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.