Architectural Brass Angle—Why Is Brass So Popular in the Construction Industry?

Looking for the perfect material to complete your architectural project? You might find architectural brass angle bars and other supplies suitable.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/architectural-brass-angle-why-is-brass-so-popular-in-the-construction-industry/

Understanding Corrosion and Why Copper and Brass Suppliers Are Not Worried about It

Most people believe that the world they live in is a calm and comfortable place. In reality, it is more hostile than they can possibly imagine. Everything on Earth is locked in a constant battle for survival. The environment is so fragile that even the slightest shift in the balance could push life to extinction.

It is only when living things learned to adapt and evolve that the world became less hostile. Yet the fact remains that when the world can no longer support life as we know it, everything will perish and decompose. All that will be left is a barren wasteland with nothing more than dust and rocks.

The famous adage “from dust you came, and to dust you shall return,” is originally addressed to all living things. It pertains to the natural process of decomposition when a carbon-based material loses resistance against the effects of its environment. It turns out that this principle applies to inorganic materials as well. The only difference is that their decomposition takes a lot longer and is influenced by a greater variety of factors. This process is more commonly known as corrosion. Read more from this blog: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/understanding-corrosion-and-why-copper-and-brass-suppliers-are-not-worried-about-it/

Alloying: Understanding How Copper and Brass Suppliers Make the Toughest Materials

Combining two or more different substances produces what is known in Chemistry as a mixture. Depending on the properties of each constituent of the mixture, the desired product, and various other factors, the process may involve more than just stirring or kneading. Mixing metals, for instance, naturally involves smelting and annealing since metals are hard solid, and this is the most efficient way to produce another metal.

The process of combining a metal with one or more metals or with one or more non-metals is called alloying. This practice dates back thousands of years when man discovered that copper can be combined with tin to form bronze. Since then, humans have been obsessed with producing harder and more flexible metals through alloying. Even today, many of the metals that were first used for alloying are still spawning different kinds of materials that are widely utilized for a range of applications. Read more from this blog: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/alloying-understanding-how-copper-and-brass-suppliers-make-the-toughest-materials/

How to Safely Clean the Items You’ve Purchased from Top Brass Suppliers

Brass furniture can make your home look bright and elegant. The shimmering reflection they create can brighten up every nook and cranny in every room. Unfortunately, this sheen doesn’t last forever. In fact, it can easily be overshadowed by tarnish as the furniture’s surfaces get exposed to oxygen. Fortunately, though, there are ways to make your brass items shiny again.

Why does brass tarnish?

Before cleaning and polishing your brass furniture, it helps to first understand why brass tarnishes in the first place. Well, you may think that tarnish indicates damage or deterioration. In truth, it’s the other way around. The tarnish is the beginning of a process called patination, or the creation of a protective layer as a reaction to oxidation. That tarnish is actually protecting your brass furniture from damage.

The problem with tarnish is that it makes brass surface look pale and unattractive. Unless you intend to make your brass furniture look rustic and antique, you have no other choice but to clean and polish them every now and then to bring back their luster.  

Is it solid brass or just a coating?

Brass is an expensive metal because its base metals are hard to mine and it requires a quite complex alloying process. This is also why most items made of pure brass cost more than those made of iron or aluminum, which is more abundant in supply. When a piece of brass furniture is offered to you for an unreasonably low price, it could be a red flag that the furniture is not made of pure brass.

There’s a way to determine if a furniture is pure brass or not. Hold a piece of magnet near the surface of you brass furniture. If the magnet doesn’t cling to the furniture, it means the furniture is pure brass. If it does, the furniture could be made of iron and just coated or plated with brass. It is important to know this because the cleaning method required for brass-plated furniture pieces may be different from that required for pure brass items.

Cleaning and Buffing

The first step to restoring the luster of your brass furniture is to get rid of dirt and stains from its surface. Wash the item with soap and water until the surface is all clean. This won’t remove the tarnish but at least you’ve eradicated hard particles that can stick to the cloth and potentially scratch your furniture as you rub on its surface.

Dry the furniture and ready the materials you need for buffing. All you need is a piece of cloth and a burnishing substance. You may use commercially available metal polish but if you like a more natural and cost-effective approach, there are alternative products that you can use, most of them are very likely to be found in your home. Vinegar, for instance, is a natural polishing agent that works just as effectively as over-the-counter products. Catsup and lemon may work, too.

