Zinc testing part 2/3

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jPEr05O0mM
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YnZqzZXmXc

In response to inquiries about possible zinc content in the dog chains I use to make parrot toys with, here's the video and notes compiled from my tests and research.

For anyone wanting to do the tests at home, please use precaution as you are working with hydrochloric acid. It won't immediately eat through your skin, but it will burn and cause your skin to dry and become itchy for a day or two if you come into brief contact with it. Wear safety glasses, as getting it in your eyes will probably blind you and store and dispose of the acid carefully and thoroughly. As you will see in the video series, the acid does look like water. You don't want anyone mistaking it for such! If you aren't good with chemicals, please don't try it. I take no responsibility whatsoever if something goes wrong.

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Notes from my research. Please do not post elsewhere without crediting me and/or linking the vids!!!

Zinc treated steel:
Galvanized- hot dipped. Has a matte, textured finish. Texture more obvious on nails and screws than on wire.

Plated/electro galvanized- electroplated zinc. Bright, shiny surface, typically blue/gray, can be white or have a pink tint.

Mechanically galvanized- electroplated but thicker plating.

yellow zinc/perma-gold- more toxic than clear white zinc/zinc chromate. Has a yellow/pink/green oil slick color. Industry standards have been working this out of production so you theoretically shouldn't encounter this too much. It can look like yellow/gold cadmium used in the auto industry, but is also being removed from industry for toxicity.

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Stainless steel:
-warm undertones
-much less magnetic than regular steel

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Other common plating and finishes:

nickel plate:
-yellow undertones
-can be black to dark gray

chrome plate:
-bright mirror-like finish, lower quality plating may be more pitted.

cadmium plate:
-aka silver cadmium, clean cadmium
-silvery white finish, can look a little like the white color variants of zinc plate.
-typically used for metal exposed to harsh environments such as salt. Often used for aerospace, military and aviation parts.

tin plate:
-mostly used in tin can manufacture

bright:
-bare steel, no treatment.

coated:
-aka CC
-[adhesive] cement coated. Adhesive is much like hot glue. It melts with friction of insertion and solidifies on cooling.

phosphate coated:
-dark gray to black
-designed to take paint better
-has more corrosion resistance

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