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Old 20th Nov 2015, 2:43 am   #14
RadioHist
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Charlotte, NC; USA
Posts: 165
Default Re: Battery case links and scans.

It is about $40 a kg here... Since that seems to be the only trade use now they get a premium price. It is a basic mixture of coniferous tree resin, tallow and finely ground brick dust. All apparently pretty cheap at least for the USA battery makers and their fabrication techniques of the day. With all the replicas I plan to make this year, I'd like to mix up my own.

The brick dust is not a problem, it is sold as a colorant for cast concrete and cement. Even in small quantities it is only about $6 a kg. Tallow is cheap. The tree resin.... Ah the tree resin... The issue is that I don't have a clue to what percentage is necessary. I never found any cook book for such stuff. No doubt it is/was a trade secret. So who knows how much time it would take to get the formula right.... AND that is AFTER I build a temperature controlled mixing vat....

Seems nothing I want to do is ever easy...

Robert
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