Brass is an alloy of copper with zinc, and is usually made up of anywhere from ten to forty percent zinc. Small amounts of other ores produce special-purpose brass. (Tin and aluminum increase resistance to corrosion, for example.) Zinc ore (called calamine) is difficult to mix with the copper ore, however, and brass appears later in the archaeological record as well as being far less common than bronze.

Properties: Solders easily and polishes well.
Brass is yellow metal that appears a pale straw yellow colour when polished. Brass is an alloy of copper and Zinc making Brass harder than either of its components. Brass is malleable, machineable and resists corrosion. Brass is harder than coppe and casts well.

Brass can be purchased in hard, half hard and dead soft tempers. It can be bought as sheet, round and square rod, extrudud molding, hexagonal bar and round wire.

Alpha brasses contain more than 62% copper and are used to make screws, pins and bolts. Brass is 60% copper, 40% zinc. It is a metal that lends itself well to turning , spinning or machining and is quite unsuitable for high temperature silver-soldering because it tends to collapse suddenly. It is not suitable for raising, sinking becuase of its hardness. Brass should not be used for box making using silver solders as flat sheets of brass tend to warp easily when heated with a gas torch.

Melting point: 1015 degrees C / 1750 degrees F.

Uses: Screws, hinges, water fittings and electrical parts.