Brass primer (as in basics) needed

And Barzin/Soldering?

Tony - Memphis

>To add to this, any tips on brazing or soldering brass?

Tony

I think

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>there is an allow commonly known as 360. You can cut it with your tablesaw or bandsaw. 220 and then 400 sandpaper finishes it up nicely. Be sure to wear some breathing protection.

Re: I think

Dave Mount, NE Minnesota

>Hey Jim--

You're right, 360 seems to be a common alloy. McMaster-Carr's website says it is good for machining, but poor for forming (tends to break when bent cold). Machinability and resilience for forming seem to be properties that run opposite each other (alloys that are good for one tend to be poor for the other).

Best,

Dave

Silicon bronze

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I have purchased some silicon bronze from Ebay over the years. Last project was a 40 1/2 lever cap. That stuff is 10x harder than the 360 brass. Finishes nicely. I would like to make a plane out of it. Something like a skew shoulder, 1/2" or 3/4". I bet that would be a real hot rod.

Re: Silicon bronze

Frank D. in Montreal

>Hey Jim,

Any idea whether Bronze is easy to pein?

Re: Silicon bronze

ThomD

>If you are talking about peining dovetails, I wouldn't want to, but it casts and welds ok.

Getting down to brass facts

Patrick Gibbons, Houston, TX

>360 half-hard is the standard for comparison of machinablilty for copper-based alloys. It is rated at 100%. This is confusing because it is a relative rating. SAE 1112, a resulphurized carbon steel, is rated at 100% machinability for carbon steels. The brass is much easier to machine than the steel. Just remember that metals are compared to like metals. Brass cannot be heat treated but can be work hardened. 360 is used for machined parts such as gears. Cartridge brass (260 I think) is good for stamped items. Use it for wear strips on gages, etc. These two are the most useful for what you want to do. Probably you can use 360 for all your uses and come out smelling like a rose. Check out Doug Briney's book, The Home Machinist's Handbook, for more info. WARNING!!! If you get this book you will most assuridly be bitten by the tool-making bug.

Re: Brass primer (as in basics) needed

Phil Joines Krum,TX

>I use a fair amount of brass, some for tool parts some turned for finials, etc. The price has gone up at least 300% in the last year or so. I get most of mine at a scrap metal yard. They usually have a couple of 55 gal. barrels of it, mostly rounds. For sheet I've been buying solid brass door kick plates. For some reason the borgs have them cheaper than I can get new flat stock. About 1/16" thick. The kick plates are a yellow brass, fairly soft and it can be bent without breaking.

BTW to anneal brass or aluminum with oxy/acc set the flame to smoke. Coat the metal with soot. Adjust to a neutral flame and evenly heat the metal until the soot burns off. Let air cool.

To turn make a cutter from a tool steel bit with a little upward hook to the tip. I use a fingernail detail gouge too. Use paraffin to lubricate.