Conducting testing on 300 series stainless steel - temperature and bullet test

[Newton]

2and test with better thermometer and thermocouples
Tests takin about 2PM plates been in sun outside all day. mirrored and flat finishes about 77f ambient temp very slight breeze probes taped directly to the steel. Thermometer says +- 1 degree

Flat/brushed: 130.1F on top facing sun.
129.4f on back side

Mirrored: 120.0f on back side.
Not shown but top temp was basically the same.

nearly identical to the 1st test, mirrored finish is 10 degrees cooler thAn the brushed type finish

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[ricinro]

2 questions, what does it take to make it rust and How magnetic is this SS? I was going to use high strength magnets to attach lights for camping but I do know the more it doesn't rust the less magnetic it is.

the Gateway arch:

Thickness of Plates for Outer Skin
1/4" (6.3mm)

Type of Material Used in Arch Exterior
Stainless Steel; #3 Finish Type 304

There is your rust test.

However, a salt water environment is harder on SS.

 

[Newton]

the Gateway arch:

Thickness of Plates for Outer Skin
1/4" (6.3mm)

Type of Material Used in Arch Exterior
Stainless Steel; #3 Finish Type 304

There is your rust test.

However, a salt water environment is harder on SS.

Having worked on ocean going boats (albeit not long) I was AMAZED at how the stainless parts were almost new looking after 50+ years. Yes some corrosion, and if i remember correctly the color was off. But compared to not stainless it, its literally like night and day.

 

[Newton]

New surface temp test with vyln wrap tape type material on it. ( i figured painting wasnt really relevent.
Pic should be self explanatory but ill write the cliff notes here.

ambient temp about 80F
-White coolest 30-40F cooler than black
-mirrored next coolest about 5-10 more than white
-unfinished surface 2nd hottest difference between unfinished and white was about 10-15degrees (probably getting larger the longer its sitting in the sun). might be worth wrapping
-Black hottest

@ 10 minutes in sun: unfinished surface: 112.1F
Mirrored: 108.5F
Black vynl: 132.3F
White vynl: 101.8F

@30 minutes unfinished surface: 123.6F
Mirrored: 116.4F
Black vynl: 141.4F
White vynl: 112.1F

@50 minutes Unfinished: 124F
Mirrored: 120.7F
Black Vynl: 148.5F
White vynl: 108.3F

Ill do some 1 on 1 tests: 1 plate all black vs 1 plate all unfinished.
I think having the colors on 1 plate eventually (past 1 hour), started effecting the other temps. also will leave for 3+ hour to try an find a max temp

 

[Tim.Luchenko]

Thank you for all you do. I made my choice, it will be unfinished. As I can see the temperature does not really play on it

 

[Newton]

Thank you for all you do. I made my choice, it will be unfinished. As I can see the temperature does not really play on it

np Tim, glad you got something from it. I was plannin on having unfinished also. I really like the look.

I was thinking since the metal is thicker it would hold more heat, so far that dosnt seem so, but i have yet to do a full 12x12inch sheet in black all day. Im pretty interested in how hot it will get

 

[ldjessee]

I appreciate all the work you are doing.
Now I would like to see how bad the reflected light is, the mirror finish vs the white vinyl vs the 'default'.
I just think the mirror finish would make it a nightmare for other drivers on the road... and maybe the driver if the sun reflects off the hood and into the driver's eyes.

 

[VolklKatana]

So my BMW Z4 has plenty of stainless accents and i can confirm that touching them after sitting in the sun for hours is a painful thing to do (especially the underside of your arm near the shifter!) This stainless has a bushed finish on it so not really reflective. Just wanted to give my experience as i dont have temperatures to back up my claim, just first hand, OUCH moments! lol

 

[Newton]

I appreciate all the work you are doing.
Now I would like to see how bad the reflected light is, the mirror finish vs the white vinyl vs the 'default'.
I just think the mirror finish would make it a nightmare for other drivers on the road... and maybe the driver if the sun reflects off the hood and into the driver's eyes.

cool idea, the mirrored is literally like a mirror, when testing I have to avoid the suns reflection or it basically blinds me. I worked on classic car paint/bodies for a bit, a couple times costumers wanted very polished but not mirrored. even those are almost the same as looking directly at the sun, when it reflects at you.

i might be able to find a way to see how bright the reflections are. the stocj finish is pretty dam blinidng when the sun reflects right at your eyes

 

[Newton]

Little update
@85F outside temp about 3-4 hours in sun
12x12 black vynl tape is getting up to about 163F
stock finish is maxing around 150F ( i wonder if a larger plate would get hotter?)

will keep testing to get data on max stock temp for this piece

im not really sure how this compares to regular car metal, i measured my dark grey prius once on a very hot day it was about 150F

 

[Red61224]

If you are going to shoot at it please keep safety in mind i.e. angle it so the bullet gets deflected into sand or something. Even doing that poses some risk. I actually shot myself (bullet fragment that did not penetrate but it still hurt) at an approved range.

Ever see the video of a fella shooting at a fixed metal item and the round came back and knocked his earmuffs off, what a surprised look on his face.

 

[Newton]

thats frightening! but ill do it from long range with the plate hanging on a chain. 100yrd 9mm shots are fun, but ill try an do a couple different loads too, half power and full power lead bullets and regular fmj at different distances. plus .22 and a rifle round for fun.

been pretty busy tryn to do the shooting test next week sometime

 

[Michael Mehta]

A scratch test with keys would be interesting.

 

[TyPope]

thats frightening! but ill do it from long range with the plate hanging on a chain. 100yrd 9mm shots are fun, but ill try an do a couple different loads too, half power and full power lead bullets and regular fmj at different distances. plus .22 and a rifle round for fun.

been pretty busy tryn to do the shooting test next week sometime

Keep in mind that if the panel has free movement, it will be able to bleed off some of the kinetic energy that would be absorbed if the panel was attached to something heavy... Dangerous to test, for sure.

 

[ldjessee]

Keep in mind that if the panel has free movement, it will be able to bleed off some of the kinetic energy that would be absorbed if the panel was attached to something heavy... Dangerous to test, for sure.

Yes, angling the panel so that any ricochet wold be directed down into the ground is usually how I have seen it done... if not remote firing from behind a ballistic panel.