Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Well for a start, if you pay a little extra, a lady in mini skirt, high heel shoes & long hair will come & stand under it every night.
Junk rig
- Thread starter oz-1
- Start date
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
I think it's because aluminium is available in the form of extrusions, which alternatives like steel are not. So the fabrication costs are far below those of alternatives. Also, aluminium and its alloys are not so attractive to thieves because scrap metal is sold by weight, and aluminium has a very low density and not an enormous scrap value, so they have to steal a much greater volume of material for the same return. Lead and Copper are much more "cost-effective" for a thief, being both denser and higher value! Certainly, I've never heard of aluminium lampposts being targeted by thieves in the UK but lead rooves, copper cables and lightning conductors are commonly targeted, to the extent that most churches have to take precautions against theft with things like "SmartWater" and UV visible marking.
I just looked up the scrap values:
| SCRAP METAL | CURRENT PRICES | Density | Price per litre |
|---|---|---|---|
| COPPER | £3.50 - £6.50 / kg | 8.96 kg/litre | £31.36 - £58.24 |
| ALUMINIUM | £0.60 - £1.40 / kg | 2.7 kg/litre | £1.62 - £3.78 |
| LEAD | £0.90 - £1.30 / kg | 11.34 kg/litre | £10.21 - £14.74 |
Clearly, Copper has the best profitably for thieves!
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I hear that in some of the more forward-looking regions along the south coast they're actually switching to carbon fibre for their lamp posts...
Stemar
Well-Known Member
Also, for lamp posts, they tend to break if you drive into them and don't do as much damage (= less likelihood of injury)
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
There's also the point that metal lamposts can be recycled readily; carbon fibre or other composite materials can't.