Why work in brass?

[Jantrix]

This isn't a rant, just curiosity. I've seen a lot of work here over the years, from guys building chassis', roll cages and the like from soldered brass. I've tried it myself, it's a pain in the butt. Now for the guys who build the entire vehicle from brass, that I understand a bit. The difficulty is part of the journey.

But if you just need a chassis & roll cage why bother with a material that is in every way harder to work with than styrene? Especially if it's going to get painted. Then I really gotta ask, whats the point?

I'd love to hear from the guys that do this. Is it just to up the difficulty level?

[Mike Kucaba]

Bragging rights? Jes'kidding,

[Jantrix]

Bragging rights? Jes'kidding,

For some guys I've known, you might not be too far off the mark.

[Swamp Dog]

once brass is heated it becomes soft and easy to work with..

[Pete J.]

Actually the main reason I use brass is because when soldered, it is very sturdy. Brass can hold more weight and does not flex under load. A good solder joint is not difficult to achieve and is far stronger than plastic will ever be and if it is wrong it is far easier to remove, clean up and redo than plastic. Also, brass machines very nicely for making delicate parts or large scale parts. Machining plastic is a real pain because if you don't get your speeds dead on, it melts into an unusable lump. And yes there is a bit of pride in working with real metal. A model built of all brass, when polished out can be just stunning.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Pete J.

[Ace-Garageguy]

And honestly, once you master doing brass tube-chassis work, it really isn't more difficult or time consuming than doing high-quality chassis work in styrene...just different. It has its own set of tricks and tools to make it not so frustrating as it may appear. Some of the model RR guys are real wizards.

[MrObsessive]

As someone who likes to do working features from time to time, brass is definitely it! Styrene plastic while workable, won't stand up to the constant flexing and stress when I want a suspension to be fully working for instance.

Once you master soldering a good joint, it's really not all that difficult a medium to work with.

[Modelmartin]

Using brass is easier than styrene! It bends nicely and stays. Once the solder joint cools it is ready to go. No waiting for glue to dry. easy to rework - just melt the joint. It is stronger. I don't know why anyone uses styrene to scratchbuild structural stuff on a model.

It is a new technique for many and that is what is scary. Once the short learning curve is climbed it is the best!

[W-409]

Using brass is easier than styrene! It bends nicely and stays. Once the solder joint cools it is ready to go. No waiting for glue to dry. easy to rework - just melt the joint. It is stronger. I don't know why anyone uses styrene to scratchbuild structural stuff on a model.

It is a new technique for many and that is what is scary. Once the short learning curve is climbed it is the best!

X2.

I think it's easier than styrene as well. Though I use styrene sometimes, but that's because I want to learn how to use that stuff better...