Date:         Wed, 27 Apr 2016 09:43:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vent wing seals? Anybody?
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>,
          Marc Perdue <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAFnDXk2RxLz0bHAywLJ5kOBzcGz1dq4DE=8yTH-=AYYcik9g4A@mail.gmail.com>
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You might want to check if that part is actually lead. It may be zinc, which I think is more likely. Scrape a bit off, lead will be shiny under the surface and zinc will be the same dull color.  

That seal looks like zinc to me.  A final test is sulfuric acid (battery acid).  Lead will not be affected, but zinc will dissolve. Unfortunately, this is a sacrificial test if it's zinc!

You could still cast it from zinc, but zinc melts at 782 F and lead melts at 622 F.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jim Felder
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 8:46 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Vent wing seals? Anybody?

I am talking about the same thing is you. The latch setup is a bit different, I noticed, and I did not disassemble it.

Yes you can cast lead in plaster. You will need a two piece mold to do this right since the front is formed as a cone-shaped indention as well as the back, whose circle pattern has a flat across one end giving is a slight D shape. It's a little more complex than just a washer.

Jim