Brass is among the most popular metals used for various household applications. Though brass is not completely a metal, it is in-fact an alloy of copper and zinc which makes it more flexible and durable. It is widely used in decorating various household fixtures. It can be used in railings, curtain rods, hand and foot rails as well. Because of its flexible nature it can be formed and bent in different forms and is therefore treated as a good home décor. Apart from being round in types, there are also square, rectangle and ornamental brass tubes depending on the need and requirement.

They are extremely popular among people around the country and are always the first choice of designers, architects and others. Over the past few years, there has been a considerable growth in the popularity of brass tubes. Their cost effective nature, attractive appearance, high durability and functionality are some of the major factors which have contributed in their growing popularity. Apart from home decor, it is also the material used in making musical instruments. Trumpets, baritones, and trombones along with other musical instruments are made from brass.

Brass tubing is also used in creating other products like faucets and other industrial equipment. Aside from these places, it can also be used as plumbing fixtures in kitchens and in bathrooms. Overall there are number of valuable advantages of brass tubes which have made them extremely popular among people all around the country. Its sparkly, golden color presents a stylish and classy look to your place adding a sense of wellness among you and your visitors.

When you mix together varying amounts of copper and zinc, you are left with a metal known as brass. Different rations of both copper and zinc result in different types of metal, two of the more popular being yellow (which is sometimes called gold, but they really are two different types) and red (which is also known as rose). So, if you are in need of brass for an upcoming project, which of these two should you be using?

Red

This brass is so named because it has a reddish hue that is caused by the high concentration of copper it is comprised of. It is commonly used in the construction and mechanical industry (especially in components like valves, sprinklers and pumps) and is also the metal of choice for the production of musical instruments.

Yellow

This brass is so named because it is yellow in colour and is very shiny (hence why it is sometimes called gold). It is commonly used in applications around the home (such as faucets, screws and bolts), but it also has uses in the production of musical instruments and is commonly used for the creation of costume jewellery (as it looks like gold).

There are many similarities between these two types of brass, including the fact that they are both comprised of copper and zinc. They are also both used in the production of musical instruments (as the type of brass used in the tube or horn actually alters the sound that is produced). The plumbing and electrical industries also use either red or yellow brass in their work, as both types are flexible and extremely strong.

The main difference between yellow and red brass, however, is the copper content (which results in the differences in colour). Fortunately, this gives you the means of determining which type of brass you are dealing with if you are ever unsure – take a file to sand at an inconspicuous area of the object. An orange-y residue means that you are dealing with red, whilst pale yellow shavings suggest yellow.

Both red and yellow brass can be recycled, making them both quite an environmentally friendly material choice. Whilst the red type can be recycled as is, however, the yellow type will need to be purified first to remove any other metals that have been used in its composition. This is because red brass consists of at least 85% copper, whilst the yellow type will only have 60% copper or less in its makeup.

If you are the kind of person who prefers the look of older brass – which is slightly darker and has a distinctive ‘antique’ appearance to it – you might be patiently waiting for your newer pieces to develop this aged look. Fortunately, it is possible to speed up this aging process, leaving your metal looking much darker and more attractive.

Step 1: Find an acetone-based product that you can use to remove the varnish layer from the brass object (if one exists). Nail polish remover is a great product to use for this.

Step 2: Leave the acetone on the surface of the brass for a few minutes, then use a clean cloth to rub vigorously at the surface. This should have removed the varnish layer.

Step 3: Find a dishwashing liquid that contains sodium bisulphite, as this will cause the metal to darken. Take another clean cloth and use it to work some of the liquid into the brass.

Step 4: Leave the dishwashing liquid on the brass until you are happy with how much it has darkened. Then, wash the liquid away using some clean water and dry immediately.QCDVDMWNVUXN

As you can see, the method used for darkening (or aging) your brass is actually quite simple – it really shouldn’t take you any longer than an hour, even if you are taking your time. Once you are finished and have completely dried your metal, you should be left with a brand new object that looks as if it has been around for decades.

As copper is a fairly inexpensive metal that is widely available, it is commonly used for the creation of jewellery. As the metal oxidizes, however, it is known to turn the skin it touches green. Unfortunately, this oxidization can be difficult to prevent, as everyday we come into contact with a number of substances that bring this about, including the chemicals in soaps and even our sweat.

To prevent your copper jewellery from oxidizing whilst wearing it, at least for a time, you should do the following:

• If you are unsure whether you are allergic to nail polish or not, apply a small amount to your skin and leave to dry. If you don’t notice a reaction of any kind (such as a rash, itchiness or hives) you are free to continue.
• Coat the inside surfaces of your copper jewellery with a layer of clear nail polish. If there are other areas of the jewellery that touch your skin, make sure that you coat these, too.
• Leave the nail polish to dry completely be wearing the copper jewellery. Keep in mind that this protective coating will wear away over time, so you should reapply the nail polish if you notice the green marks reoccurring.

