buttcrack

[mccoy]

I was anealing a fowler buttplate today. I heated it to a low cherry glow, and water quenched. When I looked at it later, I discovered that it had several cracks. All of these are clear through, so the buttplate is junk. Has anyone else experienced this? I've never had this problem before, so is there a chance i got a poor alloy?

 

[Roy]

I just did a few weeks ago, just one crack though and I could see it forming as I was heating it. You would think it would have been caused by the cooling. Just a crappy casting. :cursing:

 

[Zonie]

Was this one of the investment (wax) castings?
I have had Bronze investment castings crack while I bent them even after annealing but I've never had one crack from the annealing process.

 

[aragorn]

How do you do the annealing? Do you use a propane torch? I'm just wondering whether the flame intensity and width might be a factor.

 

[mccoy]

Heat source was oxy-acetelene torch, large rosebud tip, neutral flame. Heat was brought up evenly, as i always have done. Casting was done in green sand, by all apearances.

 

I annealed a brass triggerguard once and it turned real gritty and brittle. Anymore, I just bend everything cold and I don't have any cracks or breakage. Must be something about the alloy or the reheating and chilling of cast brass that makes it crystalize. I was surprised when it happened because I have never had a problem annealing sheet brass after it work hardens. For some reason, cast brass is a totally different substance than sheet brass. I would recommend bending it cold.
Don
D

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Brass or bronze, is the question. I gave up annealing yellow metal years ago, due to just what you have described.

 

[musketman]

I was anealing a fowler buttplate today. I heated it to a low cherry glow, and water quenched. When I looked at it later, I discovered that it had several cracks. All of these are clear through, so the buttplate is junk. Has anyone else experienced this? I've never had this problem before, so is there a chance i got a poor alloy?

Is there a way to braze some brass into the cracks and reshape the plate?

 

[Birddog6]

When I have to bend a Cast one, I heat it & bend it hot, as if you quench the cast brass in water the metal will contract & crack or pull apart. I heat it & bend it while hot.
Now sheet brass is a completely dif. thing, heat it & quench it in water & you can bend it as you want, and every time you bend or peen it it will work harden, resulting in eventually it needing to be heated & quenched again in water to anneal it again & make it easy to work. You can do this over & over.
Also sheet brass is rolled or extruded & it has a grain pattern if you look at it closely before you start. If you have pieces going side by side, aline the pieces with the grain going the same way & it will work better & the work the same.

:thumbsup: