Minerals as nut material?

[Jeff Roller]

Diamond? It will work at a price.

Diamonds have internal grain structure lines not unlike wood. Although it is the hardest on the mohs scale (10) diamonds are not bulletproof. In fact they are easily chipped, cracked, broken, even shattered.

Synthetic corundum (saphire) might work. It's used in many applications, clear synthetic corundum is grown in tubules, cut and polished for high end wristwatch crystals because of its hardness (9 on the mohs scale). Internally, it's a little tougher than diamond, can be grown in any color, and MIGHT make a good nut material. Might invest some time rooting around some gemmological chat boards to see....

 

[madmachinist]

minerals will have tremendous compression strength, poor
tensile and shear strength . i don't see why you couldn't
insert ceramic or stone saddles into a tougher nut body -
much like a miniature bridge.

it wouldn't look as cool as a swirly agate or glass bridge
though.

diamonds aren't expensive: i have many mounted 1/3 , 1/2 carat diamonds which i use to dress
grinding wheels ... about $5 - $6 apiece.

check this out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Genuine-18-25mm...ptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

 

[vbasscustom]

oooh..diamonds, well i have a whole swimming pool full of shiny ones. its sexy, i swim in them everyday

 

[mikeyswood]

ironwood, snakewood or bois d'arc (bodark) as nut materials?

Ironwood is a generic name for any really hardwood. I am most familiar with desert ironwood - Iroko and it might be okay.

Snakewood is a bit too dense for it's own good. The amount of work to craft a nut could all be lost when it checks.

Hedge Apple is certainly plentiful enough to try for dirt cheap. I am sure that they are in your backyard

I think that elemental silicon would be pretty good to try. Good strength and most people think that it is chrome.

smudge up white nuts.

giggity