G’day; Most anti-freezes are glycols - mono and diethylene,
propylene, etc. These are kin to glycerine, and are sweet
tasting but VERY poisonous - there were a number of deaths in a
country where they added the stuff to wine and other
human-consumable items (presumably because they had stolen a
drum or two of the stuff and it was sweet). The glycols work by
considerably lowering the freezing point of water, for, as most
people are aware, water begins to expand at 4C and this expansion
bursts pipes, radiators and engine blocks when the water freezes.
It is usual these days to add a rust inhibitor to the
anti-freeze concentrate, for where you have two dissimilar metals
such as steel and aluminium, corrosion is accelerated. The
presence of the inhibitor is the only reason why anti-freeze
helps avoid rusting of steel ‘shot’. By the way, I never heard
of steel bearing balls (‘shot’) being used in guns. (!)
Cheers,
By the way, I never heard of steel bearing balls ('shot')
being used in guns. (!)
John, Many states now require the use of steel shot in shotgun
shells ( and most shotgun shell manufacturers now offer steel
shot-loaded shells) because of presumed… alleged… um,
supposed… contamination of waterways by lead shot from
duckhunters. Seems like a duckhunter would have to be a really
poor and enthusiastic shot to contaminate a lake, doesn’t it?
Steel shot does really nasty work on the inside of shotgun
barrels, too, although the shot doesn’t do much as a tumbling
medium. Metalsmth
Many states now require the use of steel shot in shotgun
shells ( and most shotgun shell manufacturers now offer steel
shot-loaded shells)
G’day Metalsmith; Thank you for enlightening me. Now I come to
think about it, I have read comments in the local newspapers
about lake-bottom contamination with lead shot resulting in the
decline of certain fish due to lead poisoning, and also the
poisoning of birdlife which preys upon the fish. I’d think that
one might need diamond-coated gun barrels to take the thrashing
steel shot would give them! Thank you. Cheers,
At a private lake in north west Los Angeles that was used by a
skeet shooting club and duck hunters from 1957 until 1968,had to
be drained due to a enviromentel impact study that showed ducks
in the area with high lead contenent in there blood. This was a
direct result of the ducks ingesting lead pelets with the stone
they need for digestion. When the pond was drined three (3) tons
of shot were dreged from the lake. I hope you dont feel about
your contaminated wast as you seem to feel about lead shot. Some
things that seem minor can build up to become major problems.
RW> Hi John, talking about anti-freeze reminds me of a case a few
RW> years ago when someone was prosecuted for diluting wine with
RW> anti-freeze. Very nasty!
G’day; I believe that it wasn’t just a case; someone had bought
a load of poor wine and decided to sweeten it up, for easy sale.
Anti-freeze contains one of the glycols (Ethylene,
propylene…etc) which are related to glycerine which everyone
knows is sweet and pretty harmless, and doubtless this criminal
peasant thought he’d use the glycol. Which was thought to be
stolen anyway - and thus helped fill the hospitals. And gave the
funeral folk some extra business. Moral; learn toxicology before
you spoil poor wine!
Thank you. Cheers,