The Shop > Metal Stuff
Grades of brass
ieezitin:
John.
As an expatriate from the United Kingdom Circa 1990 I think I can give you the reason for us over here to quote the metal numbers, every time you want to buy a product they give you so much choice that if you did not know the Numbered steel you wanted you would walk out with nothing, it the same when ordering a cheese burger, do you want pickles, relish, onions, tomato, and so on. It never ends here!.
It’s all about choice which in turn has become there culture.
For me I am still the simple nit wit I was when I left the fare shores of Blighty, I cope the copious choices by telling my wife to order for me that way they don’t have to listen to my accent and how I say things and not hearing what I said.
Hope this clears it up. Anthony.
DavidA:
...Also be careful with copper alloys as manganese and lead are often added ...
And be aware that Beryllium may be there. And that stuff is VERY nasty.
Dave.
Lew_Merrick_PE:
--- Quote from: bogstandard on January 15, 2011, 05:39:13 AM ---In the US, everyone has a liking for quoting numbers for metals, and most times I have no idea what they are on about, and I don't want to know. I don't know if it is a one upmanship thing, showing that you can remember numbers.
--- End quote ---
Bogs,
The U.S. had the first alloy really detailed numbering system. There was an attempt in the 1970's and early 1980's to make an international universal alloy numbering system (the UNS). It failed, through you would not know that from reading the American engineering "press." If we (Americans) go into a hardware store to purchase steel, we will be paying (about) $8/lb for low carbon merchant stock. Most of us like to avoid that. When we go to a steel yard and buy "drops," they are still identified by (AISI) alloy number. Thus, we get into the habit of referring to our material in this manner.
I grant you that most HSM types need only know if the material they have is generally of this or that type. The lore about distinguishing carbon content, alloying elements, and the like (talking about steel here) is interesting and worthwhile to know. Terms such as chrome-moly or nickel-moly have fallen out of usage on this side of the pond. It is somewhat problematic from my side of the fence in that few American engineers understand why adding vanadium to a steel alloy might be a good thing -- or when it is not. However, it is the nature of the American metals marketplace that virtually requires that we know the alloy number we want.
Bogstandard:
Lew,
Don't get me wrong, we also use a very cumbersome number and lettering system for our metals, but it is only usually used in the manufacturing environment where critical specifications are required. I used to have to use numbers and codes for everything I did when I was in work.
In the home shop, I wouldn't go around to Stews shop and ask him for a bit of blah de blah steel, it would just be, gotta bit of steel about such and such a size, or Stew would come around and say, gotta bit of brass (or whatever) about this big.
It would be just the same if I visited a local production shop, I would just ask for a piece of low or high carbon steel, nothing specific, because what I do in my shop, almost anything would do.
I think it is a state of mind, we like the free and easy way, the US lads seem to want to know when you last went to the toilet, and what thickness tissue did you use, and if possible, what was the spread rate.
No offence intended at all, but it seems to me that we have a more laid back attitude when it comes to selecting our materials for use in the home shop.
If it works, use it, if it doesn't work, then don't use it. You soon learn what can be done with what. Try silver soldering (you call it silver braze) a bit of ali bronze, you will find it is almost impossible. But mix a bit of salt in with your flux and you will find you can, after a fashion. A lump of unknown sheet from the side of an old washing machine, once bent up and painted will do just as well as a very expensive sheet with a fancy number or code system of the same gauge.
I could, but very rarely use specific material codes in my postings, purely because I find it confuses people. Not everyone has the same knowledge base as true engineers, but most know their basic materials.
Now just tell him to use say any old bit of aluminium, as long as he can machine it, you will have a very happy chappie. Start pushing numbers at him, and he will turn off and go elsewhere.
Bogs
DavidA:
Bogs,
...Try silver soldering (you call it silver braze) a bit of ali bronze, you will find it is almost impossible....
That made me smile. A few month ago I had a bit of 'copper alloy' that I had turned up and drilled. I needed a length of copper pipe brazing into it, and as it was easier to get it done at work that to set up my own gear, I dropped it off with out copper jig making chap.
Later the brought it to me saying "Rotten bit of brass you got there. had one hell of a job brazing it."
That's when I remembered it was ally bronze. Thought it best not to tell him at this stage.
Dave :doh:
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