ArtMetal

Thanks for the reply, Jim! I chose core ten b/c the thing I'm making will be attached to a floating platform installed (I hope) in a saltwater environment. The steel part functions as a gong of sorts, and after running some tests on pipes of various ilks, 1/4" sheet steel, and 1/8" core ten (not that this was a scientific survey—it was just what the welder could get his hands on), the core ten won. As far as I can tell, core ten is also an appropriate material for the conditions the instrument will be living in.

All that said, I am open to any other suggestions you (or anyone!) may have about other, easier-to-source materials that would hold up in a watery environment and might sound good, too.

Thanks!

LS