Characteristics that Set Bronze Square Tube, Bar, or Sheet Apart from Other Products

Choosing a metal for your project is not as easy now as it was centuries ago. With a new alloy being discovered almost every year, you definitely have a lot more choices now. It can get quite confusing, especially if you have no idea how to identify the metal you need.

In case you are looking for bronze, you have to be able to set it apart from other metals so you won’t end up buying a metal that isn’t suitable for your project. Not only is it wasteful, but it’s also dangerous to use a metal that doesn’t have the necessary properties for its supposed application. To help you choose, here are some of the characteristics that set bronze square tube, bar, or sheet supplies apart from other metal products.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/characteristics-that-set-bronze-square-tube-bar-or-sheet-apart-from-other-products/

A Quick Guide to Etching Copper Sheets for Crafts

There are a number of ways to decorate metal. You can paint it, stick adornments on it, or even carve through its surface. After all, metals are malleable and very easy to work. They make a great material for a variety of crafts. Copper, in particular, is one of the most extensively used metals for making art pieces, thanks to its extreme workability. And one of the best ways to decorate copper is through etching. Here’s a guide for those who want to try etching copper sheets for crafts.

Step 1: Preparation and Safety

Etching involves the use of acid or mordant, usually ferric chloride. Either chemical can burn your skin. It’s important to observe basic safety precaution to avoid possible injury. Wear safety glasses and gloves to protect your body from spillage. Before you wear them, make sure to prepare the copper sheet you will be etching first. Clean and dry it thoroughly to remove any residue that might inhibit the etching process.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/a-quick-guide-to-etching-copper-sheets-for-crafts/

Interesting Facts about Bronze the Country’s Top Bronze Tubing Suppliers Want You to Know

Bronze is one of those metals that most people have heard of at least once. It’s very popular, much like gold and silver. Despite its popularity, bronze is quite elusive to most people, and that’s mainly because they don’t get to see objects made of bronze on a regular basis. In fact, bells of old churches and statues in museums are probably the only things that they can imagine when thinking of bronze. It turns out, there’s more to bronze than most people know. If you want to learn more about bronze—maybe you are thinking of using bronze tube, bar, or sheet for your own project—check out the interesting facts below.

It Isn’t Mined

All metallic elements are extracted from the earth through mining. Although bronze is undoubtedly metallic, it’s not an element. Rather, it’s a compound of two elements—copper and tin—which, unlike bronze, are mined. Those two elements are mixed together by smelting in a foundry to produce bronze. In other words, bronze is a manufactured metal. Sometimes, to improve the properties of bronze, a miniscule amount of other metals, such as aluminum, manganese, nickel or metalloids, such as arsenic, phosphorus or silicon, is added.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/interesting-facts-about-bronze-the-countrys-top-bronze-tubing-suppliers-want-you-to-know/

Copper Applications and Where to Buy Copper Sheets for Copper Crafts, Manufacture, and Other Uses

Copper production is a multimillion dollar industry. It ranks third in world metal consumption after steel and aluminum. In 2017, the total amount of copper produced from mines all over the world is estimated 19.7 million metric tons. That’s roughly twice the amount of zinc produced on the same year. With that huge production, you may probably be wondering why you don’t come across objects made of copper very often. This begs the question, “Where does all that copper go?” Before we get to that, let us first get to know copper better.

What is copper and why is it useful?

Copper is a metallic element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is one of the first metals to be discovered, even much earlier than gold and silver. Major copper producing countries include Chile, Peru, and China. Although the United States has its own copper mines, it still imports from these countries to sustain its immense need for the metal. Even though about 44 percent of its total annual copper consumption comes from recycled scrap, it still spends an average of $300 billion annually on copper imports.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/copper-applications-and-where-to-buy-copper-sheets-for-copper-crafts-manufacture-and-other-uses/

Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Brass and Why You Need the Help of a Muntz Metal Supplier

Metals are a staple material for construction, industrial, and art projects. They are prized for their many beneficial properties, which are impossible to find in other materials. Even rock, wood, glass, or plastic pale in comparison to metal in many ways. Each metal has its own set of properties that suit specific applications. Fortunately, because there’s a wide variety of metals available commercially, you have a big chance of finding the specific type you need for your own projects.

Copper and Its Alloys

As previously mentioned, each type of metal has a unique set of properties. Many of these properties may not be useful for broad-spectrum applications, which explains why some metals are more extensively used than others. An example of metal whose properties are essential to many basic applications is copper. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-brass-and-why-you-need-the-help-of-a-muntz-metal-supplier/

What You Need to Know before Choosing Engraving Brass Sheet Suppliers

Engraving is the practice of carving a design, pattern, or message on the surface of a material. It is arguably the oldest form of art, dating back 500,000 years. The ancient people continued using engraving as their primary channel of visual art and communication until over 400,000 years later when they finally discovered that soot and animal fat, when dissolved in water or oil, could make paint. Surprisingly, even after the emergence and development of other art forms, engraving lingered. In fact, it is currently a booming $2 billion industry in the United States alone with an annual growth rate of more than 4 percent.

