Brass World: A Monthly Publication Relating to the Arts of Refining, Alloying, Casting, Rolling, Plating, Polishing and Finishing of the Non-Ferrous Metals and Their Alloys (February, 1929)
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BRASS WORLD AND PLATING — POLISHING — FINISHING A Monthly Publication Relating to the Arts of Refining, Alloying, Casting, Rolling, Plating, Polishing and Finishing of the Non-Ferrous Metals and Their Alloys ESTABLISHED 1905 NEW YORK, FEBRUARY, 1929 VOL. 25.” No. 2 The Chasing Tools And How To Make Them—Conclusion* By HENRY JERABEK Art Metal Worker WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR BRASS WORLD DUST MATTS OW we come to the dust matts. By a matting N tool we understand a tool which has the work- ing-end engraved with a certain design, so when you hold and lead it over a_ surface, softer than the tool, and hammer the other end, you will cover that surface with impressions of the engravings on your tool. To cover the working face of a tool with an even, dust-like appearing roughness, different meth- ods are used. The most common one is to hit the tool with a file of more or less coarseness, or in case of a flat tool, hammering the tool against a flat file lying on the work bench, turning the tool slightly by, then softening the rough file marks by hammering against emery paper. Take a set of your rectangular flats and turn them into dust matts by this method; then file another set into pointed oval flats and dust them in the same way. Break your corners slightly again as you did on the smooth ones. There are other methods of dusting, like hammering against the break of hard steel whereby the grain of the different kinds of steel will produce different shades and the best velvet shades are produced in that way. There is still another way of dusting and that is by etching. But those methods are too troublesome and only used for pro- duction of very delicate work. Next we have the slightly rounded tools. Take another set of 5 of your rectangles and trim the edges into a very light bevel of equal width all around. Then round the inside edge off towards the center; then emery-cloth, polish and break the outer edges. Re- peat that with your last set of 5 and dust them by the file method. For the rounded tools take again two sets of your brandels, file them into rectangles, then by trimming the edges down farther and rounding off towards the center you will get stronger curved surfaces. Polish one and dust another set. You can make some extra sets of * The first part of this article appeared in the January issue. oval forming tools, by filing the four brandel corners round. Anyway, there are no regular rules and almost any chaser has his pet forming tools, which he declares are the best ones. But this love is acquired through habit of constant use. I know the most useful ones are the very slightly rounded ones, which are almost flat in the center. * Take this from me, never forget to round the outer edges off your marking surfaces if you ever want to lead a chasing tool right. SPECIAL FORMING TOOLS Now we come to a group which I classify as special forming-tools, side bevel tools and hollow tools. Those side bevels are easy to make, because they have the same form as the main forming tools, only slanting and anyone who made the main forming tools can make them easily. © (See picture below). Make yourself about six different sizes and you will have enough for almost all purposes. » Now we have the hollow tools. There are first the hol- low pearls. With our five kinds of brandels we can make the ten most used sizes easily. File your work-ends into squares the same way you did for the pearl drivers. Don’t forget to square the squares to the center line exactly. Center punch slightly, then run a drill into your centers half the depth; then your pearl will be wide. | Then take a round nosed engraving tool of correspond- ing size and round your hole out. At last you can use your pearl drivers and stamp it into your hollows. Then take your brandel corners off and file the edge around your pearl. Polish with a piece of pointed wood, around which you wind some worn crocus paper. Don’t forget to break your pearl-edges slightly. A good set of hollow pearls is one of the prides of a chaser and he will never misuse it as a rivet set or nail driver. There are other hollow pearling tools, like the square ones and the oval ones, but they are very seldom used and can be made to the job on hand by the same method; only there has to be a little -more engraving done. 29
