melting down cast brass

FdLtMike

FdLtMike

Member
Hey guys need some help. I have a bunch of cast brass hardware that I would like to melt down for building guards and other things. I've melted lead but never brass. Any tricks or suggestions on making this project a success.
 
I have no hands-on experience with this but remember reading something that might be of use. A couple of years ago Jay Fisher's sword WIP on his site showed him casting a brass guard and pommel...he used a rotary mold or something along those lines to eliminate porosity.
 
You will need a ceramic or carbon crucible to melt the brass with an iron ladle will not do the trick. You will also need tongs to pick up the crucible. Depending on the alloy you will need to exceed 1800-1900° F in your forge/furnace. You may also need a deoxidizer which you can search for under casting supplies. If you want to just make it into bars you can purchase molds. If you want to cast your own molds then you will have to decide to do it by wax loss or sand casting. Before attempting those you should get some books one the subject and maybe look up some boards having to do with casting. With the temperatures and materials that you would be dealing with it's not a good idea to go into it blind. You could really mess yourself up with that stuff. If you think flux splatter is bad, it's nothing to a bunch of molten metal getting away from you.

Doug
 
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Hello Frank , that rotary mold was a centrifuge , and you are correct its for removing air pockets . If you have a airtite oven that will keep oxygen from being absorbed into the metal, making it just about unworkable . I have a new centrifuge for sale if you are looking .... Bubba Ps Riogrand.com is a good place to buy supplies they have everthing you will need ......
 
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Also Brass releases arsenic when heat/Melted.
Have your area well vented and wear a respirator if you continue with this. Long term exposure to stuff like this will/can make older life very difficult or not attainable at all!

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Laurence is so right , Brass also has copper in it , there also may be some cadmium which is very nasty . Wear a pair of gloves, when working it or handling it is not good , it can be absorbed through your skin . Get a face mask or breather that catches welding fumes , probably N -100 or better.
You can get some neurological/ immune system problems if you absorb too much . I work with a lot of non- ferrous metals and they can be
Dangerous.
 
Not just any respirator, look for a p100 particulate filter, and don't think that just because you've got a respirator you're safe. Melt it outside, you'll know when you're to pouring temp when the zinc smoke is coming off of it. I've poured alot of brass using just a heavy walled steel crucible, I'm sure that the steel will affect the alloy of brass, but for most aspects you'll be more than fine. Don't be scared off, just be carefull and know the dangers, if you're adding brass to the melt, make for sure to heat it up to drive off moisture first, I was adding copper pipe to a bronze melt and learned this lesson first hand, the copper pipe was folded up and had some moisture in it, luckily I was wearing a full face shield and didn't get burned too bad, always have a clear way to run without objects to trip over. You'll be fine, just play it safe, casting metal is a rewarding hobbie in itself.

Zeb
 
Zeb I believe particulate filters dont work well on welding fumes , The N 100 s Niosh work with both particals but, also welding fumes, but not oil based fumes. Idealy a half faced with both particulate and niosh approved welding respirator cartridges is the answer. There are so many different fumes and acid gas vapors its hard to use one mask for everything . I just buy the cartridges for whatever task is at hand . I cant count the makers I have known who did not use masks , most are gone or have been very sick . I got sick from copper once and I have been wearing protection ever since . Like Zed says (casting metal is a rewarding hobbie in itself.) I also dont mean to scare anyone , but you have to be carefull........ Bubba
 
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