What to Engrave

Any material with sufficient hardness is a good candidate for engraving, but it has to be softer than the burin or any standard engraving tool to make incision possible. Early engravers used stone and metal because they are durable and accessible. Plastics and ceramics came in much later when engraving applications became more diverse. Wood was also widely used but not preferred for applications that require a hard-wearing output due to its poor resilience against the elements. Stone and metal are more suitable in this case. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/what-you-need-to-know-before-choosing-engraving-brass-sheet-suppliers/

Some Facts about Metals Before Buying from Aluminium Bronze Suppliers

Metals in interior design never go out of style. They remain high in demand because they are simple to incorporate in any design element, and can effectively elevate the aesthetic of a room almost immediately.

As easy as it is to do right, however, it can also be just as easy to get it wrong. Professionals make sure to carefully take note of the desired theme to avoid adding in items that could clash with it. A rustic-themed interior, for example, would predominantly have wood materials. Metals can be incorporated too, but certainly not by a lot, and depends on the kind that will be used. Bronze is a good option, to go with the wood aesthetic, for example, because it does “age” beautifully with its patina.

Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/some-facts-about-metals-before-buying-from-aluminium-bronze-suppliers/

Where to Buy Brass: Knowing the Different Types of Commonly Used Brass

Brass is one of the most commonly used man-made metals in the world. For the most part, people are familiar with brass through applications like door locks or musical instruments. These applications display the versatility of the metal. Brass consists of copper and varying amounts of zinc and other metals. Depending on the other metals present in the alloy, brass’ properties begin to vary.

There are over 60 different types of brass available on the market. The staggering number of options available can make it a little difficult for those who are not completely familiar with brass to choose which one they will need. Fortunately, choosing the type of brass you need is easy if you know exactly how you want to use it.


Read more here: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/where-to-buy-brass-knowing-the-different-types-of-commonly-used-brass/

Why Your Neighborhood Brass Extrusion Suppliers Never Run Out of Order

Extrusion is a metalworking technique that involves pushing a material through a die to create objects of fixed cross-sectional profiles. Manufacturers often prefer this technique traditional casting because of its ability to create complex cross-sections. Since the whole process relies on compression and shear forces, it is perfect for working brittle metals as well.

Generally, all malleable and ductile metals can be extruded. Their unique properties enable them to conveniently flow through the die even with minimal compression. It can therefore be presumed that the most ideal metals to work using this technique are those with naturally high malleability, such as copper alloys.

Of course there’s the option to alter the density of the workpiece before being fed into the extrusion machine, simply by regulating its temperature. Heat excites the molecular composition of the workpiece, consequently increasing its fluidity. Some manufacturers, however, veer away from this option because chemical change through heating may have irreversible effect on the work piece’s original properties, resulting in poor-quality output. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/why-your-neighborhood-brass-extrusion-suppliers-never-run-out-of-order/

Some Facts Builders, Machinists, and Artisans Should Know before Buying Bronze Bars for Sale

Among today’s countless types of commercially available metal, only a handful stand out due to their distinct, valuable properties. One that has stood the test of time and has been utilized for a vast array of applications for many generations is bronze. This metal has been around for over 9000 years, making it the first manmade alloy.

What Most People Know So Far

If you paid attention to your history teacher, chances are you already know a thing or two about bronze. You probably know the role it played in the world’s transition from the Stone Age to the Metal Age, and how it helped revolutionize metallurgy, technology, and even war. A great deal of artifacts made of bronze have been unearthed from ruins around the world, proving how valued this metal was in the ancient time. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/some-facts-builders-machinists-and-artisans-should-know-before-buying-bronze-bars-for-sale/

Why Builders Use Copper Sheet Metal for Their Kitchen Remodeling Projects

The success of your kitchen remodeling project depends on the kind and quality of the materials you will use. With so many different options available on the market, distinguishing superior materials from substandard ones may prove difficult. If you go to a trusted supplier like Rotax Metals, however, you have a better chance of finding high-quality copper sheet metal and other building materials.

If you are looking to enhance your kitchen surfaces, perhaps improve both its aesthetics and functionality, you might want to consider using copper sheets and plates. These materials are perfect for applications that involve exposure to water and moisture. Activities in the kitchen, such as dish-washing and cooking, are notorious for causing splatters on the walls around the sink and on the countertop.

Splashes of water and other liquids may seem trivial at first but overtime they leave stains that could pose even more serious problems. For instance, the stains and grease might later become a breeding ground for bacteria and algae, which may carry diseases into your home. Installing copper sheets and plates as backsplash and countertop cover is your best bet to address all of these concerns. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/why-builders-use-copper-sheet-metal-for-their-kitchen-remodeling-projects/

What Makes Copper Bar Sales Worth Using for Your Projects

Various industries worldwide rely heavily on metal supply. They use metals for making machines, building structures, and even decorating. Metals prove to be the ultimate material because of their unique, valuable properties. Although considered as a non-renewable resource, metals have not been fully exhausted even after thousands of years of quarrying thanks to their great abundance and the recyclability of some types.