Getting Your Brass Supplies from the Best Supplier

Proper alloying techniques can produce high-quality brass items with sheen that doesn’t easily fade. This means you don’t have to clean and burnish your furniture very often. You can find these materials from reputable brass suppliers, such as Rotax Metals. Buying from a trusted supplier can help you get the most bang for your buck.

Sources:

How to Polish Brass, realsimple.com

How to clean brass naturally, mnn.com

4 Important Questions to Ask Brass Suppliers before Closing a Deal

Any smart business owner knows that buying from the right supplier is crucial in the success of a project. Signing a deal with just any supplier without doing necessary background and reference checks can be disastrous. Such problems like inability to keep up with demands and frequently late deliveries can harm the profitability of a small business.

This is why asking the right questions matters when it comes to looking for the best brass suppliers. Just by doing the extra step, the choices of potential suppliers are cut down significantly. Here’s a list of the questions business owners must ask suppliers:

What Leading Brass Suppliers Will Tell You about Brass

You’ve probably seen one somewhere but you just can’t remember. At one point, you might have mistaken it for gold because of its gold-like sheen. Yes, that’s brass, and you’ll find no other metal except gold that has that distinctive, elegant appearance. However, there is more to brass than just appearance. It has a range of useful properties that are notable in the metalworking industry.

Low Melting Point

In the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day, there were scenes wherein the antagonist T-1000 (made of liquid metal) melted after being blasted and went brittle when soaked in liquid nitrogen. Although just an exaggeration, those are what can happen to most metals when they’re exposed to extreme temperatures. Remarkably, some metals like brass have higher tolerance. Brass is well-known for having a low melting point, which makes it a perfect casting material. It also doesn’t become brittle at low temperatures unlike most metals, so you can expect it to endure in the worst environmental conditions.

Malleability and Ductility

It’s interesting how metal with such a low melting point can be so malleable and ductile. Brass can be hammered or rolled into thin sheets more easily than most metals. It can also be drawn into small wires without breaking. It’s no wonder why brass is the preferred material for making small machine parts, fixtures, and intricate decorative elements.

Friction Resistance

Most metals would immediately heat up when rubbed against each other. Some may even spark when slid on the surface of another metal at high speed. Although unique, this characteristic isn’t really beneficial. Apart from potentially causing fire, it can severely damage adjacent non-metal machine parts, which could in turn break the machine or reduce its performance.

Conductivity

With all this heat and friction resistance, you may think that brass is no longer electrically conductive. In truth, it has good electrical conductivity ranging from 23 to 44 percent that of pure copper. This means brass can still perform well as a machine part through which electricity have to be conveyed. Its heat resistance makes it an even better conductor, since it won’t easily succumb to the heat generated by electricity. 

It helps to learn about these amazing properties of brass before you decide to use it for your project. However, not all brass supplies are the same. Because they vary in zinc content, they also come in different qualities. Consult with top brass suppliers like Rotax Metals about the type of brass you need to make sure that you will pick the right material and make the most out of its properties.

About Rotax Metals: Rotax Metals is a premier metal supplier in North America that has been in operation since 1947. With decades of experience in providing for all kinds of project, we are confident that we can deliver the highest quality brass, copper, and bronze supplies. We cater to various industries, including construction and metalworking. We even deliver materials to artisans and metal suppliers.

Sources:

Properties of Brass, gharpedia.com

Properties of Brass Metal, bizfluent.com

Brass Suppliers: Properties that Make Brass a Practical Alternative Metal

The price of raw brass materials may not be the cheapest compared to other alternative metals, but it remains the practical option. Aside from its distinct range of colors, excellent malleability, ductility, electrical conductivity, and acoustic properties, other characteristics unique to brass add to its overall value. This is why many industries rely on their trusted brass suppliers to provide quality materials for a wide variety of applications.

Brass Suppliers: Quick Tips for Buying and Crafting with Brass Sheets

Thanks to beautiful art pieces around the world and shows like Forged in Fire, working with metal has been rising in popularity among artists and hobbyists alike as of late. Whether you are setting out to create the next great sculpture in town or looking to craft a realistic prop for your next Comic Con cosplay, working with brass sheets from trusted brass suppliers like Rotax Metals may be the way to go.

