Every year, tens of thousands of appliances across the world reach the end of their lives and cease working. More often than not, these appliances will eventually find their way to landfill but, by removing the non-metal components, did you know that you can actually recycle them? Use the following instructions for getting rid of all this scrap metal from your home.

Step 1: Move all of the appliances and other scrap items to the area where they will be disassembled. A garage or carport is a great place to do this. Make sure that you have a helper on hand in case some of the scrap is overly heavy.

Step 2: Using your toolbox, begin to disassemble all of the appliances in your collection. Throw all non-metal components into a rubbish bin so that they can be taken to landfill.

Step 3: Load all of the scrap metal into the back of your car or into a trailer to transport to the dealer. If the objects will be open to the air, make sure that you cover them with a tarp to prevent them from falling out.

Whilst it is possible to taken broken down appliances directly to scrap metal dealers and let them remove all of the non-metal components for you, this will actually generate less of a profit. This is why it is best to remove anything that cannot be recycled from the appliance before you load it up. Whilst taking apart your appliances, make sure you wear the proper safety gear.

In part one of this article, we looked at the first four molds that are commonly used in the process of aluminium casting – sand, ceramic, permanent and die casting ones. Now, in part two, we will look at the final three molds and the ways in which they are used to create the various aluminium components that are regularly used across a number of industries.

• Shell: This mold is actually a form of the sand casting one and utilizes resin the bond the sand into a thin shell. This is, however, the more expensive of the two methods, although it is highly effective in producing a better surface on the aluminium component.
• Plaster: These molds are created using a plaster mixture that is poured around some wax or foam. The mold is then baked, allowing the wax or foam to melt away and leaving a perfect copy of its shape. Molten aluminium is then poured into the cavity.
• Graphite Casting: This mold is often used in conjunction with aluminium centrifugal casting. The metal is forced into the mold where it is rapidly chilled. The resulting component cannot be created using any of the other processes.

Each of the seven molds outlined in parts one and two of this blog have long been used to craft the various aluminium shapes and forms that are used in construction and other related industries everyday. By familiarizing yourself with each of the descriptions, you should be able to determine which mold will best suit your needs, resulting in perfectly casted metal every time.

Did you know that all of the aluminium components used in industries across the world have been created through a casting process? The molten metal is poured into molds where it sets and becomes the different shapes and forms that are needed for construction and other industrial applications. But what types of molds are used to cast aluminium and how does each work?

• Sand Casting: This is the oldest type of mold for casting aluminium; it was being used back in the time of the ancient Egyptians. Sand is held in a box and a cavity is created (using a solid material, like timber) whereby the molten metal is poured in. 
• Ceramic: This mold is created around a plastic or wax shape that melts when the mold it fired. Once the wax or plastic has melted away, the mold is ready to receive the molten aluminium. This process is also known as ‘precision casting’. 
• Permanent Casting: These molds are crafted from metals like steel and iron. The aluminium is forced into the cavity, using either gravity or a vacuum. The difference with these molds is that they can be reused again and again. 
• Die Casting: These molds use steel dies to produce a number of castings that are identical. Under high pressure, the molten aluminium is forced into these cavities. It is favoured for being a versatile process, enabling the creation of small to medium castings. 

In part two of this blog, we will take a closer look at some of the other molds that are commonly used in aluminium casting, including shell, plaster and graphite casting ones. These are known for being a little more complex and uncommon than the four outlined above.

BRASS

• Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with combination of some unique properties. It possesses qualities that are alluring and attractive with its sparkling, gold-like finish. It makes homes, hotels, offices, restaurants and showrooms very attractive.
• There are also many usages that it provides to the rest of the world. Perhaps, the primary reason for this is the beauty that it holds as it adorns various types of interior spaces from living rooms to bathroom.
• The amount of zinc in it varies from five to forty five percent to create a range of brasses, each with unique properties. Those with less than 35 per cent zinc are known as alpha brasses. Those with more than 35 per cent are called alpha beta or duplex alloys and are ideal for hot working.
• Unlike plastic, it is unaffected for all practical purposes by extended exposure to nuclear environment. It produces no harm or hazardous chemical by products.

Uses-

• The majority of music instruments are made of brass metals. The military still uses the bugle made from brass sheet in ceremonies such as "taps" during flag retreats to signal the end of the day.
• The arts and crafts industry uses its sheets to make decorative pots, vases, bowls, and many other items. Their sheets are often required in designing and assembling trophies, elevators' exteriors and interiors, wall panels, and lettered and numbered architectural decorative applications.