The most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust is aluminum, followed by silicon and iron. These metals have been extensively utilized for generations. Their abundance is also one of the reasons why they come cheaper than other metals. On the contrary, the manufacturability and usability of metals are not measured by their abundance alone. Their unique properties, which determine their applications, are actually the key factor considered.

One example of metal that has a plethora of applications despite its low abundance is copper. For thousands of years, copper has been worked and alloyed with other metals to produce different kinds of material, which now benefit multiple industries, including transportation, telecommunication, and architecture. Thanks to its unique properties, copper can be extremely useful both as a pure element and as an alloy. Here are some of the properties that make copper one of the most valuable metals on Earth. Read more from this article: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/what-makes-copper-bar-sales-worth-using-for-your-projects/

Fascinating Facts about Bronze and Brass Extrusions and Other Types of Tubing

Tubes are among the most useful metal supplies on the market. They are used for a vast array of applications and benefit many different industries, including creative, construction, industrial, and manufacturing. In fact, in any manmade structure, you’ll see a tube or two installed to perform an integral role in the structure’s stability and functionality.

Tubes are not to be confused with pipes. Although they normally look the same, they are different types of material altogether. Generally, pipes are often used for conveying fluids and gases, whereas tubes are used for decorative and structural purposes. The ones inside your walls or underneath the sink are classified as pipes, while your curtain rods and stair railing are considered tubes. There are cases, though, when a tube also functions as a pipe and vice versa, but this is the general idea. Read more from this blog: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/fascinating-facts-about-bronze-and-brass-extrusions-and-other-types-of-tubing/

Patina: Bringing Out the Best in Bronze Bars and Tubes

Metals are the most abundant material on the planet. The Earth’s core, itself, is a gigantic ball of iron. You can find them in almost every building, vehicle, or machine, as well as most of the everyday items you use. They comprise 77 percent of the Periodic Table of Elements—and these are just the pure metals. The alloys produced by combining two or more of them are not yet included. Simply put, metals play a critical role in how the world runs, and yet a lot of people know very little about them.

There’s more to the metals that make up your doorknob and window frame than you probably know. If you take a closer look at them, you’ll find some fascinating facts that can make you understand how vital metals are to human life. One of the most interesting things about metals is their susceptibility to corrosion, a process that results from electrochemical reactions between materials and substances in their environment. Read more from this blog: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/patina-bringing-out-the-best-in-bronze-bars-and-tubes/

Copper and Brass Sales—Are You Sure You Know Which Metal Is Best for Your Projects?

The annual copper production in the United States continues to grow due to the increasing demand mostly by the construction, transportation, electrical, and electronics industries. Although the increment fluctuates year after year, the copper mining industry sees only an uptrend in domestic production, which is expected not to dip anytime soon regardless of the state of global supply. 

If you are planning a project that involves the use of a considerable amount of copper supplies, now is the best time to commence while production is still at its peak. Before you go about the project, however, it helps to fill yourself in with vital information about copper and its types that you will be using in making decisions. Keep in mind that each alloy of copper has its unique properties that work for select applications. Find the metals with the properties that you need for the project. To help you decide, let’s compare copper with its major alloys—bronze and brass. Read more from this blog: https://www.rotaxmetals.net/copper-and-brass-sales-are-you-sure-you-know-which-metal-is-best-for-your-projects/

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/

Bronze Bars and Brass Channels: The Evolution of Copper

Copper is a major driver of trade, so much so that it has long been used to determine or predict the status of global economy. With telecommunication, transportation, and construction taking a new height, demand for copper is expected to go up as well. One apparent reason for this is that there’s no other metal that can substitute copper or any of its alloys. So it’s safe to say that the metal will not be obsolete anytime soon.

The term copper, when used for economic purposes, represents all products that has copper as the base material. In truth, there are quite many copper alloys that have established themselves well to a point of creating whole new industries. Each of these alloys come in a variety of types of their own and with a set of unique properties that are useful for so many applications. Copper in its pure form, however, has its own valuable properties and benefited industries to boot. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/bronze-bars-and-brass-channels-the-evolution-of-copper/

Bronze Tube, Sheet and Other Supplies: What You Need to Know before Making a Purchase

Gold, silver, and bronze are three very popular metals, and for one quite odd reason—they represent the order of winners in a competition. Perhaps this old ranking system was based on the differences of these metals in terms of their physical attributes and perceived value. Gold, being the rarest and having the highest monetary value among the three, ranks first. Silver has certain similarities to gold except the yellowish shade, so it follows behind. Bronze, the least visually appealing and the most commonly produced among them, ranks third.

