Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I was led to believe that the so called magnesium used was, in fact always a magnesium-aluminium alloy. As Almag - used for car wheels etc - it doesn't seem to be all that susceptible to corrosion Douglas John Lee wrote: >The top plate of the Leica R9 is made from magnesium. > >John > >On 1/19/06, Bill Marshall <billgem@hotmail.com> wrote: > > >>Some final thoughts on the recent discussion of the uxe of magnesium >>plating >>on the ZI . . . >> >>Claims were that magnesium is corrosive, which is true. Recent development >>of magnesium alloys have largely eliminated this problem. Some still don't >>like magnesium. Okay. >> >>Let's turn the question around. What about brass? Corrosive? >> >>Well, it's certainly not water proof. Brass is also an alloy - copper & >>zinc. Copper is highly corrosive. It will rust with exposure to even small >>amounts of water within a week. Zinc is also corrosive unless it is >>electroplated. What metal is closest to zinc in chemical composition? >>Magnesium. With proper electroplating, magnesium will be about as resistant >>to corrosion as zinc. >> >>Bottom line is whether these materials will fare well in their intended >>applications, not in an abstract discussion of metallurgy. For its >>application as external cladding on a camera body, magnesium like brass >>(copper & zinc) will do just fine - unless someone tries to use it as an >>underwater camera. Leica agrees with this point, as evidenced by their use >>of magnesium on the Digilux & their description of it as "robust & >>long-lived." >> >>Bill >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Leica Users Group. >>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > >