November BCM

[HighTechRedneck]

We tried something different to get you the November issue earlier than we have been in recent months.  Unfortunately we have learned that effort backfired and resulted in us being tardy with it again.  I hand package and mail the First Class subscriptions.  Those went out on time and got to folks right away.  But the majority of subscriptions are the regular type and those got mailed 2 weeks late.  The last few months have seen a very strange string of unrelated failures that all resulted in late mailing.

I apologize for that.  I know it is frustrating and irritating.  I can assure you it is to us too and we are doing everything we can to get things back on schedule.  Sadly, a change made in that effort caused this one to be late.

As we have done a couple other times, to help our readers who have online access, we are making the Online Edition freely available to all:

http://www.busconversions.com/Nov.pdf

[robertglines1]

thought maybe dog eat it! Sure it will be worth the wait..will wait for printed edition.  Bob

[Mex-Busnut]

I am subscribed to the electronic version. How come I missed the October issue? Thanks in advance!

[HighTechRedneck]

I am subscribed to the electronic version. How come I missed the October issue? Thanks in advance!

I looked up your subscription and don't see any reason you shouldn't have. Sometimes the email ones end up caught by aggressive spam filters.  Did you get the November email one?

I am emailing you the October one now and PM'ing you your username/password for accessing it directly whenever you like.  (your online access gives you the three most current issues at any given time.)

[cody]

One minor addition to seans article is that the 100% copper pennies were in fact discontinued in 1857, these were the large cent, and in 1864 the penny was changed to include 95% copper and 5% tin, this alloy continued until 1982 when the zinc penny with copper cladding was introduced, both the copper and the copper clad pennies were made that year with the major difference being the weight, pennies made before 1982 would actually have a high enough copper content to be used as washers, boring the hole in them would deface them however and could create another problem of a legal sort, I know that I wouldn't want to be in prison explaining to a hardened killer that my bit was for drilling a hole in a penny, I'm not sure I could give that a tough enough spin to create the needed terror in his eyes.  During WW2 a steel penny was subbed for the copper penny to alleviate a shortage of war material.

[Kevin Warnock]

I just wanted to say that I think the new owners are doing a great job with the magazine, and the care and concern for the readers really shines. It's just great that the CEO posts here regularly, and when there's a problem, he steps up to correct it before it becomes an issue.

Kevin

[Mex-Busnut]

I just wanted to say that I think the new owners are doing a great job with the magazine, and the care and concern for the readers really shines. It's just great that the CEO posts here regularly, and when there's a problem, he steps up to correct it before it becomes an issue.

Kevin

Absolutely agreed! They are doing a great job!

[Sean]

... 95% copper and 5% tin, this alloy continued until 1982 ...

Sorry, but this is not true.  The copper/tin alloy (which in common terms is called bronze) continued only until 1962, when the mint removed all tin from the penny.  The composition of the penny from 1962 to 1982 was, in fact, 95% copper and 5% zinc.  The common name for a copper/zinc alloy is brass, which is the term I used in the article.

Leaving aside the embossing issue, if you had a brass blank (rimless, unstamped coin), I would advise against using it as a conductive washer in battery applications, because in the presence of moisture and especially trace amounts of battery acid, galvanic corrosion can occur wherein the zinc migrates out of the material, leaving it porous and brittle and subject to mechanical failure.

Note that in the article I did not mention the composition of pennies between 1857 and 1962.

... 1982 would actually have a high enough copper content to be used as washers, ...

Again, you don't want to use an alloy containing zinc anywhere it might get wet.  But that aside, as I wrote in the article, coins are stamped with an embossed design.  In US coinage, the relief is a mere 0.08" (80 thousandths) on each side, but this amount is still enough to cause surface mating problems.  If the objective of using the washer is to improve the conductivity between adjacent lugs, for example because the crimps are interfering with proper mating, then you want absolutely flat washers made of the most conductive material available.  Bronze consisting of 95% copper would be fine, and 95%-copper brass would also work in any application not subject to moisture, acid, or other environmental concerns.

The comment in the article regarding defacing US currency was intended to be humor.  It had a second purpose as well, which was to signal that what I wrote next applied only to US coinage, as BCM does have readers in other countries.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[cody]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_year_did_the_us_stop_making_pennies_out_of_copper  Once again your wrong sean.  A more complete history of the composition can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(United_States_coin)

[HighTechRedneck]

Wow, this is not the direction I thought this thread would go.  Talk about a major detour.  lol

Wiki's are handy and generally fairly accurate but not always because they can be edited by anyone.   Wiki Answers is a coin toss.  (pardon the pun).

How about we look to the U.S. Treasury for the official answer:

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/indian-head.shtml

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/currency/lincoln-cent.shtml

The composition of the coin was changed again in 1962. Mint officials felt that deletion of the tin content would have no adverse effect on the wearing qualities of the coin, whereas, the manufacturing advantages to be gained with the alloy stabilized at 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc would be of much benefit. Congressional authority for this modification is contained in an Act of Congress approved on September 5, 1962. In 1982, the coin's composition changed again to copper-plated zinc. These coins, which are still being produced today, contain 97.6 percent zinc and 2.4 percent copper. This coin is identical in size and appearance to the predominantly copper cent issued before 1982.

[Busted Knuckle]

Not that my 2 cents is worth a plug nickle.

But I just thought I'd mention mine hasn't come yet. Or has it? What did the cover look like? Last one I have on my desk is the October issue with the "Emerald Dream" cover!

(That does not mean it has not gotten here and disappeared before I've had a chance to see it! I've been on the road more than usual lately.)

  BK 

[Busted Knuckle]

Well thanks to HTR my memory lapse has been pointed out!

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=17999.0 

So, thank you Mike of reminding me that memory is the second thing to go! And please by all means if you happen to remember what the first is, please remind me of that also!
  BK 

Now if I can just remember what it looked like and where it went!

[HighTechRedneck]

Here you go BK.

Still can't recall what the first thing that goes was though.  

[divinerightstrip]

I just wanted to say that I think the new owners are doing a great job with the magazine, and the care and concern for the readers really shines. It's just great that the CEO posts here regularly, and when there's a problem, he steps up to correct it before it becomes an issue.

Kevin

Absolutely agreed! They are doing a great job!

AGREED!!! *applauds*