Stainless Steel Equipment ?

[ROACHMAN]

Ive just been given some beekeeping equipment from an old beekeeper who recently passed away.

Amongst the freebies is a metal settling tank about 5 gallons in size and a large funnel/strainer.

The tank has a metal tag on it "Woodland Apiaries Ltd Sheffield 6"

How do I tell what metal thay are made of?

Both items look fairly shiney but im not sure if they are stainless steel.

Is there a stainless steel test?

James

 

[VEG]

post a picture of them

 

[user 6228]

shiny can be galvanised, aluminium or stainless, plated brass.
if non magnetic its not galvanised. if heavy its galvanised or stainless. or bras
produces fumes on welding its galvanised.if filing gives a different colour its galvanised or plated brass.

 

[Firefly]

Sign outside hardware store: "Stainless Steel Sinks"

Written in pen underneath: "Of course it does"

 

[REDWOOD]

Agree send some pics but SS will not rust and is very shinny, even old SS will buff to a high sheen

 

[Ely]

Should be stainless if it's good ole sheffield steel

Sent from my XT615 using Tapatalk 2

 

[hiveabee]

shiny can be galvanised, aluminium or stainless, plated brass.
if non magnetic its not galvanised. if heavy its galvanised or stainless. or bras
produces fumes on welding its galvanised.if filing gives a different colour its galvanised or plated brass.

Yeah a quick test is to try it with a magnet. True stainless should be non magnetic.

 

[ROACHMAN]

Its not letting me post pictures at the moment

 

[victor meldrew]

Yeah a quick test is to try it with a magnet. True stainless should be non magnetic.

Not all grades of stainless steel are attracted to a magnet!
VM

 

[itma]

Yeah a quick test is to try it with a magnet. True stainless should be non magnetic.

No so.

Some is. Some isn't. Both Stainless Steel.


/ and Hiveabee, that wasn't even what Derekm said.
// and if even VM was in (just) before me, I must be getting slow!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if heavy its galvanised or stainless. or bras

Mmm heavy bras

 

[hiveabee]

No so.

Some is. Some isn't. Both Stainless Steel.

If you take any to a scrap metal yard, they wont accept it as stainless if the magnet sticks. They just pay you ferrous price

 

[itma]

If you take any to a scrap metal yard, they wont accept it as stainless if the magnet sticks. They just pay you ferrous price

That's business.

 

[m100]

Some 'stainless steels' will rust (or give the appearance of rusting)

Some have mentioned above that a number are magnetic (Around 50% by basic type are magnetic)

There are identification tests you can do with a grinding disc and also with various acids but it's not the kind of thing you usually need to do and needs some expertise to carry out. A visual check agianst a known stainless item like a pan is often enough.

I've seen a couple of secondhand non magnetic extractors / settling tanks in the past few years that were initially claimed to be stainless by a beekeeper of many years experience but actually turned out to be made from tin coated copper. Beautifully made maybe 40 - 50 years ago and very well looked after, but they are not fit for purpose now.

 

[peterbees]

I suspect it is tinplate. Woodland Apiaries Sheffield, when did you last see an advert for them? Sheffield 6 suggests it is from the pre-postcode era. Stainless steel has only been in common use for beekeeping appliances for say 25 years.

 

[busybee53]

shiny can be galvanised, aluminium or stainless, plated brass.
if non magnetic its not galvanised. if heavy its galvanised or stainless. or bras
produces fumes on welding its galvanised.if filing gives a different colour its galvanised or plated brass.

I don't know any lady welders but the fumes from their bras might be a problem.