Metal Selection for gap.

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Original poster: "Luke" <Bluu-at-cox-dot-net> 

I was wondering something and was hoping someone might have some thoughts 
to offer.
Should the specific heat of the electrodes in a static gap (parallel pipe 
type) have a high or low specific heat?

Seems the specific heat should be high.
This would allow the electrode to absorb more btu's before the temperature 
would rise.  The higher temperature of the electrodes would then not absorb 
heat as fast because the difference in temp from the arc to the electrodes 
is now smaller so heat will not flow as fast.  So the higher specific heat 
would absorb heat at a faster rate longer.

But it also seems the specific heat should be low.
If the specific heat is low the temperature will rise faster and since the 
higher temperature of the electrode will allow the heat to to dissipate to 
the surrounding air more rapidly because of the higher temp differential 
between the electrodes and the air.

Not sure why but I vote for the lower specific heat.
Can anyone give some thoughts?
I tried looking around the archives and didn't find much.

Thanx

Luke Galyan
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