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30 BRASS WORLD> The next sort of hollows are the square hollow forming tools. When you make about 6 sizes of those, ranging from 1/16 in. x 3/32 in. to 3/32 in. x 5/16 in. you will have the principal sizes for the common run of work. File your rectangles, square off, then run the half-round side of your file along the centerline of the length of your rectangle until you have a groove of about 1/3 of the circle; break the end corners very well on those tools and the side edges too a little. Then polish by rubbing over a rat-tail file of corresponding size with fine emery cloth around it and crocus paper afterwards. LINE — MATS Pp dd MINE ROUNDED LINE MAT SQUARE MATTED SHADER LINE MAT SIDE BEVEL FLAT Riya A fo D D ces HAIR-LINER SQUARE POINTED OVAL CROS$S-MAT CROSS-MAT February, 1929 or more of its surfaces. Sometimes there has to be made one matrix first and stamped into another steel-block in order to get the right matrix. But cross-matt matrices almost every Chaser can make for himself, and having three of different grain in his tool box er.ables him to make all the cross-matting tools he ever can use in his sweet life and after. : To make them, make first three straight, sharp double tracers of different widths, the same way as you did the hair-liners, only sharper and the groove deeper. Make very sharp edges and outside bevels. Break the end cor- gaan -" ine ees, eee an) QVAL SQUARE THREE MULTY ROUNDED POINT FLAT SIX PEARL PEARL SQUARE WNINE-PEARL PEARL SHADER SHADER CROSS ~ MAT cx SHADER Matting Tools Next we have the long hollow tools which I put under this group. They come in very handy and every chaser should have 3 or 4 of them. Take some of your bigger size brandels and file them into long rectangulars, the same way as you do for straight tracers; then hollow your rectangle by filing crosswise. (See picture). Be careful to round the edges and point well, then polish. This will give you the principal forming tools. MATTING TOOLS And now we come to the last main group, the matting tools. Again there are three different kinds, the line matts, the cross matts, and the pearl matts. The line matts can be made easily by rubbing any formed chasing tool over a file back and forth, the different coarseness of files producing lines of different width and depths. You will probably have to straighten some by going over with a graver point. You can make a dozen of different sizes and coarsenesses, and some side beveled ones, having the lines running up and down the bevel. In this group I place the hair-lines. Those tools are nothing but two or more straight sharp edges, placed alongside each other. Take 3 of your smaller brandels, file them to rectangles like for straight tracers, then cut, with a very sharp graver point, a groove in the center along the length of your rect- angle; then file from the outside until the tool appears like two very narrow tracers close together. When you have three of different sizes you can do the most matting for which this kind of tool is ever needed. Now for the cross matts. Those tools are made with matrices and so are the pearl-matts. The making of matrices is more of a jeweler-die-engraver job and takes very good eyesight and skill. By a matrix I understand a steel-block having certain designs engraved on one ners slightly, then harden and temper. Then take three pieces of your 3 in. steel of about 3 inch length and square one end. On the other end break the corners and edges a little. Then put one in the vise, square end up, and make, with a sharp straight tracer, two diagonal lines across. Then take your double tracer and lead on edge along your diagonal, driving in at the same time, the other edge into the steel. You will have two parallel lines now. Then repeat by following with one edge in the second line and making thereby a third, and so on till you have your square covered with diagonal lines in one direction. Then proceed with your other diagonal the same way. When finished, you will have the surface of your square covered with little half cubes all of the same size and form. Repeat on all three of your steel blocks and you will have three fine cross-matt matrices, of dif- ferent grain. Harden the working end carefully and give only a very light temper. Now proceed with making your cross-matts by stamping your formed chasing tool into the matrix for flat matts or leading your matrix over rounded tool surfaces. Having those matrices made once, enables a chaser to make all the sizes and forms of cross- matts. Now we have the last and most difficult to make, the pearl matts. There is a way in which a chaser can get around making those tools without using matrices, name- ly by using very small pearl drivers and stamping them in the desired design into the working surface of the tool. But that takes great skill and very good eyesight. It takes much more skill and time to make those matrices, because there you have to turn your females into males by restamping one matrix into another, and it will hardly pay a chaser to do that for the couple of dozen he will ever need. The best way is to make the bigger sizes SPECIAL CHASING TOOLS * Gar) a a I ) a (aa (Dp) see Nictorens eens (oa) seph Gre: gd CROSS - MAT SMOOTH ROUNDED SHADER MATTRIX FLAT = DUST- MAT HAMMER BYE OVAL CURVED mare DIVIDER SHADER SHADER MARK TOOL PEARL TRACER THREE TOOL (LIFTING TOOL) ~=PEARL
