Easiest Way to Clean Scrap Brass Valves

[@mattkalinowski3855]

Quick tip that last valve u did (the regular brass one) u didn’t have to go through all that trouble getting the ball out because that too is brass just with a tin or something coating. I too used to think they were stainless but I scratched it one day and yellow appeared. I’ve scrapped a ton of these valves and it at the point I don’t even check the ball no more cause every one I did was brass.

[@garethmccullough390]

Same here I first thought the ball was stainless steel when I was removing it with a grinder I cut through it was brass 😮

[@ScrapiT68]

May as well go the rest of the way and melt then cast an ingot. Get a pool of brass going and they melt faster, steel floats on top.

[@robertbrawley5048]

Well as a former scrap buyer at a small junkyard I would be skeptical about an ingot from a home shop. It would be better to pour the melt in a bucket of water . No, in a barrel of water to shot the poor. A major way to identify red from yellow is by just looking at the value the type and manufacture. So I'm not a fan of pieces and pour scrap . One good example is natural gas values . Modern values are Aluminum older style of zinc and often sellers will not separate the zinc ones from the Aluminum ones . So what is my choice ? I have to dock the load to a lower price

[@andymanaus1077]

@@robertbrawley5048 is there an easy way you can tell cast aluminum from cast zinc?

[@andymanaus1077]

@@reverendtfg6802 Thanks. I'll have to go get me some copper sulfate.

[@nopelindoputraperkasa5869]

Coming friend ,, the easiest way to clean scrap Brass valves ,, !! wow very informative friend ,, by watching this video I understand very well, thank you! greetings from the Indonesian Gold Miners🇮🇩💯👍

[@aredditor4272]

Longtime tradesman here, just use a large well mounted heavy duty vise, and a very large pipe wrench. The bigger the pipes and valves, the bigger the vise and wrench you need. Soak heavily corroded fittings with penetrating oil. If you still can't remove something, split it with a sharp cold chisel. Soaking in cheap white vinegar at 200-210 F will remove heavy deposits of scale fairly quickly.

[@dackbowland1876]

What is scale??

[@aredditor4272]

@@dackbowland1876 Mineral deposits.

[@salesshorelinerental]

Very useful information. To cut down on the cost of propane, in this particular case, the valves could have been disabled using a pipe wrench, vise and propane torch. Great video.

[@ManMountainMetals]

I'll be honest, I was expecting a hammer mill. 😜

[@kurtremislettmyr7108]

The surface you are using as a base to hit it on is working like a spring, absorbing the shock from the hammer.

[@franceszetts6874]

Wow, learned something about brass. Thank for sharing info.

[@ralphkleyer9324]

Yea, good video but I have done that and most of the time I can do it much faster using a pipe wrench and vice. however I have had to do it on pieces that would just not come apart and then I just start a little bond fire and wrap a wire around them and toss them in. Cheaper than propane if you are aloud to have a fire where you live.

[@shaneyork300]

If I have some down time I'll be doing this! Thank you!! Have a GREAT Day!!!

[@prinz10ga]

Question. As the different metals have different melt temperatures can you take the whole valve up to the melt temp for the copper/brass and end up with steel pieces that aren’t mixed within the molten copper/brass

[@johnarchuleta9893]

Jason my man, any video you show I like.

[@dufus7396]

Big sharp pipe wrench, bench vise and a cutting wheel or grinder..job done

[@BeachsideHank]

Heating and busting up is called a "hot shot" method, I did that with my aluminum scraps that have shafts, gears etc. imbedded in them, a lot easier than disassembly or angle- grinding them apart, useful video you did.

[@jimmierturner3597]

Thanks!

[@mbmmllc]

Thanks Jimmie!

[@yoopermann7942]

well that seems to be the best idea i have heard that might work out sure beats getting the low price of "dirty brass"

[@sailingsolar2371]

Do you have any idea what the difference in price could be?

[@yoopermann7942]

@@sailingsolar2371 it depends on the market and what the scrap yard is willing to pay per pound,, at least that is what i find when i take a load of scrap in

[@FirstLast-cs5rb]

Just use a wrench. The ball inside the ball valve is brass too. Now I know why is too hot these days..

[@nelsonf982]

Good idea,but is all the time you spend doing it worth the extra,instead of just selling it as dirty brass ?

[@escrapchannel]

🔨 approach always works 👍

[@xmachine7003]

BFH

[@rastamanralph6670]

That is a great way to separate the metals! Cheers👍😉

[@shooter575]

Cool,I got a oil drum full of valves.This will come in handy for my backyard foundry operation.

[@philbartoli2011]

Interesting. Yes more stuff like this

[@rickdees251]

Worth while or a waste of time is determined by the difference in final price when sold. What dirty brass scraps per pound vs clean brass scrap prices. Any scrappers know those numbers??

