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

The Beauty of Hardware and Fittings Made of Brass for Sale

Brass is one of the metals that building contractors value. Not only does it make an exquisite door handle or bathroom fitting, but it also guarantees durability that can save them and their clients huge sums of money in the long run. Specifically, brass fixtures and fittings are perfect for antique building designs.

Why Brass Makes Quality Bathroom Fitting Material

Bathroom fittings that are made of brass are expected to last longer than those that are made of other metals, particularly the ferrous ones. As a corrosion-resistant material, brass is exceptionally suitable for applications that involve exposure to water. This is why most building contractors prefer brass taps and tubs to those made of steel or even typical tiles or marble. Brass can also withstand high temperatures so it is perfect for water heaters and boiler systems.

Brass Chrome Plating

Brass comes in various weights and is a suitable metal for chrome plating fittings or hardware. With brass’s unique properties, it is guaranteed to endure breakage when applied with pressure. High-quality, light brass will make a great chrome finish. Heavier brass, meanwhile, can give a noticeably beautiful, sharp reflection on surfaces, which you will love on door and window frames or towel rails. This classy metal will also look great as a main material for sinks, photograph encasements, towel hooks, storage boxes, and vanity shelves.

Architectural Designs and Decorations

What is the best place for brass hardware when you desire a well-decorated living space?

Brass drawer handles, cupboard handles, and vintage brass door handles can make your home look very stylish. You can even complement the design with chandeliers and stair rails. Having brass decorations on your front door, possibly with silver, wood, and copper, will further charm your visitors.

Brass Handles and Doors

Brass for sale can make elegant doors. Brass doors are fireproof, which can help prevent household fires should the fire source hit the it first. In hotels, a brass door will make rooms look more classy and organized. In homes, bright brass door handles will remain sturdy for a long time and will match any motif.

An alloy of zinc and copper, brass has a distinct gold-like appearance. Also, it has excellent acoustic properties, which makes it perfect for making musical instruments, such as trumpets and saxophones.

Brass will not easily crack or disintegrate when subjected to pressure. Its malleability and ductility allow it to absorb and transfer force or energy fast. When used for water distribution piping or fittings, brass can endure inside forces better than other metals.

Brass tubes, sheets, and bars come in wide array of shapes, sizes, and widths to suit all kinds of projects. It is your best bet if you are looking for a metal that is both elegant and durable. Whether you need brass chrome plating, polished brass, nickel finish brass, or antique brass, you will not run out of stocks, especially if you go to a reliable supplier like Rotax Metals.

About Rotax Metals

Don’t settle for anything less than a new, unpopular supplier when looking for the best copper, brass, or bronze materials for your projects. Rotax Metals is the go-to metal supplies provider in the entire North America that you should turn to. We serve individual designers, artisans, and builders, as well as huge suppliers in the U.S. and Canada. We’ve been helping them succeed for over seven decades.

Sources:

Understanding Chrome Plating, Finishing.com

5 Benefits of Brass Plumbing Fittings, DoItYourself.com

Copper and Brass Sales Continue to Rise: The End-Use Sectors that Benefit from Copper

If you’ve been to the Liberty Island in New York Harbor, chances are you’ve gazed upon the Statue of Liberty countless times. This monument is the first thing that will grab your attention not only because it’s the most conspicuous structure on the island, but also because it has a distinct greenish color. It owes this special characteristic to the copper that makes up most of its surface.

Copper isn’t really greenish, but actually reddish in nature. It is one of the two metals (the other one being gold) in the periodic table of elements that don’t have a silvery appearance. The green color only appears as its surface reacts with oxygen in moisture to form a protective layer, called patina. That, however, isn’t the only wonderful thing about copper. There’s more to this metal than meets the eye.

Earliest Recorded Use

Copper is among the first metals discovered and worked by man, mostly because it exists in native state. This means that it can be found in nature and does not require complex processing to produce. Its use dates back over 10,000 years when man was still trying to invent the earliest cutting tools. In fact, an axe with a copper head was found held by Otzi the Iceman who lived over 5,000 years ago.

