CA-ALL Red brass shot, nuggets, ingots ?

[DaveK]

I am looking for leaded red brass casting material. Any leads on a Canadian (ideally western Canada) source ? Small quantity, maybe 10 or 15 pounds.

Thanks for any ideas,

Dave

 

[phaxtris]

I am looking for leaded red brass casting material. Any leads on a Canadian (ideally western Canada) source ? Small quantity, maybe 10 or 15 pounds.

Thanks for any ideas,

Dave

Aren't bullet casings red brass? Scrap casings are pretty easy to get a hold of

 

[YYCHM]

Aren't bullet casings red brass?

Yellow brass as far as I know.

 

[DaveK]

Aren't bullet casings red brass? Scrap casings are pretty easy to get a hold of

I don't think shell casings are leaded. So far the scrap I've been melting are not easily machined. I could add lead, and may try that, but am looking for a supplier of known-alloy (85-5-5-5) brass.

Thanks for the reply,

Dave

 

[YYCHM]

https://newwestmetals.com/products/brass/ C83600

 

[DaveK]

https://newwestmetals.com/products/brass/ C83600

I am looking for casting nuggets/ingots not rod/hex/tube/flat-bar. I actually called those folks, the gentleman I spoke with had no understanding of casting material. Do you have a source for nuggets or ingots ? Like this but in Canada :

Brass 85/5/5/5 UNS C83600 - Belmont Metals

Leaded red brass is typically found in plumbing applications. It is known for its reasonable cost with good machining and casting properties. The lead content ensures pressure tightness. Red brass is also used for low-cost bearing materials under low loads.

www.belmontmetals.com

Thanks,

Dave

 

[YYCHM]

I am looking for casting nuggets/ingots not rod/hex/tube/flat-bar. I actually called those folks, the gentleman I spoke with had no understanding of casting material. Do you have a source for nuggets or ingots ? Like this but in Canada :

Brass 85/5/5/5 UNS C83600 - Belmont Metals

Leaded red brass is typically found in plumbing applications. It is known for its reasonable cost with good machining and casting properties. The lead content ensures pressure tightness. Red brass is also used for low-cost bearing materials under low loads.

www.belmontmetals.com

Thanks,

Dave

Buy rod or what ever and cut it up into smaller chucks.

 

[phaxtris]

Since your casting anyways could you just make it, copper, lead, tin and zinc right ?

Most of that could be salvaged, definitely cheaper, might even be easier as a those items are definitely easier to source

Brass must not be used much for production in Canada, seems to be hard to get....I put some feelers out to Ryerson and few other special metal suppliers a while back for a quantity order (I was willing to buy 5k$ worth or so), and no one could really get anything

 

[mickeyf]

I have a collection of brass plumbing fittings I'm hoping to try casting with some day, but I have no idea what the composition is or how well they will work for that. if "Leaded red brass is typically found in plumbing applications" who knows, it might be just fine. Do you know the original use of your scrap?

 

[phaxtris]

I'm not sure if your question was rhetorical?

A quick google search says leaded red brass is the most common and typically used in things such as screws , valves, fittings...

So maybe you already have a collection? I'm not sure if there is a way to test the composition of the brass, but what have you got to loose by melting it down into an ingot and seeing how well it flows...etc

 

[DPittman]

Just in case anyone is looking for it....I have some 2" round 360 brass and would be willing to sell some. And I probably would be willing to part with some 1" round 360 also but need to my stock. I love brass but my gosh it's terribly expensive.

 

[DaveK]

Buy rod or what ever and cut it up into smaller chucks.

I haven't priced this option, just assuming that any formed metal will be significantly more expensive than new casting material (about $15 / pound).

Since your casting anyways could you just make it, copper, lead, tin and zinc right ?

That is plan B, add lead to unknown-alloy scrap. Yes it seems the pure metals are more easily sourced (compared to specific brass alloys).

I have a collection of brass plumbing fittings I'm hoping to try casting with some day, but I have no idea what the composition is or how well they will work for that. if "Leaded red brass is typically found in plumbing applications" who knows, it might be just fine. Do you know the original use of your scrap?

Most of my original melts were old brass figurines. I doubt the alloy was intended to be machined, and is likely a bronze. Unfortunately I don't have much old brass plumbing fittings, but suspect they would be OK.

I'm not sure if your question was rhetorical?

A quick google search says leaded red brass is the most common and typically used in things such as screws , valves, fittings...

So maybe you already have a collection? I'm not sure if there is a way to test the composition of the brass, but what have you got to loose by melting it down into an ingot and seeing how well it flows...etc

No, and no collection of plumbing fittings . There are ways to test the alloy, but not sure I am interested in going to the trouble of a "eureka" process. Frankly that is why I am looking for a source of known alloy. But ya, plan B is to tweak scrap brass/bronze (add lead) and test for machinability. I believe that most brass/bronze scrap will flow fairly well but its machinability will be a crap shoot. Certainly my first castings were tough as hell, not what I want to deal with in my various planned projects.

Just in case anyone is looking for it....I have some 2" round 360 brass and would be willing to sell some. And I probably would be willing to part with some 1" round 360 also but need to my stock. I love brass but my gosh it's terribly expensive.

Aye, that it i$. I paid a lot for the bits of bar and rod in my materials pile, not sure I want to melt them down .... yours either but thanks for the consideration. I can buy scrap from the unwitting for under $5/pound, it's just a little more work and time and unreliable.

Dave