In a metalworker’s viewpoint, however, this order does not apply. In fact, if the metals will be ranked according to their usefulness, the result might be the exact opposite. You will easily understand why bronze is more useful than either silver or gold upon identifying its different properties as well as the many extensively used alloys it has spawned over the last couple of millennia. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/bronze-tube-sheet-and-other-supplies-what-you-need-to-know-before-making-a-purchase/

Copper and Brass Sales—Understanding the True Value of Copper

Among the metals that have great contributions to global development, copper is arguably the most valuable. Apart from being the first metal to have been discovered and utilized by man, it also has spawned a long list of alloys that now aid the advancement of various industries.

Why Copper Is a Popular Material

There are a number of reasons why copper is quite a remarkable material. First, it’s fairly malleable, which means it can be hammered, rolled, or pressed into thin sheets without breaking. That property alone allows copper to be utilized for a plethora of applications. It’s no wonder many are looking for a good copper sheet supplier to provide the needs of their projects. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/copper-and-brass-sales-understanding-the-true-value-of-copper/

Copper & Brass Sales: Why the Metal Manufacturing Process Maybe More Complicated than You Think

When the hit sci-fi film, The Terminator, aired in 1984, it gave a chilling clue on what could possibly happen when machines become self-aware. As expected, many took it seriously and raised concerns about the potential drawbacks of artificial intelligence.

Although the concept of the film seems likely, it’s riddled with gray areas. For instance, if the machines indeed become self-aware, it would still take them many years to set up the processes that could allow them to multiply. Even if they succeed to shut down human defense systems, they need an army of epic proportions to completely wipe out all humans, and that’s supposing humans don’t fight back.

To achieve that, they have to build at least one large manufacturing facility on each major country where they can build the first wave of machines to take over the world. But where will they get the materials? Surely, there are leftover supplies they can use during the initial phase of their invasion, but those will soon run out because the supply chain would have been disrupted by then. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/copper-brass-sales-why-the-metal-manufacturing-process-maybe-more-complicated-than-you-think/

Red Metal: The Origin of Bronze Bars and Brass Channels

Copper is one of the few naturally occurring metals prized for their many valuable properties. With an atomic number of 29 and belonging to the “transition metal” group, it is strong, lustrous, and a good conductor of heat and electricity. Copper has high melting and boiling points, and an elegant reddish brown color and sheen, too. It’s no wonder copper is one of the most extensively used metals in the world.

Discovery

There are no known records detailing the discovery of copper, but archeological finds are littered with tools and decorative items made of copper. These artifacts date back as early as 9000 B.C. so copper was already widely utilized millennia before other metals had been unearthed. Surely, early copper materials are nothing like the copper materials of today, simply because they were mined and worked using primitive techniques, but they exhibited similar characteristics. Read more from this blog: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/red-metal-the-origin-of-bronze-bars-and-brass-channels/

Tips for Improving Home Interiors with Bronze Tube and Other Metals

Design trends often come and go, but despite the frequency of replacements in style popularity, there are certain design elements that remain to be top choices because of their classic and timely appeal. One such material is bronze.

Bronze materials are highly popular because of its properties that can mimic the appearance of gold, but at a much more affordable price. While it’s also very flexible in use, it is very durable and resilient, ensuring the longevity of the item made with it. 

Designers looking to make the most out of their client’s budget without compromising aesthetics can look to bronze materials instead of getting the more expensive alternatives. Here are some design ideas you can easily incorporate into your project, without hurting your client’s wallet. Read more from this blog: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/tips-for-improving-home-interiors-with-bronze-tube-and-other-metals/

The Amazing Properties and Applications of Copper—Facts from Your Favorite Copper Sheet Supplier

There are tons of information about copper on the Internet, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Although not as valuable as gold and silver, copper is one of the most widely used metals in the world. It has been utilized for over 10,000 years and so far produced hundreds of alloys, each of which benefits at least a couple of industries. The most popular alloys of copper are bronze and brass, but even as a pure element, it is still prized for its many useful properties.

High Electrical Conductivity

If you peel off one of the electrical wires stretching across the wall, you’ll see a core made of copper. You may wonder why it isn’t made of any other metal. That’s because copper exhibits the highest electrical conductivity. Well, not exactly the highest because silver still conducts electricity the best, but copper doesn’t heat up easily when subjected to high voltage. Read more from this blog: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/the-amazing-properties-and-applications-of-copper-facts-from-your-favorite-copper-sheet-supplier/

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/

Creative Ideas You Can Do Using Square Brass Tubing and Other Metals

Brass is valued for its many useful properties. Even so, it is highly accessible to those who may want to use it for their projects. From industrial design to basic arts and crafts, brass is certainly one of the most popular base material, because it is easy to work with. Of course, it’s also a big factor that it is very affordable.

If you want to explore your creativity, using this particular metal, the first thing you should do is to find a reputable source that can supply you with good quality materials. Then you may get started on bringing those creative ideas to life. Here are some that you can get started with for your creative entrepreneurship.

