Whether you’re looking to manufacturer musical instruments or you need a strong material for plumbing projects, decorative use or other practical applications, brass alloys may serve the purpose perfectly while delivering a host of benefits. Crafted to be strong, durable and highly attractive, brass is a favored material for many good reasons.
What is Brass?
Brass alloys are created using a combination of zinc and copper. The two metals combine to create a whole new material that is favored in a breadth of applications for its workability and its appearance. While brass isn’t as strong as other alloys like steel, it does have some superior qualities for use in non-structural supporting roles.
Why Brass?
While there are a host of metals to choose from for creating products, building and decorative use, brass is often the top pick for these reasons:
- It’s highly workable – Brass has a relatively low melting point and can be easily worked into a wide variety of sizes and shapes. It’s also very easy to solder, which makes it a great choice for making everything from ammunition casings and lock bodies to trumpets and coronets.
- It’s very durable – Yes, brass can be scratched, worn and even melted under just the right circumstances. Those circumstances, however, are few and far between. When it’s well-crafted, brass tends to stand up to the elements and a great deal of wear and tear. Properly cared for brass creations can last hundreds and even thousands of years.
- It’s very attractive – With its golden appearance, brass tends to be rather attractive. When worked into a high polish, it shines almost like a mirror, lending itself to interior decorating projects rather nicely.
Applications for Brass Alloys
While it might not be smart to replace a steel beam with a brass one when putting together a building’s frame, brass alloys do have their place in a number of applications. Some of the more common uses for brass include:
- Building accents – Railings, frames and other decorative architectural accents are often made from brass. This metal is selected because of its appearance and ability to be worked into a wide variety of shapes and sizes while retaining the necessary strength to stand up to the test of time.
- Musical and artistic creations – Brass is noted not only for its beauty, but also its acoustical properties.
- Manufacturing – Manufacturers use brass to create plumbing fixtures, lock bodies, shell casings and other useful products.