Benefits-

• Both residential and commercial spaces are benefitted from its uses. For example, brass tubing is commonly seen on stair railings, foot rails and hand rails.
• Its finish is very classy and you may have actually used this in your office of work space as well as in your commercial buildings.
• More often than not, brass sparkles the interest of many people due to its stylish beauty that can be used either in the personal or professional setting.

When you constantly use the brass objects in your home (such as candlesticks that regularly come out at dinner parties or kitchenware that is used at least once a week) you may notice that, over time, it has developed a number of scratches. If you would like to repair these scratches and return your brass objects to their former glory, all you need to do is follow a few simple steps.

Step 1: Check to see whether your brass has been coated with a lacquer; if so, the scratch may not have transferred to the metal beneath. Buff the objects thoroughly, then apply a cloth soaked with a little acetone to the mark. If it disappears you can simply reapply the lacquer.

Step 2: If the scratch has managed to affect the brass below the lacquer or the object was not lacquered at all, you should begin by polishing the lightest marks you can see with an appropriate polish.

Step 3: If the scratches are a little deeper, you will need to use abrasion to restore the brass. Begin with a gentle abrasive, like a jeweler’s rouge, and buff in a circular motion. Then move onto an emery cloth or steel wool, which you can wipe across the marks. Finish by polishing the metal.

For deeper scratches or for brass objects that you are hesitant to try cleaning up yourself, you can take them to a jeweler or metalworker to have the scratches worked out professionally. Remember to wear gloves and safety glasses when handling the chemicals used to treat brass; this will also avoid fingerprints when it comes time to polish the metal.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with differing combinations of properties. Combinations of these properties result in unique structural materials. It is frequently being used to make the least costly machined products. It is in fact the best material from which we can manufacture many other components.


Some of its properties are -

• Ductility
• Hardness
• Conductivity
• Machinability
• Wear resistance
• Color
• Corrosion resistance
• Recyclability

It has an excellent thermal conductivity that makes it a first choice for heat exchangers or radiators. Its electrical conductivity ranges from 23 to 44% than that of pure copper. It is one of the first-choice materials for producing many other materials in general, electrical and all precision engineering industries. They are ideal for a very wide range of applications. It has some unique combination of properties that make it indispensable where a long, cost-effective service life is required. This combination cannot be matched by other materials. Also, brass does not become brittle at low temperatures like mild steel. Its products can often be used without needing extra surface protection.

Factors that contribute to low costs of brass components includes-

• Ease of machining, through which the initial production cost is minimized.
• The good corrosion resistance property of the brasses plays a key role in reducing the costs of its components.
• Its long service life is yet another factor that contributes in the low cost of its equipments by reducing the cost of service.

Brasses set high standards for judging the Machinability of other materials. They are available in a very wide variety of forms and sizes to allow minimum machining to finished dimensions. Brass parts and it's components, especially those products whose application in industries require adherence to close tolerances, must be manufactured with attention to detail, right from sourcing raw material to forming, shaping, die-casting, finishing etc.

When copper has been exposed to the elements, its surface will develop a layer of copper oxide. This can make the object appear dirty and is just plain unattractive, so many people look for ways to remove the layer of oxide. There are a number of chemicals that can be used to treat affected copper; the term ‘pickle’ is one used by metalworkers to describe the solution that is used to remove the oxide.

Step 1: In a plastic bucket, mix together about half a kilo of sodium bisulfate with about 4 litres of water. Together, this creates sulfuric acid and is what you will use to ‘pickle’ your copper. Make sure that you’re wearing safety glasses and chemical-resistant gloves to protect your skin.

Step 2: Take a piece of copper wire that you have twisted into a handle and hook it onto the object that you wish to ‘pickle’. Dunk the object into the solution and leave to soak for between 5 and 10 minutes, or until you feel that the metal has bee cleaned.

Step 3: Using the handle you made, remove the copper from the solution and give it a good rinse to remove any remaining acid. You can then hang the object up by the handle in a well-sunned area so that it can dry.

If you cannot get your hands on any sodium bisulfate, you should be able to find it at any swimming pool supply store. When working with this harmful chemical (especially when in its liquid sulfuric acid form) you should ensure that you are wearing protective clothing and that you are in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in the harmful vapours.