"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. net...
In article , "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"Wes" wrote in message
...
"Ed Huntress" wrote:


So the material they line the safes with is lime, rather than gypsum?

I'm sure hoping not. Gypsum CaSO4·2H2O Lime CaO

I'll bet you know I was shorthanding for hydrated lime, or calcium
hydroxide, Ca(OH2). g

I'll bet you mean Ca(OH)2. g

Hydrated lime is what plaster walls were once made of (as in the walls in
my
house).

Hydrated lime is *part of* what plaster walls *are still* made of, among
other
constituents including sand, portland cement, perlite or vermiculite, and
(in
bygone days) often horsehair.

OK, somebody was bound to get technical. g My walls are a three-layer job:
scratch coat over wood lath, with horsehair; brown coat; and finish coat.
Almost all of the original is still there, although I've done some patching.
I no longer finish with slaked lime, however, when I have to fix something.
It takes too long to cure.

--
Ed Huntress