If this is the first time you’ll be working with brass, the entire process may feel intimidating. Unlike working with plaster or other common materials, brass and other metals are a little more difficult to work with for the first-timer. However, knowing what to look out for and how to go about shaping brass to your needs can help you succeed. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you out:

Know What You’re Buying

First of all, you’ll need to get your hands on some quality brass sheets. While browsing the selection of sheets offered by brass suppliers, pay close attention to the gauge indicated. This number will indicate just how thick or thin a particular sheet is, with higher numbers indicating thinner sheets. If you would like to have a high polish finish, try to find sheets with protective film that can be left on until the last moment. If you are unsure about the capabilities of a particular gauge of brass sheet, do not hesitate to ask brass suppliers for advice as they are always happy to help. Read more rom this article: http://bit.ly/2CyzOUp

Brass Suppliers Give Tips on Making Eye-Catching Corporate Signages

Having an exterior building signage is necessary to just about any type of business that aims to distinguish itself from its competitors, especially in today’s tech-reliant world. After all, a physical signage is an important part of overall marketing and branding strategy. You therefore need to make sure that it represents what a particular brand stands for. Reliability, consistency and elegance are all characteristics your clients will want to be associated with their business, and using a material that embodies all of these will help them create a strong first impression with customers.

Brass, for example, is one of the most common materials used for exterior signages due to its durability and distinctive appearance. It’s also very easy to work with, particularly if you keep in mind these tips from reputable brass suppliers.

Choose a Workable Alloy

Brass doesn’t only come in all shapes and sizes, but also in composition. The types of metals used in production of this alloy can affect machinability and resistance to corrosion. If you need to apply a certain method to a brass sheet or plate to create the sign, be sure to inform your supplier. They may be able to recommend an alloy that’s more suited to your needs or offer to fulfill specific application requirements for you.

Prioritize Sign Readability

Readability of a sign takes precedence over any design feature you want to add. If customers can’t decipher what’s written on it, then its fetching reddish tint or gold-like luster won’t make the least bit of difference. When working with brass, two of the most effective methods to cut a pattern on the surface are engraving and etching. Engraving involves using a stylus to draw directly onto brass while etching requires sketching and then applying an acid bath to the material. Your choice in technique will depend on the pattern or text the client wants to use. For a design that requires precise strokes and crisper lines, you might want to go with engraving. If the design calls for broader, deeper lines, etching is the better option.

Consider Element Exposure

Since the signage is going to be placed outside, you have to anticipate how exposure to weather can affect its appearance. Compared to plastic or aluminum plaques, painted backgrounds and other cheap materials at least, brass can hold up fairly well against sun and rain. It will tarnish over time, however, so make sure to remind your client that it would need routine maintenance, especially if they chose brass to match their brand. Wiping down the surface from time to time will allow the sign to retain its color.

An exterior signage holds a lot of value even in a time when digital advertising has drastically changed the marketing game. With the right skills and a trustworthy supplier on your side, you can help businesses attract the attention of their customers.

About Rotax Metals

Rotax Metals is the go-to supplier of copper, brass and bronze products since 1947. We have worked with countless fabricators, architectural designers, artisans and many other professionals in a variety of industries. Our company is also known for its unparalleled dedication to sustainability and environment in our day-to-day operations.

Sources:

A Small-Business Guide to Designing Compelling Signage, Inc.com

3 Design Tips for Creating Signs That Attract Customers, Entrepreneur.com

What Brass Suppliers Will Tell You About Brass Products

Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of man is discovering that raw metals can be combined to form better-performing alloys. Among the most popular types of alloy that have been produced for millennia is brass. It is composed of copper and zinc, two commonly used metals that are known for their many beneficial properties. When combined to form brass, their properties are boosted, allowing the resulting alloy to be used for greater applications.

Applications of Brass

Unlike other alloys, brass is so easy to produce. It’s no wonder there’s a vast array of products used by multiple industries that are made of brass. These include jets, taps, injectors, and terminals. Even most nuts, bolts, and threaded parts are made of brass. This metal is also ideal for making musical instruments, particularly woodwinds like trombone, trumpet, and horn.

Not all brass products, however, have similar characteristics. Some are tougher or more durable than others, considering that each alloy consists of a different amounts of copper and zinc. The variation allows manufacturers to produce materials of varying qualities, especially if they are trying to customize brass for specific purposes. 

