Do magnesium bits need special care?
alomac
Posts: 189
Do magnesium bits like fork lowers or pedals (have MG-1s) need any special attention to protect them from corrosion if the paint gets damaged? I know corrosion was meant to be a problem with Mg frames...
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Corrosion of Magnesium alloy parts is very dependant on the alloying involved, however as a rule they are no worse than alumium alloys except for having an extreme dislike of salt in any form (so don't use a washing up liquid as many contain salt), which is why RAF Harriers have mag alloy wheels and Navy Harriers aluminium alloy ones!
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
What he said ^^^. But if you remember years back when you did chemistry, magnesium (pure) can react quite natily with water and even worse with acid.0
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I got some mag parts coated by a cambridge company. http://www.keronite.com/ Found them because Mavic and Rock Shox have used them on a new product range. Worth checking it out.0
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Pure Magnesium would be useless for a lot of reasons (not least of which is how soft it it), however magnesium alloys are fine, I had some second hand Magnesium lowers on Suntour forks and they were about 10 years old when I sold them still in excelent condition.
And its Sodium that reacts badly with water, or Manganese, not Magnesium!
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
I have a deep nick on the lowers of my Tora 318's where the bare metal is exposed, I've ridden through two winters and it's still as shinny as ever, no sign of any corrosion.0
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The Beginner wrote:And its Sodium that reacts badly with water, or Manganese, not Magnesium!0
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Cferg wrote:The Beginner wrote:And its Sodium that reacts badly with water, or Manganese, not Magnesium!
The magnesium is in compound anyway.0 -
Yeah, clean magnesium is what I'm talking about, not in an alloy. And it does go bang, although maybe I'm thinking of it burning and then put in water, ie. its oxide? :oops:0
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Magnesium burns if you light it.
Lithium, sodium and potassium burn/explode when you put them in water.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
But regardless, saltwater is BAD for magnesium0
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yeehaamcgee wrote:But regardless, saltwater is BAD for magnesium
Which is why they don't make dolphins out of it.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
See Darwin was right, all the Magnesium dolphins have died off!
SimonCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
Cferg wrote:Yeah, clean magnesium is what I'm talking about, not in an alloy. And it does go bang, although maybe I'm thinking of it burning and then put in water, ie. its oxide? :oops:
You can't use pure magnesium for bike parts, it's too soft! Always an alloy - same as aluminium, same as iron (steel).0 -
Ignore what the pure metal is. What you've got is an alloy and the properties are quite different. Magnesium alloys used on bike parts are strong, lightweight and fairly corrosion resistant.
And yes, pure magnesium reacts slowly in water. It's oxygen it reacts with well, but mainly when on fire, producing a very bright flame. Water isn't good at putting out magnesium fires either. I forget the chemistry of it but I guess the fire releases oxygen in the water and it reacts with that.
Sodium is the one that's fun to drop a block of into a tub of water and see it explode
Ah the days at school before health & safety got involved. I these days kids can only watch a video of it.0 -
chiefgrooveguru wrote:Cferg wrote:Yeah, clean magnesium is what I'm talking about, not in an alloy. And it does go bang, although maybe I'm thinking of it burning and then put in water, ie. its oxide? :oops:
You can't use pure magnesium for bike parts, it's too soft! Always an alloy - same as aluminium, same as iron (steel).
Obviously not, that wasnt the point I was getting at.0 -
I find they break easily:
I had some mag v12s once and crack all the corners of them.0