Annealing Brass question

[Frod733]

Greetings all.
I am starting a TRS Bess kit and have a question about annealing brass. Per one of Dave's post on building a Bess TRS kit, he mentioned bending up the tang (after annealing) where the tab goes into the top slot, so the rest of the butt plate can be inlet, and then bending back down to inlet the tang. The brass on the kit seems quite hard. I presume it can be softened?? I have read other posts about annealing so I think I have the technique understood, but a question: Once you anneal the brass it should be soft enough to bend without breaking, but does the annealing last over time without any work hardening done by me? Does it harden over time, the annealing not lasting, and then has to be annealed again to bend back to its original position? Don't want to break it.

Thanks much.

 

[rchas]

It doesn't take long for brass to work harden so anneal often. Anneal, make a small bend, and repeat. Be careful of applying too much heat, as brass/bronze will go from red hot to crumbling in a split second.

 

[Scota@4570]

If it is hard as cast you will not likely make if softer. It depends on the brass alloy that was used in the first place. TRS understands quality materials, I think you will be OK. If you have questions about a TRS build call Jess and ask how to proceed. He will likely tell to anneal it by heating short of red hot and letting the part cool. You can dun or not it does matter. It is the same a annealing case neck when reloading .

 

[Frod733]

Thanks. Must the part be bent while still hot?

 

[rich pierce]

Heat until you see a very dull red color and make sure that color is achieved everywhere you want it annealed. Let it cool or quench in water. Makes no difference except time and risk of warping with quench. Bend while cold. NEVER while hot.

 

[billraby]

Some alloys will get brittle if you quench. If you don't know what alloy its best to air cool.

 

[The Appalachian]

Some alloys will get brittle if you quench. If you don't know what alloy its best to air cool.

Brass doesn't.

 

[LRB]

Brass doesn't.

True, and quenching has no advantage other than saving time if you are in a hurry. Dull red. Not bright red. Bright red will allow the zinc to begin separating from the copper.

 

[The Appalachian]

True, and quenching has no advantage other than saving time if you are in a hurry. Dull red. Not bright red. Bright red will allow the zinc to begin separating from the copper.

Without going down a metallurgical rabbit hole separating zinc from brass takes a bit more metalurigical magic than heating a piece of brass up enough to achieve crystalline restructure, which occurs between 700 and 800 degrees. Color is a VERY poor method of judgement as well. Welding temp sticks and tempilac are your huckleberry for annealing brass metal.

"Annealing is a heat treatment of metals or alloys that restores some of the material's original physical properties. In particular, it increases ductility and decreases hardness. Annealing is done by raising the temperature of the metal to above its recrystallization temperature but below its melting point."

 

[Frod733]

thanks for the responses. I have tried heating the tang with propane, MAPP gas, and propone with MAPP gas combined in two torches. Did not even get close to red in color. Could this be a super hard brass alloy? I do not want to break the tang. Would MAPP and Oxygen work?

Previous kits from TRS had soft brass, easy to work with.

Once annealed, barring any work hardening, will the brass remain annealed, or over time will get hard again?

 

[Rob M.]

Yeah. It takes a lot of heat bud , its a pain . I dont have torches in my ship so I anneal mine in my wood stove or go to my buddys garage and borrow his torch ....heat it to red and dip.it in the water ....best of luck