Beneficial Properties of Brass

There are many reasons why designers, builders, and artisans prefer brass to other alloys. Here are some of the beneficial properties that make brass an ideal metal for various projects.

Workable. Like most alloys of copper, brass can be worked to produce a plethora of items, mainly because it’s ductile and malleable. The workability of brass, however, depends on its zinc content. Brasses that contain more than 45 percent zinc lose their workability along with their industrial importance. Fortunately, most brass products, including plumbing fixtures and fittings, have less than 45 percent zinc.

Hard. A metal’s hardness refers to its ability to resist plastic deformation when applied with pressure. Despite being malleable and ductile, finished brass becomes particularly hard. Its hardness can be increased through cold work, such as rolling, swaging, or bending.

Corrosion-Resistant. Both copper and zinc are non-ferrous (non-iron containing) metals. Iron reacting with oxygen forms rust. Since both metals and their alloys don’t have iron, they won’t produce rust. This makes brass perfect for applications that involve exposure to moisture, such as plumbing and irrigation systems.

Withstands High Temperatures. Brass alloys have a thermal expansion coefficient ranging from 9 to 12. This means it doesn’t easily expand or elongate when exposed to high temperatures. With such property, brass is the perfect material for hot water distribution systems and other structures that deal with extreme heat. 

Versatile. Since brass can be worked easily, it can be made into products of varying sizes, shapes, and finishes. Plumbing systems, for instance, may have big, small, and irregular-shaped fittings, which allow for the installation of complex networks, particularly those that require unique specifications. Each product can be chrome plated, antique or nickel finish, lacquered, or polished brass depending on its purpose.

Whether you are a builder looking for the best materials for your project or a supplier in need of new, in-demand products, brass can be your best bet. Turn to reputable brass suppliers like Rotax Metals to make sure that you will get only the highest quality brass products. A long-standing company like Rotax Metals surely uses the most advanced methods when producing brass alloys, so they can definitely meet all your needs. 

About Rotax Metals

Rotax Metals is one of biggest suppliers of brass, bronze, and copper in North America. We serve professionals and businesses from various industries, including craftsmen, fabricators, building contractors, and plumbers. We’ve been providing high-quality metal supplies and custom-make machines since 1948. If you want the right metals for your project, get in touch with us and we’ll find what you need from our huge inventory.

Sources:

The Uses and Properties of Bronze, TheBalance.com

Use of Copper and Brass - Way to Good Health, GlobalVarnasramaMission.Blogspot.com

Hardness of Brass: Effects of Rolling and Annealing, MaterialsEducation.org

5 Benefits of Brass Plumbing Fittings, DoItYourself.com

Thermal Expansion of Metals, EngineeringToolbox.com

Green Benefits of Getting Your Metal from Environment-Friendly Brass Suppliers

Brass is one of the most commonly used metals. Its application ranges from architectural cladding to lamp sockets to jewelry. You can also see it in marine and industrial equipment. While many choose brass for its flexibility of use, some may overlook the value it gets from its environment-friendliness.

This metal, which comes in forms of bars, rods, and other special shapes, is among the easiest to recycle. In fact, it consists of recycled materials, meaning it doesn’t put any to waste. The most popular type is called Free-Cutting Brass, which is the go-to product of a lot of engineers and machinists. In the United States alone, half of the one million tons of brasses consumed each year are free-cutting types.

Machinability

The term of “free-cutting” is coined due to the metal’s ability to be turned, cut, or drilled with ease. This makes it easier for users to recycle the metal into whatever form they need. No other metal can do what brass can in this regard since they don’t have the strength to undergo fast and long machining. In fact, brass can be machined five times faster than steel and retain the same cutting tool life. Read more on this blog: http://bit.ly/2fJkA64

How Designers Can Attach Brass to Other Materials

If you’re a designer who works with brass and other materials on a regular basis, you may be wondering about the options available for securing two pieces of your work together. Following are some of the most popular ways designers can secure their brass projects.

Soldering

This method is suitable for attaching two pieces of brass together. While it’s easiest to solder two straight edges together, like two edges of a brass square tube, soldering can be used to secure any two pieces of brass together.

To solder two pieces of brass together, secure them so that the edges are touching where you want them to connect. Apply your soldering iron to this area, along with your filler metal, and allow the filler to melt over the join.

