I've always wondered what the clips/posts in a standard telcom 66-block were made of and all research tells me it's 'phosphor-bronze'.
I have about 100 old 66-blocks that could easily be disassembled to pull the clips if there's value but I can't find anything anywhere that indicates whether or not it would be worth it...
Any thoughts?
This caught my eye because I have been using 66 blocks on phone installations since 1984. I always assumed the clips to be steel and have always thrown them away. Now I'm not so sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by zovyn
A magnet can be a useful tool o:)
Mike, you are always so helpful. What ever would we do without you. :))
Anywho, I had a 66 block and took it apart. It also had a few bridging clips on it.
The first pic shows the 66 block and how the bridging clips attach.
The second pic shows the termination clips removed from the 66 block
The third pic has a bridging clip hammered out flat and both sanded down to expose the innards.
The bridging clip was only slightly magnetic and after sanding was not magnetic at all. It has a copper color but is to hard to be just copper. I doesn't bend easily and is harder and more springy.
The 66 termination clips were not magnetic at all and after sanding looked yellow like brass.
That springy Copper is probably Beryllium Copper.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper
My Tech teachers when i did my Apprenticeship told me that in their time one guy had a polished up Beryllium Copper Cresent ( adjustable spanner/wrench ) wrapped up in cloth in the back of his toolbox.
The joke was that the new Apprentice would get asked at some point to go around & find out "Who's got the Golden spanner ".
He would go around thinking that this is a joke untill somebody actually does pull one out of their toolbox & very carefully presents it to them on a clean cloth background.
Ive pulled the pins from these and sold on eBay as "Scrap Silver Plated Brass". I can't remember what the pins were bid up to but it was way more than scrap value.
Did you test them to make sure it was silver plated or did you just list them as silver plated brass. I ask because I throw old used ones away all the time. I have 5 in my truck that was going in the trash but maybe I need to hang on to them.Quote:
Originally Posted by nutpie