Getting down to brass tax

[kevin.decelles]

My goal is to make a new ACME nut for a 1"-5 LH. I bought a tap, and decided to cast my own billet. Our old house had solid brass door knobs (love the '90s!), and when we replaced them I kept the bag. 10.5 lbs of them.

As a mold/form I used a piece of 1 3/4" square oak railing baluster. I used my electric kiln and a sched-40 steel crucible.

Pictures to follow.

 

[kevin.decelles]

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[Tom Kitta]

I need to do some casting myself but for a custom hammer that comes with replaceable heads. The heads were originally rawhide but I am planning something exotic like copper.

 

[kevin.decelles]

A little charred on the outside, but nice and gold on the inside!

Lessons learned:

1. The difference between 1750F and 1250F (Aluminum) is noticeable.
2. Respirator needed for future. Much gasing (Zinc I believe)
3. Need to make a new cask -- this one started on fire

 

[6.5 Fan]

Waiting to see the finished nut, should be a fun project. Question though, why did you replace the door knobs? Built my house in 1980 and the only knobs i have replaced are outside doors. Oh ya i bet it is a pink thing, must renovate.

 

[DPittman]

Fun cast brass, another new world of possibilities! Cool stuff.

 

[Janger]

Waiting to see the finished nut, should be a fun project. Question though, why did you replace the door knobs? Built my house in 1980 and the only knobs i have replaced are outside doors. Oh ya i bet it is a pink thing, must renovate.

Peach pastel colours, white stain on oak, with brass accents. 1980s 1990s for sure.

 

[kevin.decelles]

The first blank. Sure dirties up the mill. How one forgets high school shop class.....

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[kevin.decelles]

Ok, wrecked the first blank...... drilled the hole to the major diameter instead of the minor...... brain fart.....

Well , that was a good lesson in internal vs external dimensions...... embarrassing but I’ll likely not do it again

So, pieced off another blank and this time it drilled fine so I tapped it in the lathe (manually) , using the brake to hold the chuck still

The tap I purchased from McMaster Carr is pretty interesting . It is a “through tap” and the literature said to not reverse it as it uses progressive teeth

The first set of teeth cut narrow and deep, the second set widens out the cut

Taps great. A lot of elbow grease required

Final product is a 1-5tpi nut for my cnc mill z axis

Just waiting for the final piece to dry (primer) then reassembly.


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[DPittman]

Nice job there Mr!

 

[6.5 Fan]

Looks good. I have seen where a guy melted down a bunch of brass cases, mostly 22rim fire and machined an AR lower.

 

[PeterT]

Kevin> It is a “through tap” and the literature said to not reverse it as it uses progressive teeth

Good job there!

I've heard that about those lead screw type taps. Man, that would be a nail biter if things tighten, the brass starts squeaking & you are not supposed to back up to break the chips because it doesn't work that way. Other than maybe an air blast or cutting fluid, I guess wrench through it & hope things go as designed. I read an article where a guy tried to make his own special tap, several failed attempts (mostly with warpage in heat treat). He got them to tap but were never very crisp. always a it oversize. Eventually he sold a farm animal, bought the obscure tap new, made his nut plus 5 spares for his eventual grandkids, then flipped the tap on Ebay for a bit more than he paid because someone else had the same issue.

 

[Johnwa]

@kevin.decelles nice casting. What did you use for a crucible?

 

[kevin.decelles]

@kevin.decelles nice casting. What did you use for a crucible?

An unused steel pipe 4” diam 1/4 wall

I have two unused graphite crucibles but didn’t have tongs made yet


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[Swharfin']

I need to do some casting myself but for a custom hammer that comes with replaceable heads. The heads were originally rawhide but I am planning something exotic like copper.

I have some 2" bushing bronze I could lop of some for you for your project you bring it home

 

[DPittman]

I need to do some casting myself but for a custom hammer that comes with replaceable heads. The heads were originally rawhide but I am planning something exotic like copper.

Yes copper headed hammers are a thing of beauty but the copper is almost as dear as gold. I have some 3" copper round bar I've been saving for some unknown project. I can't remember what I paid for it but I think that is because I've blocked out the price to avoid mental anxiety over the crazy price.