2017 Jewelry Trends Include Elements Crafted from Brass Sheet Metal

Brass is making a comeback as the metal of choice for makers of fashion jewelry. Today, jewelers are experimenting with new designs as well as adopting local ideas and a mixture of materials.

Apart from its aesthetic appeal, jewelers particularly like how the metal is resistant to corrosion. If you’re a jewelry craftsman and interested in using brass for the first time, here are some ideas about brass sheet metal for jewelry trends in 2017 and how to find brass suppliers. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2orACHL

Using Brass to Accentuate the Bathroom

Homeowners are doing some amazing things to their bathrooms, and are now using innovative materials that bring life to so many creative projects. You can do the same for your clients seeking eye-catching fixtures and faucets in their bathrooms when you use brass.

Brass Suppliers--Products that Offer a Clean Look

In recent years, brass has experienced a renaissance, thanks to a skyrocketing demand from interior designers and architects. Brass embodies everything required for a successful project: beauty, durability, resistance to rust and corrosion, and thriftiness when it comes to expense.

What many people might not know, however, is that brass is also in high demand in the medical field and in public places. Why? It also possesses another great property: It is germicidal.

Brass Water Containers Contribute to Your Health

Brass vessels aren’t just aesthetically pleasing and durable. They possess medicinal properties; brass is an alloy containing zinc and copper, minerals that are good for the body. This is not just myth or legend, as current studies reveal similar benefits from zinc and copper.

Introducing Brass to New Manufacturers

Brass as a metal is among the most common and highly in demand material, thanks to its characteristics of versatility and strength, among many others. For this, it is no wonder that various industries, ranging from construction to art, manufacturing, and electronics all find some use of brass in one way or another.

Decor Tips: Use Brass to Brighten Your Rooms Up

Brass is currently experiencing a resurgence as home decor. The popularity of the metal’s usage has resulted in applications as varied as curtain rods made out of polished brass tube, mirrors lined with flat strips of brass, ornamented doorknobs, and door handles. Even bathrooms can get their own brass makeovers, since plain grey handles, faucets, pipes, and mirror frames can be given a brilliant sheen.

The Beneficial Properties of Copper

For centuries, copper has been widely used for various applications in many industries. Its unique properties make it one of the most valuable metals ever discovered. This metal is the backbone of the world’s power generation infrastructure. The already large demand for it is expected to only increase with time. More dependable providers will be forced to produce more to meet the growing demand for copper in the solar energy and electronics industries.

Since copper is highly conductive, it is preferred for manufacturing components of electronic devices. Copper is also used for construction purposes; many building components such as roofing are made of copper because of the metal’s high corrosion resistance. Unlike iron that can immediately form rust as it makes contact with oxygen, copper passivates to counter the effect of oxidation. Passivation is the process by which the surface of a certain metal reacts to oxygen by forming a protective film rather than rust.

Alloys of copper and many other metals are also popular products. Copper mixed with other elements result in alloys that have industrial and commercial uses as versatile as ball bearings, mechanical components, and ornamental pieces.

For instance, bronze is the result of copper and tin being mixed; when shaped, this metal is used in musical instruments. Another kind of alloy is brass, which is copper combined with zinc; in use for thousands of years already, brass is employed in a wide variety of functions, including sculpture and indoor decoration.

Buying and Fitting Brass Compression Fittings

Brass compression fittings and tubes are used in plumbing or electrical applications for joining tubes or thin-walled pipes together, especially if both are made of dissimilar materials. While they are technically easy to install, there are a few things you should consider before buying your equipment and setting it up.

Buy for Compatibility

Check to make sure that the fittings are compatible with the application’s flow pressure, temperature, and process fluid. Otherwise, you might end up in need of replacement sooner than you’re comfortable with. Moreover, make sure that the fittings you’ve bought are not contaminated or corroded by the time you install it.

Clean the Tubes

Make sure that you get the tubes cleaned out before you install them. You can do this simply by running them through running water and letting them dry before setup. This is important because in many cases, the presence of substances that block the tubes could lead to leaks. Moreover, remember that your brass compression tubing can only be used for stationary pipes.

Test for Leaks

After you’ve successfully installed them, check your fittings for leaks. Seal the threads and all the other parts of your brass fittings so that you won’t have to disassemble every component in case you find any leak signs. Make sure that you do not apply too much force when putting the compression fittings in place.