Bathroom and Kitchen Fixtures

As the poor man’s substitute to gold, brass can easily elevate the look and feel of a room without the cost. This is why interior designers and architects just love working with this material, especially when they are bound to a strict budget by the client. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/creative-ideas-you-can-do-using-square-brass-tubing-and-other-metals/.

Cleaning Brass Sheet Metal: How to Keep Your Projects Looking Great

Made from a combination of copper and zinc, brass is one of the most popular materials used in metal works. Brass sheet metal, in particular, is widely used in a variety of applications, from decorative pieces to mechanical applications. In fact, you have probably worked with brass sheet metal as part of a project.

Many hobbyists will likely have more than a handful of their projects on display at home where the properties of the metal tend to shine. However, brass sheet metal will lose its luster over time, requiring you to clean it every now and then. The problem is that sheet metal tends to be quite thin. As such, they require a lot of care when cleaning. Otherwise, there’s a significant risk of you damaging the sheet metal you’ve used.

Fortunately, cleaning brass sheet metal is a relatively simple task. This is especially true if the brass sheet metal you used for your project was sourced from respected suppliers like Rotax Metals, assuring you that the quality of the brass is top-notch. With that in mind, here are a few cleaning tips to help make sure your projects stay pristine. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/cleaning-brass-sheet-metal-how-to-keep-your-projects-looking-great/.

Three Important Tips for Engraving Brass for First-Time Hobbyists

The art of engraving materials has been around for millennia, dating all the way back to prehistoric times. Of course, advances in technology available have allowed us to engrave more than just stone. Today, most artisans tend to engrave metals such as brass.

Engraving brass has long been a method used by designers and metalworkers as a “finishing touch”, to add flair to a particular piece. Thanks to the aforementioned technological advances and the relative ease at which it is to create your own backyard workshop/forge, it is no wonder why engraving has become quite the hobby around the country. If you are interested in getting into engraving metals, here are a few tips to help your first foray go smoothly:

Acquire Quality Brass

It all starts with the quality of the brass you are working with. Brass that tends to have too many impurities can easily break off during the engraving process, which is why it is important to find a source for quality engraving brass. Fortunately, there are many brass suppliers available such as Rotax Metals. When choosing the type of brass to use for your next few projects, it may be a good idea to share your plans with your supplier as they can easily recommend a suitable material for you. This is especially important if you plan to make something out of the brass before you engrave it. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/three-important-tips-for-engraving-brass-for-first-time-hobbyists/.

Simple Tips on How to Expedite Patination of Bronze Sheet Metal

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Its base metal—copper—is known for its many useful properties, including corrosion resistance, malleability, and electrical conductivity. But copper has one prominent characteristic that sets it apart from other non-ferrous metals—it forms patina when exposed to oxygen.

Patina is a green or brown film that develops on the surface of copper, its alloys, and similar metals through a long period of oxidation. The patina that develops on copper starts off as pure brown and finally turns into hues of blue and green. One popular example of copper that has successfully formed patina after constant exposure to the elements is the Stature of Liberty.

This special quality of copper does not go away when it is alloyed with other metals. Therefore, bronze, is also capable of producing patina. In fact, its characteristic greenish-brown hue after many years of oxidation is a type of patina. And despite being stain by nature, it is one of the things that people love about this metal. In fact, some choose to speed up patination to achieve the elegant antique color of their bronze pieces. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/simple-tips-on-how-to-expedite-patination-of-bronze-sheet-metal/.

Use Muntz Metal to Deal with Biofouling and to Increase the Efficiency of Your Structure

Biofouling is a problem faced by many industries, particularly those that deal with water. It is particularly considered a nuisance in the maritime industry where majority of operation takes place at sea. The damage biofouling can cause to ocean vessels and docks can be enormous and expensive, especially if left to spread for years.

Cause of Biofouling

The main cause of biofouling is the formation of microbial films. Natural laws dictate that microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, can grow rapidly and colonize surfaces when the right conditions are met. They sequester nutrients from water and quickly convert them into new biomass, which is why growth increment can be easily noticeable.

Biofouling often occurs in industrial systems as these places usually have enough space to support the spread of biofilm. Organisms can grow even faster if the industrial process involves the use of biodegradable substances. In the case of ships and docks, their constant exposure to seawater, where all sorts of microorganisms live, is the cause of biofilm development, and eventually biofouling. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/use-muntz-metal-to-deal-with-biofouling-and-to-increase-the-efficiency-of-your-structure/.

Which Is a Better Method for Making a Bronze Tube, Casting or Wrought Drawing?

Bronze is an absolute favorite when it comes to making decorative fixtures. Whether you need tubes for your customized bed frame or sheets to cover your countertop, bronze is the perfect material. It’s not only an elegant-looking material, but it’s also packed with other properties that attract artisans and builders everywhere. But have you ever wondered how material supplies made of bronze are manufactured? Here’s a glimpse of the process.