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i ak hy lik eal al” SSB tah Da ee! v1 ' February, 1929 _ by hand, and buy the small sizes of some jewelers’ supply house ready made. For the most, chasers are only the female matting tools, (tools which have their grains sunk into the work-sur- face of the tool) of any importance. The male tools are mostly used by mould makers, brass die makers and steel die sinkers. Matting and shading is not very much used at the present time, but used to be a great art and there are other sorts of matting tools which are hardly ever used any more. I will give the picture of some with names which will explain them and other special tools. Anyone who can make the others will be able to make them too. Now, at last, a word on hardening and _ temper- ing those tools. Put some common soap on your work end then hold your tool with a pair of pliers into the end of a blue flame and be careful so the flame strikes sufficient heat. BRASS WORLD 31 the tool about half of one inch above the working end. Never hold your work-end into the flame because you run chances of burning your edges before your tool gets Watch till your work end turns a light cherry red, then drop your tool into warm water. When you find your tool shows a whitish gray color where your soap melted during heating you can be almost sure your tool is well hardened. Then take emery cloth and polish your brandel-sides clean on all four sides, but not the working surface. Then hold your tool again in the flame; this time keep it 34 in. away from the end and watch till that end begins to become light straw yellow. Then drop the tool into cold water. After taking out and drying, polish the working surface of the smooth ones on a piece of crocus paper and the matts with a common rubber eraser. You will have a couple of dozen brandels left for specials. Good luck! Alloying White Gold Q.—I have the following formula for 18-karat white gold: ' dwt grains PE a. see ece alae » « 1 13% PNET eek sa RRS ee 5 0 18 tn ar a 4 44 Fine gold .......:.. igs. « 18 18 lotal-iys .. «iene. 25 6 First I place the zinc in the crucible and cover *it with boracic acid crystals. Second, the copper; third, the _ nickel; fourth, the gold. Then all is covered with boracic acid. But here is my trouble: after melting for six minutes, there is a little of the alloy not yet melted, and if I pour it, this gold will work very well but it is a gold higher than 18-karat and has not a good color. Now, when I take the same quantity of gold and alloy and pour it after seven minutes, all the metal is molten, but the result is a gold that is hard and brittle. Is there something wrong with the formula, or with the flux? I believe my fine gold and alloy are all best quality metal. A.—The trouble with making white gold lies in the melting, not in the formulas. There are several excellent formulas, but it is hard to get the necessary high tem- Removing Nickel from Steel ©.—One of our customers desires information as to how he can best remove old nickel from plated steel sur- faces in order to apply a new coating to best advantage. He would prefer to use the reversed electrolytic process but would like to know what solution is best for immer- sion of the parts. “A.—To remove a nickel deposit from iron or steel is quite a difficult operation without a roughening of the steel when the reversed electrolytic process is used. Either sulphuric or hydrochloric acid diluted with water can be used for the electrolyte. The latter works faster and does not roughen the surface of the steel so rapidly. Use the following solution: FAYCIOONIOTIC, OCI 55 ek wes v2ee's 1 part | Water Room temperature. 6 or 12 volts. Lead cathodes. perature and at the same time prevent oxidation, etc. Consider your formula, for instance: it contains zinc, which melts at a very low temperature and is easily boiled away, and also nickel, whose melting point is very high. By the time your heat is high enough to melt the nickel, your zinc is probably volatilized. That is why so many small shops, as well as many large ones, buy their white gold ready-made, or, buy ready-made white alloys, and melt them with their fine gold. The best crucibles are graphite crucibles made to pour from the bottom. These are called “bottom-pour” cru- cibles. Boracic acid is the best flux. The metal should be stirred, preferably with a hot carbon rod. Keep it covered when not stirring. Most people melt up the proper quantity of nickel, copper and zinc first, adding the zinc after the others get hot. Granulate the melt by pouring it into.a bucket of water. Collect the granules and weigh; if there is any loss in weight, figure that it is zinc. Then take that mix- ture, and melt it with your fine gold; after it gets hot, add more zinc if there was any loss before. Pour into a closed ingot, using an ingot so small that your melt will fill it. While pouring, hold the mold tilted sideways, so that the hot metal will not fall and splash on the bottom, but run down the sides. This wil drive out air. —JEWELRY METALLURGIST. The acid content may be increased but the larger the volume of acid the greater the amount of gas evolved and this is objectionable unless eliminated with a proper exhaust system. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Action of Mica on Cadmium QO.—Kindly tell us at once what action mica has on cadmium. A.—We cannot see where there would be any action of Mica on cadmium. Mica is an oxide of silica and is used as an insulator for the electric current and heat. It is insoluble in water or acids, with the exception of hydrofluoric acid. It is soluble in hot fixed alkalis form- ing’ silicates and there may be some action between cad- mium and these salts. | | | —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE.
