Brass Rail Repairs

[Ron Nossaman]

Thanks Tom, that answers some questions. It apparently takes a bit less heat
than I thought.


Bill,
Brass work hardens doesn't it? Seems to me that a whole lot of little
stresses in use in the action would have a cumulative and similar effect to
a couple of big ones. The stresses involved aren't big enough to bend it
outright, so I'm guessing they will harden in time without bending out of
line. Minimal flexing and vibration will, eventually, work harden metals.

Out of curiosity, I looked up tensile strengths of brass and copper
(Machinery's Handbook - estate sale edition). Half-hard sheet brass is
52,000psi, going up to 87,000 for spring, and down to 40,000 for soft
anneal. Hard copper sheet comes in at 40,000psi. It isn't stronger, but
copper wouldn't work harden and break like the brass will it? I haven't
found any reference data to work hardening properties of metals, or I could
pin it down better. In the mean time, personally, I'd stick to the brass.



 Ron