There are two ways bronze can be formed into tube, bar, or sheet. One is by casting, a metalworking process in which bronze is melted, poured into mold, and allowed to cool and harden. The other is wrought drawing, which involves heating a block of bronze and working it with tools until the desired shape is achieved. Both techniques have their share of benefits, but you need to choose the one that works better for your needs. Here are some of their prominent differences. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/which-is-a-better-method-for-making-a-bronze-tube-casting-or-wrought-drawing/.

Interesting Facts about Copper that You Should Know before Your Head to a Copper Sheet Supplier

Copper is one of the most widely used metals in the world. It is so well-known that even with the discovery of other metals of similar versatility and value, it is still the material of choice for many manufacturers in their projects. If you are working on something that requires a corrosion-resistant, elegant-looking, or electrically conductive material, copper is surely worth looking at. Here are some facts that might further interest you in using copper.

History

There’s no doubt that copper is among the oldest types of metal around and the first to be worked and manipulated by man. Countless ancient artifacts made from copper have been dug up and displayed in museums. Perhaps the most popular is a tiny awl found in some ruins in the Middle East that dates as far back as 5100 B.C. Copper has also been recently discovered to have been used in some parts of the Great Pyramids.

Copper was originally used for making coins, weapons, and cookware. Many ancient remains had been found with copper accessories, too. So for a long time, copper had enjoyed the same popularity as gold and silver. Some archeologists even believe that if it’s true that the first civilization already knew how to produce electricity, they would have used copper to harness and transfer it. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/interesting-facts-about-copper-that-you-should-know-before-your-head-to-a-copper-sheet-supplier/.

Where to Buy Copper Sheets: Choosing the Right Supplier for Your Project

Whether you are working on a small project or planning to put up a business that involves the use of metal supplies, you need to find the perfect supplier to partner with. Unfortunately, with so many metal suppliers out there, it can be daunting to find one that is capable of supporting your needs. Here’s a few tips on choosing where to buy copper sheets, tubes, and other materials for your project.

Vast Experience

A lot of companies claim to be fully capable of meeting all of their clients’ needs. No matter how convincing they may be, it’s quite easy to tell whether they can really live up to their promise or not. Just ask how many years they’ve been in the business. A few years of experience may seem long but when it comes to supplying building materials, a company needs more than that. If possible, choose a supplier that has more than a few decades of experience providing for all kinds of business. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/where-to-buy-copper-sheets-choosing-the-right-supplier-for-your-project/.

Corrosion of Metals—How Naval Brass Survives the Process

Decomposition is a natural process that affects both living and non-living things. You may think that only organic objects decay and return to dust after expiring, but in truth, even the inorganic ones are fated to deteriorate eventually. They only follow a rather different decomposition process, which takes longer. Metals, for instance, decompose through corrosion. Some metals rust when exposed to oxygen, while others develop a patina on their surface.

Corrosion comes in a range of forms, each of which is classified by the cause of chemical deterioration. Understanding how each type of corrosion works can help you perform the necessary preventive measure, which would allow you to enhance the durability of your project output. This also helps you carry out the right procedure in case there’s a need to speed up corrosion. Below are the most common types of corrosion that could occur either naturally or purposefully.

Uniform Attack

This type of corrosion targets all exposed surfaces and occurs at a uniform rate, as the name suggests. It usually takes place when the entire object is exposed to a corrosive chemical compound, for instance, when submerged in saltwater or acid. The most prominent example is rust developing on the surface of structural steel bars. The oxygen from air and moisture that clings to their exposed surface reacts with iron to form iron oxide or rust. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/corrosion-of-metals-how-naval-brass-survives-the-process/.

Sheet Metal Suppliers: What Products They Offer and How to Utilize Them

There are two classifications of metal—ferrous (contains iron) and non-ferrous (does not contain iron). Besides having different levels of corrosion resistance—ferrous metals being more susceptible to rusting due to the presence of iron—these two types of metal have many other disparities. One in particular is that non-ferrous metals are more malleable than ferrous metals. This makes them easily worked to suit various applications.

What is malleability?

Malleability is the ability of metals to be hammered, pressed, or rolled into thin sheets without breaking. If you look at the molecular structure of a non-ferrous metal through an electron microscope, you’ll see that it consists of lattices densely stacked on top of each other but are free to slide against each other and easily fill up gaps when placed under stress. Most non-ferrous metals are malleable, yet this property can be adjusted by alloying different metals.

Some of the most popular malleable non-ferrous metals include gold, silver, and copper. For millennia, these metals have been formed into plates and sheets that prove handy for so many applications. Here are some of the applications of metal sheets. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/sheet-metal-suppliers-what-products-they-offer-and-how-to-utilize-them/.

Copper and Brass Extrusions: How Are They Manufactured?

There are a number of methods to work a metal into different forms. One of the most widely used methods is extrusion. This involves pressing a workpiece into a die to obtain a material with a certain desired cross-section. Builders and suppliers prefer extrusion to other techniques because it is quicker and the output is much denser and smoother.

