Chickering brass flanges

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

    The practice of using silver-soldering  on brass has a long history of
success, particularly on brass musical instruments. Woodwind technicians use
this method daily. The keys on horns take a lot more stress and strain than
you're going to find on a flange.
    Also, target shooters regularly go through a process of annealing their
shell casings to restore the "softness" of the metal, in order to prevent it
from becoming so brittle that it breaks when exposed to the extremes of
firing and re-loading.



Kevin E. Ramsey
ramsey@extremezone.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <Yardarm103669107@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: Chickering brass flanges


> Wim:
> My take on the nature of the brass flange breakage is that you are not
> looking at the failure of the brass per se. It is a very stable alloy,
> particularly if it is alpha brass (less than 34%zinc). What you are
looking
> at is the result of fracture mechanics, of the constant impact of the pin
on
> the surface of the little brass plate eventually causing a fracture point
> which finally gives. I read Jim Bryant's reply with great interest, and
will
> be even more interested to see how long these treated flanges last.
> Generally, heating brass does little more than make it hot; the addition
of
> solder is new to me and deserves some time to see the longevity.
> PR-J
>