Subject: Re: chemical silvering

From: [email-masked] (Terry McCreary)
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 1996 04:07:03 GMT

[email-masked] (Steve Rayner) wrote:

>I just recieved an interesting/insulting flame about my posting re: the 
>formation of an explosive from chemical silvering chemicals.  It should 
>be noted that I was refering to chemical deposition of silver, not 
>electroplating.                                                                                                      

>Every book I have on the subject has this warning.  This includes the  
>Amateur Telescope Making series by Scientific American.  

You are correct.  Chemical silvering solution does have the potential
to form an explosive compound.  In the organic chemistry lab we teach
the students to use the so-called "Tollens test".  A positive test
forms a silver mirror on the inside of a test tube.  Immediately after
the test, the text instructions are to discard the contents into an
appropriately treated waste container (destroys the ammonia-silver
complex) and rinse well, else an explosion can result.  Not a very
violent one, but even a small explosion can ruin one's day.

Incidentally, I've found the instructions on silvering given in "How
to Make a Telescope", J. Texereau, to be the easiest to follow.

T. McCreary, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
"I don't need a disclaimer.  Everyone knows that I don't know what I'm
talking about."

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From: [email-masked] (Steve Rayner)
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 1996 09:43:30 GMT

Every book I have on the subject has this warning.  This includes the  
Amateur Telescope Making series by Scientific American.  
-- 
************************************************************************
     MY SECRET IS OIL OF HARLEY DAVIDSON !      Steve Rayner
************************************************************************

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From: [email-masked] (Brendan Tibbs)
Date: 2 May 1996 11:30:18 +0800

Terry McCreary ([email-masked]) wrote:
: [email-masked] (Steve Rayner) wrote:
: 
: >I just recieved an interesting/insulting flame about my posting re: the 
: >formation of an explosive from chemical silvering chemicals.  It should 
: >be noted that I was refering to chemical deposition of silver, not 
: >electroplating.                                                                                                      
: 
: >Every book I have on the subject has this warning.  This includes the  
: >Amateur Telescope Making series by Scientific American.  
: 
: You are correct.  Chemical silvering solution does have the potential
: to form an explosive compound.  In the organic chemistry lab we teach
: the students to use the so-called "Tollens test".  A : 
: Incidentally, I've found the instructions on silvering given in "How
: to Make a Telescope", J. Texereau, to be the easiest to follow.
: 
: T. McCreary, Ph.D.
: Associate Professor of Chemistry
: "I don't need a disclaimer.  Everyone knows that I don't know what I'm
: talking about."
: 
any info on the silvering procedures would be very much appreciated by
many !!!   
           Brendan

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From: [email-masked] (Russ Kepler)
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 21:01:11 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>any info on the silvering procedures would be very much appreciated by

Lindsey Publications has a small pamphlet on mirror silvering.  You
can reach Lindsey in Chicago using 815-935-5353.  The title is _How to
Make Mirrors_, and seems to be a 1930's reprint.  Sorry, I don't have
any additional identification.

-- 
Russ Kepler posting from home  [email-masked]

                      Please don't feed the Engineers