The climate change movement: July 28, 1995 to August 14, 2020 RIP

[Piotrsko]

If I understand correctly, tin was somewhat cheap and plentiful in Great Britain during the Great Empire period. Common, Really soft and easy to work unlike steel. Tin foil WAS a thing before 1100 dead soft aluminum foil which was relatively expensive before hydro electric.
Somewhere I read that Napoleon had a priceless tea set made from aluminum because it cost more than platinum back then

Suspect Wikipedia did their usual half effort on tin whistle.

I also believe the first power generator that WASN'T edison tried to match his voltages and got sued. 110 would power all the stuff but is off spec enough to not violate the patent. Westinghouse was a Pita to Edison but ended up doing all things electrical generation after Edison lost interest

[aerohead]

Tin, bauxite, natural rubber ( Michelin ), and petroleum were mentioned by President Eisenhower as of interest to the French and USA in 'Indochina / Vietnam'.
While I was dodging rockets at DaNang, EXXON was prospecting off the coast in the South China Sea, something China is VERY interested in currently.
( If you watch the deleted scenes from 'Apocalypse Now', you'll meet the Michelin rubber plantation family living near the Mekong River ) occupied by the Japanese during WW-II.

[freebeard]

Tin was a precipitating factor in the entire Bronze Age.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Somewhere I read that Napoleon had a priceless tea set made from aluminum because it cost more than platinum back then

France's Emperor Napoleon III was an early proponent of aluminum. He hoped the lightweight metal could be used to produce weapons and armor, giving his soldiers an edge in battle. The emperor funded the work of Henri Sainte-Claire Deville, who found a chemical method for obtaining pure aluminum, but it was still a slow process. An often repeated story goes that Napoleon III, frustrated with progress on aluminum, had much of France's stock melted down and turned into cutlery. He and his honored guests used aluminum utensils, while everyone else at the imperial dinner table made do with gold.

Aluminum's Strange Journey From Precious Metal To Beer Can
It is an interesting read, but I still need to write the progress reports due last night... and all of the notes since maybe the last reports...
I only have one class this quarter, which just started, but my family isn't about to stop being crazy.
I spent the other night in urgent care with Mom.
Well, my brother and I were waiting in the car, ready to take her home as soon as she was finished.

Well, the years start comin' and they don't stop comin'...

[freebeard]

Fuller always went on about alloys and their unpredictable qualities.

theconstructor.org: What is Transparent Aluminum?

How is transparent aluminum manufactured?
ALON is produced by combining aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen. The manufacturing process involves pressurizing aluminum oxynitride powder to 15,000 pounds per inch in rubber molds submerged in hydraulic fluid. The obtained material, which is molded and opaque, is heated to 2000oC and kept at this temperature for two days. Once cooled, ALON emerges transparent, which is then ground and polished for extra clarity and strength.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Xist

Well, the years start comin' and they don't stop comin'...

Fed to the rules and I hit the ground runnin'
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb
So much to do, so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the backstreets?
You'll never know if you don't go
You'll never shine if you don't glow