[@andymanaus1077]

Dirty non-ferrous scrap (generally defined as containing steel, rubber and plastic) is generally a small fraction of clean. For dirty brass, I get only about 25% of the price of clean "plumber's brass". Aluminium is between 20% and 25%. The lowest grade copper (insulated and dirty) is only 5% of the highest (No. 1 or "bright shiny" grade). If you want to break up the brass, it's best to take a small sample to your local scrap dealer and see what they will offer, before committing to processing large quantities.

[@jamesdavis5096]

Yes

[@DavidSmith-zr3nd]

Well would you look at that. My nephew is a scrapper I'll tell him about this. Thanks

[@scottdawson7805]

A simple way to get clean dirty brass for future smelting.

[@204norway]

Awesome video! Luke from Acme

[@daz41262010]

great tip for cleaning brass :)

[@trevethan82319841]

Out of curiosity why don't you just at some point get and use a devil forge melting furnice it probably make things a lot easier

[@RoeMantic]

I see my buddy eScrap watches the good channels. Nice content Jason!

[@poosmate]

Fancy seeing you here lol

[@RoeMantic]

@@poosmate I Am Everywhere LoL 😂

[@donniebrown2896]

Fancy seeing Roe Mantic AND poosmate here. Lol

[@prinz10ga]

Thanks. Never knew this.

[@jamesdavis5096]

Okay I was expecting a nice washing and some kind of restoration video

[@TheWolfster001]

I could have did it faster and with less waste using an angel grinder with a thin cutoff disk... I was not impressed with this episode, normally they are interesting...

[@sennasilverpro9219]

Please do the gold stuff and hammer mill does the rest

[@josephheffle7137]

Cool way to separate the metals

[@garethmccullough390]

Seems like a lot of work and effort probably not much more money ? Most brass fittings unscrew pretty easy and some cheap detergent helps

[@randyhedeen8013]

At my scrap yard, you get the same price per pound whether your brass is clean or not.

[@donniebrown2896]

Good info, like all scrapping ideas, check with your local yard. Some yards refuse to take burnt non ferrous,

[@yoopermann7942]

right mostly its copper wire the yard i use they wont take the steel belts from tires either or lead / zinc or any metals that have been melted and poured into ingots/bars

[@donniebrown2896]

@@yoopermann7942 yeah it's same with one I use. There are devises that can be used to determine content of ingots,,but from what I've heard they're about 20k. I've noticed some home hobbiest channels are having to buy scrap non ferrous, I've got one lined up to buy some zinc from me, have between 4-500 lbs. As far as lead? People who do their own reloads will gladly buy it. Stuff is getting hard to find. Stay safe and careful.

[@biohackmasters]

I think its worth it....you get paid at least double for clean brass in most places.

[@frankzahn7773]

I think everyone should have this knowledge. HA HA

[@ericchamber1614]

jason most of those balls in the valves are yellow brass test with grinder

[@kathybirkett7986]

Good to know!

[@michaeldeleted]

The "red brass" is bronze isn't it?

[@mkbman45]

Useful information. Thanks.

[@spielwerkstudiosrobertmoll1821]

Sad to see good steampunk pieces destroyed that could be cleaned in salt with vinegar.

[@chihpenglee]

Very interesting video! Thank you very much!

[@troyrowe2559]

I feel like your hammer mills would be way easier and faster!

[@SilverScorpion]

Great info

[@khosrosadi5196]

Good idea 👍😊😊

[@mikeknutson415]

It's Hammer Time

[@RalphReagan]

I thought it was a cool video. At first I was like oookaaaay then at the end I was like OK!

[@ursamines7643]

Seems like a lot of work to where a 1/4 inch slot hammer mill could do much easier.

[@robertbrawley5048]

Sounds expensive

[@frankzahn7773]

Interesting

[@snarky_user]

I would avoid the wood stove idea. Don't need zinc fumes in my workshop.

[@stevesrt8]

that ball in the valve is most likely brass.

[@walter111]

Wouldn't be easier to just throw them into an hammer mill?

[@schuco2]

cool thank you

[@seditt5146]

Cement mixer full of sand is way easier.

[@madkow007]

how does that work?

[@seditt5146]

@@madkow007 Take a small cement mixer.... fill it with sand and a little water along with your scrap and turn it on. It works like a large tumbler and cleans it up completely. Stuff shines after like maybe 10... 15 minutes or so idk. Results might differ far as time is concerned depending on how corroded your stuff is but over all it works great and I literally have cleaned thousand of pounds of brass over the years via this method. I'm third generation plumber so needless to say we use to have ALOT of scrap brass and copper but up over close to a century. Mixer could turn copper that is hardly recognizable into #1 copper in no time.

[@JustForFun77077]

Way way way too much work for the extra 15 cents.

[@kevinraines4318]

wot a waste of time / money for the gas ect

[@BillMulholland1]

🍻👍

[@wakeupidiotsnow2611]

Way to hammer “Blacksmith” excellent vid!

[@bazonis1gp]

👍👍🇬🇷

[@derrecycler1770]

Does your employer pay you for it?

[@danweiner3742]

Waste of time

[@derrecycler1770]

Thumbs down.