Magnesium vs. aluminum...thoughts?

[Merik]

Is magnesium a good metal for sabers?  I'd guess it's much harder to machine. How does it compare weight/strength-wise to aluminum?  Any thoughts?

[bombarta]

It's great for starting fires  >:D

[97th Acolyte]

This reminds me of the lessons in school where we burned alkali metals... Which would result in the wrong end of the lightsaber igniting. ;)

[Arryck Corso]

Machining magnesium parts is risky business. The small chips and fine dust generated during cutting are highly flammable and pose a serious fire risk if not properly handled.  Magnesium is lighter than aluminum but also is more brittle and tends to erode from the inside out, which means you won't know you're parts have weakened till they fail during use.

Car manufacturers have made magnesium wheels (mag wheels), chassis, and engine blocks/components for decades due to the fact that magnesium is lighter in weight than their aluminum counterparts. 

Bottom line.....yes you can use magnesium to build a saber with when the proper tools and techniques are implemented.  Darth Alice over on the IRA forum did one a couple years ago from an old nut driver or something????  But I would avoid using magnesium to build a saber with.  Benefits of it do not outweigh the costs.

Not sure if this helps much......just my $0.02!

[Sandpeople are people too]

Darth Alice over on the IRA forum did one a couple years ago from an old nut driver or something????

from his facebook.  I had one of the mag nut-runners as well. 

[Merik]

The nut driver saber was what had me wondering.

I guess the only plus for magnesium is the weight. Since it's softer, weaker, requires powder coating, and is potentially dangerous to machine, I don't think I'll go that route.

Thanks for your two cents, Arryck. These are the things I was looking for.

[ARJedi]

yeah I could see a bad short or battery meltdown going really bad with a MAG bodies lightsaber :o