Brass Durability

I have seen countless examples where aluminium was used in stead of steel and it worked. Not so hard but working.

I have now seen this web page : **LINK**

The owner is using Brass (although more expensive, it is possibly more durable)
Take for example a brass tap. The mechanism is rubbing against each other for very long years and it still last.

Here he made tool holders for a QCTP: **LINK**

Here parts of the T & C Grinder: **LINK**

Parts of this grinding rest: **LINK**

QCTP: **LINK**

A lot here: **LINK**

Boring Head: **LINK**

Advanced grinding rest: **LINK**


I just want to know what is your opinion on the use of brass. It will machine easily on my mini mill. I just don't know how durable / hard it is.

Will I be able to cast in brass?

Johan,

There are hundreds of varieties of brass, with a very wide range of properties. Some of them have a tensile strength higher than mild steel; some are better than others for casting. A quick Google search threw up this useful looking resource:

**LINK**

I'm sure a more careful search would throw up many other informative sources.

Hope that may help.

David

Johan,

Many of the "Ornamental Turning" lathes, such as Holtzapffel, made extensive use of Brass for slideways, etc.

However; as David says, there are many grades of Brass; so there is no easy answer.

As for DIY casting ... please take care.

If I understand correctly; very little Brass Casting is now done in this Country -- simply because of the related Health problems. (I will see if I can find some detail, and post later)

MichaelG.

.

This thread is worth reading.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 31/01/2013 21:11:49

I made a gib strip out of brass I had bought to make free-hobbed gears from. It was so hard the first gear came out one tooth short, and the second one tooth extra, I gave up and got some engraving brass hich was fine for gears.

As I say the hard brass went into a gib strip - it was amazingly difficult stuff to work, but I was able to preserve the mirror finish on the bearing surface, which I then finished by flatting it with very fine abrasive paper. the result was silky smooth in use and has shownno visible wear.

Neil

One of the main problems is the cost of brass over as a block of hot rolled steel.

Brass is (well it was a yr or so ago) cast in Christchurch, although I had to change foundries, as the one I used to use now only does ferrous castings. Every yr or two I get a hundred or so Horse Brasses cast for the souvenir shop at our museum. I made 8 patterns. Ian S C

If it looks like brass but is d@mn hard it could well be Aluminium Bronze. The colour is almost the same. I once gave up drilling a 3 mm hole in this stuff (yes I used a good drill...)

Greetings, Hansrudolf

Hi Hansrudolf,

Not so much hard, as nasty to work - it grabs toolbits and repels all but brand new files.

It was 1/4" thick CZ108 from CES, I re-ordered the leaded engariving brass CZ120 which was much easier to work.

Neil

While clearing up in the w/shop I found a few old nozzles from oxy-acetaline and oxy-propane cutters. They look like bronze of some sort, does anyone know what? IE will they be any use for ,say, bearing bushes ? Or do I just weigh em in?

Hi Gordon,
All the cutting tips I have seen have been made from copper.

Les.

Thanks Les, I've cleaned one up and you are right, of course, the burning does put a nice colour on tho'. They'll come in for something.