Today, this metal is being widely used in multiple industries, contributing billions of dollars to global economy each year. It is even manufactured into the most common objects found at home or at the workplace. To have a clear picture of how copper affects people’s lives, and why copper and brass sales continue to rise, it helps to first identify the end-use sectors that benefit from its production.

Copper in Today’s World

Apart from making monuments like the Statue of Liberty, man has found a plethora of other industrial uses for copper. These applications can be categorized into three industry representations.

Electrical. Before copper wires became popular, the first commercially available wires have a silver core. Unfortunately, despite silver’s excellent conductivity, it heats up easily, posing risk of fire on structures. So wire manufacturers turned to copper. Apart from being as conductive as silver, it doesn’t burn like the latter. It is also ductile and malleable, meaning it can be molded into small threads and thin sheets without breaking.

It’s no wonder copper has many electronic applications as well. The small pieces of chips, electromagnets, and connectors found inside televisions, computers, and portable electronic devices most likely have at least a little bit of copper in them.

Construction. While it’s not practical to use copper for making structural components for a building, it is ideal for making interior design elements, such as handles, door knobs, hinges, and faucets. Due to its corrosion resistance and anti-microbial properties, copper is also perfect for making pipes and water tanks. It is, in fact, the main metal used in irrigation and agricultural sprinkler systems, seawater feed lines, and tubes for distribution of natural and liquefied petroleum.

Transportation. A standard car contains 42 lbs of copper, while a hybrid has 75 lbs. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the copper wires inside a standard car spans up to 1.5 km when put end to end. Besides cars, other types of vehicle surely have considerable amounts of copper wound in their systems.

Now that you know how widely used copper is, you may consider investing in this valuable metal soon. Just make sure to go to trusted suppliers like Rotax Metals so that you can get the most value for your money and secure your bottom line. A metal supplier like Rotax Metals, which has served multinational companies across North America, can be your most dependable bet for a business partner.

About Rotax Metals

As the leading supplier of copper, bronze, and brass products in North America, Rotax Metals is committed to providing only the highest quality products. We’ve been in the business since 1948 and we pride on our long-standing track record. Whether you need exquisitely designed bars, sheets, and tubes for your project or custom machines and structures made out of raw metals, we’ve got you covered. 

Sources:

7 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT COPPER, twin-metals.com

Learn About the Common Uses of Copper, thebalance.com

Use Square Brass Tubing and Other Types to Improve Bathroom Design

Brass metal is so versatile that you can use it in just about any room in the house, whether as a light fixture element in the hallway, the handrail at the main foyer staircase, or even tapware and jointware in the kitchen. Aside from these rooms, the bathroom is another opportunity for you to flex your creative interior designer instincts that’s sure to impress even the most rigid clients.

Oftentimes, interior designers will get project briefs from clients asking to improve the level of sophistication in their bathroom, but with the condition that it must all be done within the set budget. This, of course, could prove to be quite the challenge for any designer. Fortunately, metal materials like square brass tubing and others are relatively affordable. Read more from this article: http://bit.ly/2E31seg

Find Out Why Naval Brass Is Capable of Resisting Corrosion Caused by Salt

Did you know that the salt you put on your food and eventually into your system is capable of corroding metal? A compound of sodium and chloride, salt can quite be caustic on certain materials. You don’t have to worry, though, because your body does not respond similarly when in contact with salt. (Of course, like with any other food additive, you have to keep your salt intake in check to avoid problems) It’s just that metal and salt don’t mix well together.

Surprisingly, even metals with high corrosion resistance won’t stand a chance when exposed to salt for a long period. You may think that well-known corrosion-resistant metals like copper, bronze, and brass might pull it off but the truth is they, too, will corrode when dipped in salt solution. Read more from this article: http://bit.ly/2C6OT0N