Why did my uncle have gallium vials?

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:12

My uncle died a few years ago, pleasant chap liked by all. My aunt finally got round to clearing out the garage recently. She found 30g vials of gallium at the back of a drawer, there’s 20 in all.

Any thoughts to why he may have this? He was a retired solicitor. Just seems odd that he would have this kicking about.

Brizzles · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:16

Was about to ask if he had a strange accent and liked to visit Salisbury, but wrong chemical

VincentHanna · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:17

Isn't that used to solder things?

rebel rebel · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:19

According to Wikipedia it has so many uses, it'll probably be impossible to know what he was up to.

Did he like practical jokes? You can turn it into spoons that melt away when placed in hot tea.

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:20

VincentHanna said:
Isn't that used to solder things?

He didn’t do any soldering. All that was in the garage was gardening equipment and a few tools, plant pots etc.

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:21

rebel rebel said:
According to Wikipedia it has so many uses, it'll probably be impossible to know what he was up to.

Did he like practical jokes? You can turn it into spoons that melt away when placed in hot tea.

Nothing like that. Something doesn’t add up as it’s a very odd thing for him to have.

VincentHanna · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:22

Well I doubt he was up to anything dodgy with it.

It's not like he had loads of vials of Rohypnol

ttaskmaster · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:24

Raymond Lin · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:24

I have a soldering iron and solder somewhere in the house but I've not soldered in over 15 years...

May be he did solder, just not during your lifetime.

and I am not an electrician either.

Keeping that in the garage with the tools seems perfectly normal, it's not like you found a blood-stained knife with wrapped in a towel.

rebel rebel · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:25

Did he make thermometers?

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:25

VincentHanna said:
Well I doubt he was up to anything dodgy with it.

It's not like he had loads of vials of Rohypnol

ttaskmaster said:
As a hobby did he make anything with mirrors, like a bathroom cabinet?

No, he wasn’t a hands on type of guy. More pipe and slippers.

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:26

rebel rebel said:
Did he make thermometers?

Definitely not, 600G of gallium is just weird.

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:27

Raymond Lin said:
I have a soldering iron and solder somewhere in the house but I've not soldered in over 15 years...

May be he did solder, just not during your lifetime.

and I am not an electrician either.

Keeping that in the garage with the tools seems perfectly normal, it's not like you found a blood-stained knife with wrapped in a towel.

He never did much DIY, he was too busy at work. My aunt can’t seem to fathom why its there.

Flubble · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:28

maybe hoping the price goes up and re-sells it for profit?

LizardKing · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:29

Any previous tenants/ owners of the house or even the drawers themselves?

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:29

Flubble said:
maybe hoping the price goes up and re-sells it for profit?

Maybe..

Yaayuh! · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:29

Wikipedia said:
Gallium is also used as a liquid metal ion source for a focused ion beam.

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:29

LizardKing said:
Any previous tenants/ owners of the house or even the drawers themselves?

No, they owned the property since the 80s. They were in an old Ikea unit that they bought,

cheesyboy · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:31

Use it to weaken metal. maybe to break safes or locks? Was he a bank robber?

Rannoch · 18 Feb 2019 at 15:32

Was he thinking of breaking into the works safe then realised it wouldn’t work?