Plumbago/graphite/black lead

[MattF]

Just thought I'd ask before I went and ordered some. Is Ebay likely the simplest, cheapest place to get some from, or ar there certain types of stockists/retailers who tend to sell it? Google doesn't bring much up regarding retailers.

 

[Maker]

EBay seems to have it at a decent price, I'd just get it from there.

Electrolysis electrodes?

 

[rikrobson]

I tend to find that online/mail-order retailers are now using ebay as a sales medium as well as thier own websites and phone

 

[colnerov]

Hi, If you find it on ebay and there is the business address at the bottom, contact them direct, you may get a better price because they're not paying ebays charges.

Colin

 

[MattF]

Cheers chaps. Ebay it is then.

Maker, not for anodes. The cast iron is more than suiting my purposes. Seems to last even better than graphite electrodes, in all honesty, judging from the set I once tried. This is for use in making up a wax/oil paste for finishing, instead of using enamel.

 

[MattF]

Only thing I can't decide is whether to add either some carbon black or charcoal powder to the mix, to add a bit of extra hue or darkness.

 

[wyn]

A couple of years ago I got hold of some graphite powder here.

 

[awemawson]

Why not buy Zebrite, used for .decades for polishing grates, brings steel and cast iron to a lovely shine. Final polish best with a bristle brush

http://fireplacepenistone.co.uk/shop/black-stove-and-grate-polish-zebo-zebrite/

 

[MattF]

Why not buy Zebrite, used for .decades for polishing grates, brings steel and cast iron to a lovely shine. Final polish best with a bristle brush.

The stuff doesn't seem half as good as it used to be, hence making my own.

 

[graffian]

You can get carbon dust from places that make motor brushes.

 

[MattF]

You can get carbon dust from places that make motor brushes.

Do they just compress it to make brushes, or does it have some bonding agent added? Now you mention it, I could always try and dig some old brushes out, and crush those up, just for initial testing purposes if I need to add some.

 

[graffian]

No they start with a block and cut/grind them to size.

 

[graffian]

but It probably starts out as dust. From what they told me they select the carbon according to how hard it is, and the percentage of copper or silver.
I do have a bag of the dust somewhere.

 

[MattF]

How big a bag?

 

[mike 109444]

Laser printer cartridge contain a percentage of carbon powder.
Make sure you ware some gloves cos that stuff gets into ever nook and cranny of you skin ! Bugger to get off AND if you spill it DON'T use a normal vacuum to clean up. Recall a tail of one engineer that did and it's such a fine powder that it goes through the bag and sprays out the exit, he sprayed the customers office wall !