Tanks, AL or SS, how to tell
- Thread starter BobH
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
FF
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2007
- Messages
- 22,552
A magnet will tell,, some stick to SS , none to Al.
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. B. Aluminum is softer than SS. You might take a sharp point (scriber/box cutter blade tip) and try to scratch the surface. If you experience little resistance to the scratch, there's a good chance the material is SS.
Mr. B. Aluminum is softer than SS. You might take a sharp point (scriber/box cutter blade tip) and try to scratch the surface. If you experience little resistance to the scratch, there's a good chance the material is SS.
sunchaser
Guru
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2008
- Messages
- 10,195
- Location
- usa
- Vessel Name
- sunchaser V
- Vessel Make
- DeFever 48 (sold)
If the magnet trick doesn't work (not all SS are magnetic) look at hardness. Al is quite soft in comparison to SS. A scratch test with a penny or copper tube may tell you the difference. Look up BHN of each for other scratch test metals.
EDIT. Slow down RTF, you are first again!
EDIT. Slow down RTF, you are first again!
Last edited:
High Wire
Guru
On my boat you can tell them apart immediately by the welds. AL welds will pretty much be the same color as the plates. SS welds will be discolored and darker on something unpolished like a tank. I might have a pic of a SS and AL tank next to each other.
