners and edges.) More generally, is there a good place in the DC area to buy consumer quantities of stainless steel like this?

Finally - what grade/type and finish and gauge should I get or ask for to best match the existing countertop?

Donde esta Ed Naylor: Pedal Steel Guitar Refurbisher?

billtron — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 08:54:44 -0800

I want to buy a pedal steel guitar, and preferably I would like to buy one from Ed Naylor. I visited his shop in Portsmouth, Ohio, a few years ago and almost got one for US$500. His shop isn't there any more. Anyone know where I can find him? If not, anyone know where I can get a basic beginner's pedal steel guitar for under $1000?

Do you remember news of a strange steel sphere?

Tube — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:13:35 -0800

Does anyone remember news of an anomalous event that occurred in the early 1970's, namely a family finding a large steel sphere in their backyard? I remember encountering this news story many years ago, probably in Fate or Argosy magazine, and I suspect I may have read about it again in on of those Reader's Digest "Mystery" compilation volumes. The news story, as I remember it, was that one day a family found a large (perhaps 2 feet in diameter) steel sphere in their back yard. I think it occurred in one of the Southern states, perhaps Florida. It may have been made of stainless steel, and was thought much too big to be a ball bearing.

I recall this story now, in light of a comment in today's Giant Sphere post about a spherical "pig" being used to clean out the inside of a pipe system; I recall this was suggested as a prosaic explanation for the nature of the large steel sphere.

Metal Marks on China Dishes

Alex Marshall — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 17:58:59 -0800

Can metal from forks or utensils come off on china plates, cups and other dishes, and if so, does anyone know how to stop it or fix it? Here's the problem: for some time now, my wife and I have noticed that our china teacups were marked up with dark marks. At first we thought it was a problem with the dishes. Then we traced it back to a cheap cappucino frother that was apparently leaving bits of chrome or stainless steel on the teacups when we used to to froth the milk. We got rid of the frother, and end of problem -- initially. Then some time passed. We noticed new dark marks on the outer edge of our china bowls. We traced it, I think definitively, to the inexpensive dishwasher we have and the fact that the edges of the china bowls hit the shiny metal edge of the dishwasher when you push the loaded tray inside. The thing is, these marks will not rub off easily, if at all. That was also the case with the marks inside the teacups. Now a third and similar problem has arisen. We have noticed that the surface of many of our plates are getting marks on them. Could it come from our quite inexpensive flatware that I bought a long time ago when I was single? As with the other marks, these will not rub off. I don't really know what's going on here. But my theory is that cheap stainless steel will rub off or leave marks on ceramics or porcelain. Is this true? If it is true, does anyone know how to get the marks off? I'm thinking of buying a pumice stone, or something like that. But I'd also like to know for sure that the marks are coming from the metal components. Any info or insight anyone?

intentionally making steel rust

machaus — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:55:00 -0800

How can I make something I've fabricated out of cold rolled steel achieve a uniform patina of rust? I'd like to avoid using anything toxic or nasty like muriatic acid. This doesn't need to be done quickly, it can sit for a couple of weeks.

Where to find a ring like this to fit my fat fingers?

sian — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:03:23 -0800

Can anyone help me find a women's ring like this or this in a size ten? Steel is difficult to resize, so I don't know if I could just buy it and take it to a jeweler. I tried on the men's version and it is too thick and bulky.

Advantages and disadvantages of other materials compared to steel ?

vincentm — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 08:13:18 -0800

What are the main advantages and disadvantages of materials like glass, concrete, wood, and plastics, compared to steel ? I have to build a small training course about the use of materials (in construction and manufacturing) and their advantages and disadvantages (resistance to heat, price, easyness of forming,etc.) in comparison to steel (carbon or stainless steel).

I found several documents but it is often too technical and detailled. If someone can give any nice web resources on this topic it would be nice.

Black. Black as my heart.

Skyanth — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 09:26:58 -0800

Oh god no, please help me if you know /anything/ about steel. I have ruined my sword. I have a sword, custom built (not terribly expensive, chinese forged steel, but I love it), for iaido, and, having forgotten to clean it last time I used it, I noticed a little bit of rust on the blade. I went to a shop and asked for a product that removed rust. I got HG (Hagesan) rust remover. I was told it would not damage the steel. I cleaned the sword with it and left the product on for about 10 minutes (the flask said "leave on for anywhere between 10 minutes and a few days), then rinsed as it said on the flask and now the blade has turned blackish/rainbowy. The flask says the product contains phosphoric acid. How do I fix this?

Installing a Pre-hung door.

iamabot — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 10:46:41 -0800

Installing a pre hung door. Or rather filling the hole you put in your new house when you decided to replace the door. This weekend while we were painting the house before we moved in I noticed that one of the back doors to the house was actually an interior door. Having my father with me eager for a project and doing a *bit* of research it seemed like a fairly easy proposition to purchase a pre hung door and install it ourselves. It is not.

The demo went fine, installed the new footer and entry way that was rotten, insured it was flat and level for the prehung door. I went with a steel door with 8 panels of double paned glass to match some other doors in the house.

So we get to the actual installig of the door, did a test fit of the door in the structure, pull it out, remove the unnecessary packaging and insure there is .5 inch of clearance all around the frame, and shim it in (doing the leveling dance and following the manufacturers instructions for the shim points. Here is where we hit problems.

Is there any special trick to get these suckers in? We had adequate clearance all around to isolate the door from the structure, but it keeps twisting, and we can't seem to get the door to open cleanly after it's been shimmed in.

I'm a bit stuck here, after 5 hours of wrestling with it yesterday with my dad and the fiancee's dad I'm about ready to call a carpenter and beg for assistance. I'm sure we're just doing something totally boneheaded and missing a critical step in the process, but nothing stands out.