How Extrusion Works

The process starts with the preparation of the workpiece, which is a metal block of standard size. Depending on the desired result, the workpiece is either heated or kept at room temperature before being fed into the die. As soon as the billet is fitted inside the container, the plunger is placed on the opposite end and made ready to push the billet towards the die. The compressive force used to press the billet is enough to extrude the billet by way too low to affect the whole container.

Unlike casting, which involves smelting the metal, pouring it into a mold, and cooling to cure, the product of extrusion is virtually ready for use, unless further heat treatment is required to improve its mechanical properties. Sometimes, the output is stretched to adjust its dimension with the actual desired size and shape. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/copper-and-brass-extrusions-how-are-they-manufactured/.

Do’s and Don’ts in Purchasing Brass Channel or Other Metal Supplies for Your Project

It’s hard to think of construction that doesn’t involve the use of metal. Any project that requires stability and durability will definitely make use of metal, be it for structural or decorative purposes, and it’s easy to understand why. Unlike wood or plastic, metal is capable of withstanding high levels of pressure and stress. With the right alloying and working, metal can last for decades or even millennia.

In choosing metal supplies for your project, however, there are several important things that you need to know and consider. Failure to factor in these things could result in disaster, especially if the metal you will use is intended for structural support. Here are the following dos and don’ts when purchasing metal for your project.

DO determine the type of project you will use the metal for.

Each project has a unique set of specifications. Whether you are building a house or a sturdy frame for your worktable, you have to be very careful in choosing the right material. This is why it is crucial that before shopping around for supplies, you must first be sure of the type of project you plan on working on. This way you’ll know exactly what types of metal you will need, how much it would cost you, and how long it would take for the project to finish. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/dos-and-donts-in-purchasing-brass-channel-or-other-metal-supplies-for-your-project/.

How to Restore the Look of Your Furniture Made of Bronze Sheets and Bars

Bronze furniture pieces are not to be underestimated. With proper care, they can become the center of attraction for any room in your house. If you have old pieces that are made of metal and have greenish hue, chances are those pieces are made of bronze. Whether it’s a table, a fixture, or a statue, it can be brought back to its original elegance. In fact, minor cleaning may be enough, as its antiqueness makes a perfect complement to your interior design.

Before you start cleaning and polishing your bronze furniture, however, there are several things you need to understand first. One of these is that bronze naturally forms a layer of stain called patina when exposed to oxygen. This layer is primarily due to its copper content. Copper is known for its ability to passively respond to oxidation, which is to form a layer of patina. In the case of copper, this layer is green, which is why the patina that copper forms is greenish as well. Dull green to be exact.

You also have to know that not all bronze furniture are pure bronze. Some of them are simply cladded or galvanized with bronze or covered with bronze sheets. In that case, the furniture may require a different and more careful cleaning and polishing process. One way to determine if the furniture is pure bronze or not is to weigh it. If it’s too light, there’s a chance that bronze is only skin-deep, considering that bronze is a dense and heavy material. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/how-to-restore-the-look-of-your-furniture-made-of-bronze-sheets-and-bars/.

Brass Sales Facts: What Makes a Metal Suitable for Musical Instruments?

It’s every musician’s dream to be able to play the most expensive musical instruments available. Apart from the pride and honor the experience gives them, they believe that pricier instruments produce better sound.

In truth, this isn’t always the case. Many pricey musical instruments sound either the same or worse than their fairly priced counterparts. The flute, for instance, can be made from wood or metal. Although wooden flutes are much less durable than metal flutes and the sound they create is less audible, some wooden flutes actually have a higher price tag. Similarly, some metal instruments cost higher than other metal instruments because the metal used to make them are more precious, even if they sound almost the same.

Simply put, the price of musical instruments is influenced by various other factors apart from the quality of the sound they produce. In fact, in most cases, it is almost always the brand, rareness, or age of the instrument, and not the sound, that dictates the price. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/brass-sales-facts-what-makes-a-metal-suitable-for-musical-instruments/.

Why Use Brass Angle and Sheet for Your Home’s Roofing

Brass is one of those metals that you can consider common yet valuable. That’s because it is widely used for various commercial and industrial applications and yet it’s a little bit pricier than other metals of its kind. If you’re planning to use brass as a roofing material, you have to be ready to fork out substantial sums of money. With the following benefits of brass, however, you’ll definitely get the most bang for your buck in the end.

Durability

Metal is among the most durable roofing materials. With proper coating and maintenance, a standard metal roof can last up to 50 years. That, however, is galvanized steel. Over time, the zinc on the surface of the roof panels will leach out and the iron content of the steel underneath it will start reacting to oxygen to form rust. Brass roof, on the other hand, can last for decades or even centuries even with minimal upkeep. That’s because brass doesn’t rust like other metals. It also contains copper, which is capable of passivation, a process that allows the formation of patina on its surface. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/why-use-brass-angle-and-sheet-for-your-homes-roofing/.

