Identification of a metal

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Would anybody care to hazard a guess at identifying a piece of metal given to me by a neighbour?

 

To all intents and purposes it looks like brass. However, the exterior of the partially turned and faced sample of this irregularly round 40mm dia. (approx.) bar has a sand cast finish. The appearance of the turned areas are those of brass.

 

If an unusual variety of non-ferrous metal, suggestions regarding machining would also be welcomed.

 

Thank you.

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Brass type but with the appearance of sand cast exterior

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Can’t see why it shouldn’t be brass, I’m sure there is a lot of sand cast brassware around.

Firstly does it seem the right sort of weight for brass?

I’d try attacking it with a file first to try and get a feel for it’s hardness, and then try taking a cut on the lathe to see what the swarf looks like. If it comes off as fine needle then it probably is some sort of brass, but what variety is anyones guess. It could well be melted down plumbing fittings that have been cast into a rough bar in sand.

If it machines OK and is the right size for what you want then – well done. I’d be a bit wary for using where you want specific properties though.

[peter walton 1Participant @peterwalton1]

My guess is its a length continuous cast bronze which can be any alloy and almost any shape.

Try a file but bronze can be fairly hard.

A picture would help.

 

Peter

Edited By peter walton on 22/02/2011 18:24:47

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

Rough cast, slightly reddish colour on an old machined face,? Sand cast a sort of dirty green with a sort of slimy feel. Hmm sounds like Phosphor Bronze. A metal used for bearings.

Good Luck with it

Dick

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by peter walton on 22/02/2011 18:18:28:

My guess is its a length continuous cast bronze

Peter

Didn’t think the continuous was cast in sand you would be forever packing it up around molten metal Usually has a much smoother surface with a fient spiral look to it.

 

Maybe someone was just making something usable from their offcuts. Or helped themselves to a few feeders from the foundry

 

J

Edited By JasonB on 22/02/2011 18:53:37

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

Niloch

Have you tried machining it yet? If, as you state it looks like brass and you have trouble maching it with negative rake tools, it could be Muntz metal. This I understand from my benifactor was sometimes used to make non-spark tools for use onboard oil tankers. Yes I have a lump and it is a bit of a pig to machine. My piece also has a cast surface and looks just like brass, it does not have the red tinge associated with the cast bronzes. I maybe wide of the mark, but it is a thought. I am unable to ask my benifactor as he now reside in the great workshop in the sky. I have tried machining it as if it were steel, this seems to work. The only way of knowing what it is, chemical analysis.

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

It’s probably the wrong colour, but let’s hope it’s not plutonium . . .

 

w.

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

From memory, I think Plutonium is dark grey.

We journalists have diverse interests.

[Charlie,Participant @charlie18171]

Hi Niloch

There is an ouside posability that it is depleated uranium,Which is a little

lighter in coulour than most brasses and considerably heavier,If you strike

it a glancing blow on a sharp edge tiny fragments can fly off with a cracking

sound And some of the fragments become incandescent as the fly through

air,Quite and interesting material,

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Niloch,

 

Any chance of a picture?

 

Regards

 

T

[adyParticipant @ady]

It sounds like kryptonite to me.

I used to read about it a lot many years ago but haven’t heard so much recently.

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

You may joke, but there are odd tales of scrap dealers in third world countries getting old hospital equipment – including radioative sources used for treating cancers.

 

Apparently in one incident, the dealer’s children were happily playing marbles with the ‘funny little metal balls that glowed in the dark’ . . .

 

But it’s probably bronze.

 

I hope.

 

 

W.

 

[NEIL SMITH 1Participant @neilsmith1]

It may be Unobtainium!

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

i believe that many years ago(30 0r more) some steel in, I think Panama, some steel was found to be contaminated with Plutonium that had been in with some scrap that was remanufactured, don’t know what happened to it. Ian S C

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Are you sure it was Panama? According to Neil Smith 1, it may have been Pandora

 

Best regards

 

Terry

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Terry you might be right, it was a long time ago, it was because of some shady dealing, it was somewere south of USA where I presume the scrap came from. Ian S C

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