Aluminum Ink Wells

[RVC]

I have two batches of fermenting goop about to transition to aleppo/pomegranate gall ink. Thought I might machine ink wells for both of these out of aluminum bar stock. Probably stainless steel would be the way to go but I don't have any.

 

I am aware of the acidic nature of this kind of ink and was curious if it might be strong enough to cause a corrosion problem with the aluminum that would affect the aluminum and/or ink.

 

Comments will be appreciated, and thanks.

 

RVC

[Algester]

uhhh... no... you could however make a glass vessel and wrap it around your aluminium stock... either way glass is more preferable than metal if not plastic... I dont want to think about aluminum oxide being able to change anything in the ink...

[dcwaites]

The surface of aluminium almost instantly oxidises to aluminium oxide on contact with air. Other names for aluminium oxide are corundum or sapphire. it is quite stable, but in contact with liquids can corrode. You might end up with a patina inside your ink wells of aluminium oxide bonded with corrosion products from your ink. Once it becomes stable and hard, it probably wouldn't progress any further, so long as when you cleaned out your inkwells, you just rinsed them and wiped them out with a cloth.

[RVC]

The surface of aluminium almost instantly oxidises to aluminium oxide on contact with air. Other names for aluminium oxide are corundum or sapphire. it is quite stable, but in contact with liquids can corrode. You might end up with a patina inside your ink wells of aluminium oxide bonded with corrosion products from your ink. Once it becomes stable and hard, it probably wouldn't progress any further, so long as when you cleaned out your inkwells, you just rinsed them and wiped them out with a cloth.

 

Yes, this is what I was hoping to hear. I am familiar with aluminum oxide forming and hindering further oxidation. I think Cor-Ten steel works along the same lines. I was concerned with a continual contact with the mildly acidic ink as well as occasional scratches from descending nibs. Your comments make sense and I appreciate your response.

 

RVC

[dcwaites]

 

Yes, this is what I was hoping to hear. I am familiar with aluminum oxide forming and hindering further oxidation. I think Cor-Ten steel works along the same lines. I was concerned with a continual contact with the mildly acidic ink as well as occasional scratches from descending nibs. Your comments make sense and I appreciate your response.

 

RVC

 

An alternative might be to find a good robust lacquer or epoxy protective paint. I used to use tar epoxy paint (available from a good ship's chandlers for protecting the insides of boats) but you typically have to buy at least 2 litres, which is a bit excessive for a couple of ink wells. There are now modern equivalents to tar epoxy paint, but they are more expensive.

 

Check with a model shop, or even find the cheapest black nail lacquer you can find and use multiple layers.

[Biber]

I understand there is a certain ph window where corrosion doesn't occur something like between 4 and 8 (which is where a good deal of contemporary comercial FP inks lie). Needless to say, I was quite flamed when I suggested turning aluminum bodied pend into eyedroppers.

[dcwaites]

I understand there is a certain ph window where corrosion doesn't occur something like between 4 and 8 (which is where a good deal of contemporary comercial FP inks lie). Needless to say, I was quite flamed when I suggested turning aluminum bodied pend into eyedroppers.

 

Micturate upon the philistines. Make one and see how it goes. Prove them wrong.

 

The problem with aluminium is that everything would have to be made from the same piece of stock, and you can't have any other metals in contact with the ink (except for cap bands, clips, etc. that are on the outside), otherwise you can set up electrolytic corrosion. I have seen it pop a rivet from an aluminium boat in a few days. The nib should be ok as it is at one end of any potential circuit. The section would need to be plastic.

[RVC]

Thanks for the comments. It's all appreciated. I'll post a picture when I get one finished.

 

RVC

[Biber]

 

Micturate upon the philistines. Make one and see how it goes. Prove them wrong.

 

 

 

Perhaps, certainly I would if I had a suitable pen at hand. What drove me to do a bit of research on the subject was that I developed an interest in the Kaweco Lilliput which, because of its size and narrow girth, is only available as a cartridge pen. Also, I found it annoying that so many claim an alluminum pen will "rust" if exposed directly to water or ink. So why can't aluminum pens be used as eye droppers? Afterall, aluminum has been used for canteens and water vessels for decades. Maybe it's a matter of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but I probably will try it one of these days.