Thursday, July 7, 2011

Stainless Steel Balls

To a regular buyer, purchasing a car is mostly seen as a single entity. To such a buyer, it is seen as a single item purchased from the vendor. Those who deal with cars do not think this way. They think of them as different facets that are conglomerate to form a big picture. In fact, this makes a lot of sense when you come to think about it. When a car breaks down, it does not mean that it is grounded forever unlike a broken window. All you have to do is replace the defective part and get it up and running once again. However, there are several parts in a vehicle that you may never be able to repair as a consumer and they include rubber gaskets, electrical wiring and stainless steel balls.





First, a car has a network of electrical wires running all through. For instance, electrical wires connect the starter to the engine and this is why those who try to hot-wire cars require exposing those wires in order to start the engine. Others are used to connect the dash board gauges to the sensors placed on different areas of the car. In case your gas gauge is not showing and you have filled the tank, you should not assume that the gauge is faulty. Perhaps it could be a broken connection between the sensor and the gauge.




On the other hand, stainless steel balls have several different uses like in seat belts. They may also be found in constant velocity joints or in the anti-lock brakes, which prevent you from skidding off an icy road when you make an emergency stop. You should never see any of these while driving your new vehicle and if you do, you can be certain that something is wrong somewhere. The only time you should see this is when they are at the shop or while your mechanic is repairing the brakes or the joints.






Rubber gaskets ate found in the engine. These are simple rubber pieces that are found between all the metal parts in the engine. Mostly they are used in carburetors. These keep all the metal parts from rubbing each other and tearing each other out as well as ensure that all the seals are held tightly between these metal pieces. This prevents the liquid gas or oil from leaking out of your car. If there's such a leakage, it means that you may have a defective gasket.


Finally, there are other auto parts that you may consider. Those who work on cars see them as a network of wires, gaskets, stainless steel balls, etc. and this is why mechanics are able to see how cars work.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Using Steel Balls In Magnetic Art

All sorts of magnets are being used more often nowadays in a creative way as a new means for artistic pursuits. Magnetized objects have the ability to maintain their structure and still be mobile. This form of art gives the artist the chance to make one of a kind and fluid creations that are amazing. It can be as basic as steel balls traveling along a sandy setting to make lovely repeating wave formations, or as elaborate as many tiny mirrors moving electromagnetically to alter their reflection spots and produce brilliant images. No matter what the creator wants to do, the right materials are essential for these creations.




One of the most popular and valuable found elements in magnetic art are the use of steel balls. These balls are often made out of  materials such as stainless, nickel, and chrome types of steel. None of these varieties is magnetic; however, all of them have the ability to become magnetized.  The stainless kind withstands severe conditions; however, it is not rust proof. Another steel that can rust is chrome and so it has to avoid corrosive substances like salt. It must also remain dry, and is not a popular pick for outdoor art creations. Nickel-plated balls are made from steel that has been covered in nickel plating. The largest advantage to using this material is that the balls will not rust, however they have to be protected from salt to avoid pitting and decay that can occur over time.





Chrome steel balls are frequently used for bearing however, in magnetic art sculptures they also serve as seam points as well as flax joints. They come in various sizes and often begin at 1/8 inch and go all the way up to a diameter of 1 inch. Stainless steel balls are generally this size as well. These can sustain more wear and tear and abuse than chrome can and are ideal for long-term use or for highly flexed joints. Additionally they cost more than the chrome steel balls do. The priciest choice of the three types is the nickel-plated kind. They are great for seam points and the joints found in magnetic creations. Nickel plated balls are not recommended for bearing loads, because they are not hard enough. As well, they come in a slightly smaller degree of sizes, although various sizes of any type of balls can be custom made.




Art certainly has no bounds and can be taken anywhere by the vision of the artist and the thoughts of the viewer. A fresh art form has emerged and it takes scientific ideas and basic objects and makes a unique creation that is lovely. Magnetic art in any form has immense beauty just waiting to be discovered.