Idiot question

[guest7]

I was in my local non-ferrous metal stockists the other day, chatting to the manager about his stand at the recent Cardiff bike show and we got on to the subject of him not knowing beforehand what type of metals in what sizes that classic bikers would want. I mentioned that smaller plates of stainless and dural seemed to be what most people used. He said "What's Dural?"

I was a bit non-plussed because you read of specials builders making stuff out of Dural all the time. He then said " I guess you mean a certain grade of aluminium"

So... how come a metal stockist doesn't know about Dural but every triton builder seems to venerate the material?

Here's a wiki link for DURAL. To be fair the wiki article does say, "The name is obsolete today"

GC

[Andy M]

What the old boys down the Triumph-BSA-Mechano club call Dural is almost definately just aluminium. All materials come in grades and the aircraft industry is very particular about what they use. Dural was just grade used in old aircraft and the TBMC boys will have read about it and use the name while your stockist mate will know modern engineering type. I bet they call all stainless 316 at the classic shows?

Andy

[guest868]

Who were you talking too? I gather it wasn't Andy? He is one of the most knowledgeable people on metals I know.

[Richard]

I was always told that Dural is shorthand for Duraluminium.  An alloy of copper, magnesium and aluminium and was, unusually for an aluminium alloy, hardenable.

What was the aluminium alloy used for Landrovers - Birmabrite - an alloy of aluminium, manganese and magnesium.  Aircraft leftovers.

Richard

[Steffan]

Or the steel used on MZs rustalot

Steffan

[Richard]

The steel may rust but it doesn't often rust through.  And the East German alloy is brilliant stuff.

Dodgy rubbery bits mind.

And the worst alloy ever used on any bike was whatever switchgear is made from - Mazak or Zamak or Pot Metal.  Like using an aero bar.

Richard

[guest7]

Who were you talking too? I gather it wasn't Andy? He is one of the most knowledgeable people on metals I know.

Sorry didn't get the name. He's been running the place since it changed its name to Fromstock about three years ago (it used to be C G Rees). Or at least he gives the air of running the place 

GC

[andy230]

Or the steel used on MZs rustalot

Steffan

    

Very good mate!

a