If your copper or other metals(Aluminium, Brass ) jewellery does leave green marks on your skin, there is no need to despair, as these stains can be easily removed. Simply wash the affected area using soap and water; the marks should lift right off. The nail polish method outlined above should be suitable for all types of copper jewellery, including bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

Copper was one of the first metals ever extracted and used by humans, and it has made vital contributions to sustaining and improving society since the dawn of civilization. Copper is a relatively inexpensive and extremely plentiful metal with numerous useful properties. It effectively resists corrosion and is a very effective conductor of both electricity and heat.

• While building construction accounts for more than 40% of all copper use, residential construction is about two-thirds of the building construction market. In the modern times, copper is used for various purposes across diverse industries, but there are four major uses or application areas of copper. These four uses include: Use of Copper in Electrical Industry; Use of Copper in Construction Industry; Use of Copper in Industrial Machinery; and, Use of Copper as an Alloy.
• The common uses of copper in the construction field include using it for welding and soldering; use in brazing applications; use for making lightning rods; and, use in plumbing applications (like making pipes and fittings from copper). The use of copper has also been promoted in the modern concept of green houses and green buildings.
• Presently, copper is used in building construction, power generation and transmission, electronic product manufacturing, and the production of industrial machinery and transportation vehicles. Copper wiring and plumbing are integral to the appliances, heating and cooling systems, and telecommunications links used every day in homes and businesses. Copper is an essential component in the motors, wiring, radiators, connectors, brakes, and bearings used in cars and trucks.
• The average car contains 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mile) of copper wire, and the total amount of copper ranges from 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in small cars to 45 kilograms (99 pounds) in luxury and hybrid vehicles.

Copper occurs in many forms, but the circumstances that control how, when, and where it is deposited are highly variable. As a result, copper occurs in many different minerals. Chalcopyrite is the most abundant and economically significant of the copper minerals. The dramatic rise in need for copper will naturally increase the demand for new mines and processing plants, as current facilities are upgraded and expanded. Therefore copper is one of most important metal used in industries all across the Globe.

There are plenty of ways that metal objects and components can become coated with grease around both the home and the workplace. In the kitchen, grease can come from fried foods (like bacon and even fish), whilst in the workplace it is sometimes needed to lubricate moving parts. If you want to remove greasy coatings from your metal, you should do the following:

Step 1: Using paper towels, wipe away as much of the grease as you can. For overly thick coatings, you can use a plastic scraper in conjunction with the paper towels.

Step 2: Take a soft cloth and apply a little rubbing alcohol to it, then use it to rub at the metal until the grease disappears. For stubborn coatings, you may need to reapply the alcohol and rub for minutes at a time.

Step 3: If you don’t want to use rubbing alcohol, you can put a few drops of a grease-cutting dishwashing liquid on the metal and wipe it away using a soft cloth or a scrubber. Finish by rinsing with clean water.

Step 4: For shiny metals, take a soft cloth that you have sprayed with some household vinegar and wipe it off.

If you cannot completely remove the grease from the metal the first time around, you may need to repeat the method that you have chosen. Keep in mind that, even though there are a number of degreaser products around, they should not be used on aluminium or lacquered metals, as it can be extremely damaging to the surface.

Even the most professional and experienced welders will often comment that aluminium is the hardest metal to work with, simply because there is a number of different chemical properties that must first be understood. Some of these properties include the fact that aluminium doesn’t change colour when it’s heated and that it has a far wider range of melting temperatures than other types of metal. This means that extreme care must be taken to ensure that you are welding the metal correctly.

The melting point of aluminium oxide

One of the first things that you must realize is that aluminium oxide actually has a higher melting point than its base alloys – it won’t start to melt until it reaches 2,050 degrees Celsius. Unless you displace the oxide, you will also be left with a weld that is incomplete. This can lead the connection to crack, break or even to shrivel in size.

The thermal conductivity of aluminium is higher

Another thing that you must understand about welding this metal is that the thermal conductivity is higher because it has to work with a fairly specific amount of heat. This means that aluminium will be more sensitive to the different heat fluctuations that may occur during welding; this could cause the metal to crack or warp.

A higher level of electricity is necessary

When welding aluminium using the arc method, you will need to have a much higher level of heat, because the metal conducts electricity at much higher levels than other metals. This does, however, permit the welder to use a gun that holds longer contact tubes, as the electrode doesn’t get heated the way it does with other methods.

Safety should be your primary concern when welding metal, so you should ensure that you always wear gloves and a helmet. It is also a good idea to wear a long sleeved cotton shirt, as this will protect your skin from being burned by the UV radiation produced.

To ensure that you are able to effectively weld aluminium, you will need a variety of tools, including: a TIG welder (otherwise known as a Tungsten Inert Gas Welder), a pair of strong gloves and a good protective helmet. You will also require a gas to ensure that the weld is perfect. You cannot use argon by itself, but a number of welders say that an argon and helium mix tends to work best with aluminium. Make sure that you have a steel brush on hand to effectively clean the metal as you go.