Over the years I have had instruments in for repair with metal
"Xylophone" bars or "Dulcimors" as the British Showmen call them.

I check their tuning and have them re-polished and chromed but they always
end up rusting again after a few years.  These are on traditional
traveling fairground organs with the fairs.  The weather eventually gets
to them.

I have looked into making them out of polished stainless steel which
should cure the problem but never made any as the customers wouldn't
spend the money.  Has anyone tried stainless steel with any success?

Tim Blyth
http://homepage.zynet.co.uk/timblyth/