How to Distinguish between Brass and Bronze—Copper & Brass Sales Facts

If you’ve ever experienced winning third place in a contest, chances are you’re familiar with bronze. That’s what they usually call the medal or trophy they give third bests. It is used to symbolize prestige just like gold and silver. Because of this, bronze enjoys some kind of fame, which is not enjoyed by other metals of the same classification. Brass, for instance, is a metal that is in the same league as bronze in terms of properties but not as popular.

This could pose a problem to those who are buying bronze or brass metals for the first time as they can mistake one for the other. Although some of their variants look the same, they have differences that limit they use for certain applications. Here’s a quick guide to distinguishing between brass and bronze, which can help you pick the right metal for your projects.

Composition

Brass and bronze have the same base element—copper—so in a number of ways they can look and feel similar. However, their alloying elements are different—brass has zinc, while bronze has tin. Other elements are added to create variants that perform well in specific applications. For instance, bronze can be further alloyed with phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon, while brass can be alloyed with iron. In spite of the changes made in their composition, both metals preserve the qualities that are distinct to them, which is why they do not transform into completely different materials. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/how-to-distinguish-between-brass-and-bronze-copper-brass-sales-facts/.

Facts about Brass that You Need to Know before Using a Brass Square Tube for Your Project

Of all the alloys of copper, brass is arguably the most appealing. Not only does it have an elegant color and sheen but it also has so many useful properties. If you’re looking for the perfect metal to use in your projects, you will surely benefit from using brass. Before you go purchasing a brass square tube, plate, or sheet, however, it helps to first learn more about brass. This way you can better understand its properties and discover the safest and most effective ways to handle products made from it.

Brass Tube, Sheet, and Bar Products—How They Are Manufactured

In this era of industrialization, people have easy access to all kinds of brass products. Whether you need brass tube, sheet, or bar supplies, there will always be a supplier nearby that may have them in store. But have you ever wondered where those supplies get their supplies from? Here’s a glimpse of how brass supplies are manufactured and a quick guide to getting the highest quality ones for your project.

Brass Tubing Applications: Finding the Right Tubes for Your Project

Tubes are among the most common yet hardly noticed materials around. They can be found in your home, in your workplace, and even in your car, but you don’t notice them because either they are inconspicuous or you are just not that interested in knowing their value. In truth, tubes play a very important role in everyday life. Here are some of their most notable uses.

Heat Exchangers

Most of today’s machines that use heat to generate energy or create heat as a byproduct have heat exchangers. These are devices that transfer heat from one fluid to another without the two fluids coming into contact with each other. Often this heat is excess heat produced during energy generation and is only bound to dissipate. With heat exchangers, however, this heat can be utilized for other purposes, usually for warming rooms of a building, which helps save energy as it allows the furnace to rest from time to time. Heat exchangers consist of tubes that are made from a material that has good thermal conductivity. 

Home Fixtures

In your home, you’ll see these metal tubes installed as handrails, railings, or curtain rods. Some are hidden behind your walls or in the cellar, conveying water into your taps or down the sink. Most of the tubes found in your home are made from corrosion-resistant metals, such as brass or bronze, so that they can last for a long time. These metals are also shiny and have a gold-like shade so they add flare to your interior design.

Structural Tube

One of the features that set tubes apart from pipes is that tubes may have structural functions as well. With the right wall thickness, diameter, and strength of material, it can hold up heavy loads. In fact, large tubes with diameters spanning several feet are now widely used in the construction of high-roof structures such as domes and arenas. Also, modern-day builders have already replaced lumber with metal tubes for scaffolding.

Musical Instruments

There are a great number of musical instruments made of tubes, or at least have tubular parts. Brass instruments, including the horn, bugle, and trumpet, are the best examples. Each of them consists of parts that resemble tubes, and they are made from extremely durable and malleable metals as well. Brass instruments, for example, are obviously made of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc.

Finding the Right Tubes for Your Project

Now that you’ve identified some of the most common examples of items made of tubes, you’re probably thinking of including tubes in your project. Whether it’s for a major construction or for simple repair work or upgrade, you need to be careful in choosing your tubes to ensure the success of your project.

Tubes come in an array of shapes and materials. You can find round, square, or even multi-sided tubes. Depending on your needs, you can even consider having your tubes customized to your specifications. You will also have to choose among the many types of material the tubes are made out of. There are brass tubes, bronze tubes, and even copper tubes, but each one has a unique set of properties that may or may not suit your needs so you have to be careful in choosing.

The best thing to do is to find a reputable supplier like Rotax Metals. Not only do they have a plethora of brass tubing options that you can choose from, but they are also willing to guide you until you find the perfect tubes for your needs.

About Rotax Metals: Rotax Metals is a go-to provider of high-quality metal supplies in North America. When it comes to copper, brass, and bronze tubes, sheets, or bars, we are the provider of choice for builders, artisans, and distributors. We also provide special services that you might not find elsewhere, such as polishing, metal shearing, waterjet cutting, and metal fabrication. So the next time you need metal supplies, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sources:

Heat exchangers, explainthatstuff.com

12 Metallic Facts About Brass Instruments, mentalfloss.com