Brass Rail Repairs

[Doug Richards]

Ron, Tom and list
I had the ASM book out today on Material properties and remembered this
thread. 

First, if you are not familiar with material selection, the is a BUNCH of
different brass types.

Having said this, for low brass and leaded brass (type C24000, C27000,
C35300, C31400 to C35600...) the annealing temperature is 800-1300 degrees
F.

>From skimming the copper section of the book, I'd say that brass that is
used in brass rails has been work hardened from the original forming
process. Annealing it will remove the internal stresses and make it more
ductile.  I didn't see any fatigue related information...

I'd suspect the reason piano makers didn't require annealing is $$$$$$$$$$$.

Any other questions?
doug richards
San Jose, CA

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Ron Nossaman [SMTP:nossaman@SOUTHWIND.NET]
> Sent:	Monday, March 22, 1999 6:09 AM
> To:	pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:	Re: Brass Rail Repairs
> 
> At 11:58 PM 3/22/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >Ron Nossaman wrote:
> >> 
> >> Thanks Tom, that answers some questions. It apparently takes a bit less
> heat
> >> than I thought.
> >
> >
> >Your welcome. Yes, I was surprised that I could do it on a lowly kitchen
> >stove and didn't have to buy a professionally-priced brass annealing
> >oven, necessitating that I go into the brass rail annealing business.
> >
> >Does your Machinery Handbook show the melting point of brass?
> >
> >Tom
> 
> 
> Yep, for 66% copper, 34% zinc, it shows about 1680 f. I haven't found
> anything about annealing temperatures for brass, but if I come across
> anything, I'll post it.
>  Ron