[TheForge] Forging Yellow Brass

[Larry and Pat Brown]

There are different mixes of brass a lot of it is forgeable, some is not 
(Especially antique scrounged and recycled  materials). Heat to a black to 
very dull red color, hammer till it doesn't move easily, stop, re heat. 
Hammering on some grades after it cools too much causes cracking. Some 
grades will fall apart like you're hammering dried cheese. I scrounge a lot 
of brass for forging from old brass pipe, some material works beautifully 
and some won't work at any temperature

A picture or two of a weather vane from welded and forged brass;
http://nba.abana-chapter.com/gallerymembers.htm

Larry Brown
Lightning Forge

At 10:48 AM 1/3/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>Can any one give advice on the forging of yellow brass bar stock.  Some
>one told me to forge cold, then heat and quench to anneal.  Does this
>work?   How much can one expect to be able to work the brass before it
>begins to crumble?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Larry
>
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