Don Foreman wrote:

On Fri, 11 Feb 2005 22:45:11 -0800, Tim Wescott
wrote:


Potmetal wingnuts. Good grief! Better bring a magnet next time you
buy bolts at that store, should you choose to ever return.


Ah, but then how will you know they're potmetal and not stainless or
titanium, eh?


Oh, golly, you're right: the magnet won't suffice. Stainless is
easily discernable from potmetal by color, magnet tells the tale of
whether the non-stainless part is potmetal or zinc-plated steel, but
titanium wingnuts would cause some confusion. Don'cha hate it when
careless shoppers get the titanium wingnuts mixed up in the bin with
the potmetal wingnuts?

Yes, that's often an issue with me when I visit the local feed store for
wingnuts. Older potmetal is very hard to tell from titanium. I always
bring a pair of vice grips to the store and twist on the wings: if you
can bend the little wings into a pretzel shape and have them spring back
you know it's titanium. If they break then just kinda kick them under
the shelf.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com