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32 BRASS WORLD February, 1929 Furnaces for Heat Treatment of Metals The illustrations herewith show the marked con- trast in sizes of electric heat treating furnaces for metals. ‘These are manufactured by the Westing- house Electric and Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., who describe the equipment as follows: Despite the most striking differences in product, This Electric Furnace Heat Treats Aluminum for Airplane Wings Westinghouse industrial furnaces have to solve simi- lar problems of quantity production, of minimum in- vestment, and of low operating cost to meet a very competitive market. A striking contrast in types is offered by a dental furnace for enamelling false teeth, and a furnace for heat-treating aluminum for airplane wings. Heat-Treating Aluminum for Airplanes: The first airplanes were kites of wood and cloth, but metal frame-work developed years ago, and now many planes are metal throughout. Aluminum is the only metal light enough for wings and fuselage covering, and this aluminum alloy must be heat-treated to de- velop its strength. Electric furnaces for this heat-treatment built this year are especially notable for exact and uniform con- trol of temperature. The alloy’s annealing tempera- ture is very close to its melting point. Not only must the temperature of the furnace be exact, but the tem- perature gradient between heat source and work must be low. A very large area of heating surface is worked at low wattage per square foot. Control is by pyrometers which actuate control con- tactors through low-energy industrial-heating relays operating on unusually small temperature differentials. The success of the first two furnaces was followed by an order for three more. High strength aluminum. alloys are increasingly used for other purposes, as well as aircraft. It may be expected that such precision heat-treatment will be in growing demand. Dental Furnace: The work requires extremely careful and exact treatment, since correct appearance of artificial teeth is essential. The individual tooth made by the dentist to fit the patient’s need is baked, glazed and stained. | This furnace has a heating chamber 3 inches deep by 2 inches wide by 1 inch to the place where the curved roof starts to be pronounced. The overall dimensions are 6% inches wide across the legs by With This 1960° F. Dental Furnace, the Dentist Can Produce Beautiful False Teeth It is rated 500 watts, 110 volts, and reaches a temperature of 1960° F. 7 inches long by 7% inches high. Only one tooth is baked at a time. It is placed under a porcelain hood to protect it from foreign particles and reaches full temperature in 26 minutes. The temperature attained is indicated by the melting of a gold pellet on top of the porcelain hood. This tiny furnace, operating on 110 volts, is intended for use by the individual dentist, and is being produced at the rate of 500 a month. | Spots on Brass O.—We are troubled with spots breaking out on our plated brass finishes, especially the polished brass. This breaking out, we assume, is cyanide spots. you kindly advise us the period of time necessary in boiling and baking to counteract this tendency. Also, the temperature in baking oven best suited for the pur- pose described.. Moreover, please recommend a neutral- izing bath. We are now trying immersion cream of tartar. A.—For the elimination of cyanide spots that usually result in copper, bronze or brass plated cast iron surfaces after finishing and even lacquering, cream of tartar is an excellent material when used in boiling water. From 1% oz. upwards per gallon of water at temperature of 200° F. is required. The articles should first be washed thoroughly in cold We ask that © and boiling waters and vice versa, then immersed in the cream of tartar solution just so long as there is no per- ceptible reducing action on the plated metal—15 minutes minimum. Rinse in boiling hot water and dry at a tem- perature in excess of 212° F., the temperature of boiling water, to evaporate any moisture in the pores of the metal. An alternative method would be to first immerse in a heated solution of 200° F., consisting of dehydrated lime 1 oz. per gallon, then wash thoroughly in boiling water ; immerse in an acid dip consisting of 4 oz. or more of tartaric acid, phosphoric acid or cream of tartar. The acid factor in the latter is tartaric acid, so % oz. of this acid would more than equal the acidity of 1 oz. of cream of tartar. —CuHARLES H. Proctor.
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_ February, 1929 BRASS WORLD 33 Air Conditioning Aids Production in Battery Plants The .introduction of mass production systems in the manufacture of electric batteries, says The Modern Science Institute, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, has been made pos- sible through the efforts of air conditioning engineers, who have applied to this industry some of the most modern developments in factory operation. The demand for electric batteries is today without precedent, both for volume and variety, and quantity production was urgent if the output of batteries was to keep pace with demand. Now some of the larger battery plants are operating on production lines similar to those that have been intro- duced into the automobile plants and other heavy- production industries. Thousands of batteries move forward daily on belt conveyors while men stand like a gauntlet down the line to affix parts and perform opera- tions which finish the product that gives electrical energy for starting and lighting millions of automobiles. Scientific application of the latest engineering develop- ments to cut costs, improve product, speed up output and protect the health and lives of workmen, has been adopted in one big eastern plant. It is in this plant where fumes from melted lead, gases and poisonous dusts used in large quantities are recovered by control of air conditioning through a system of powerful ventilating fans which segregate these hazards without danger to workers. In the group burning room of this plant, where the battery plates are formed into groups, lead lugs of con- siderable weight are blown through pipes by an air pres- sure which approximates three miles a minute. These lugs, which are the ragged edges cut off the plates, are re-melted to become the material in other plates. Fine lead dust and other materials are handled in this way, although the company uses an air washer to recover lead dust from the air which is blown through a spray of water. The air washer recovers approximately 75 pounds of lead per week by removing the dust, according to the plant engineer of the company. In the foundry, hoods are used over the lead pots to collect the lead oxide fumes which come from the melted lead. Suction fans draw the fumes up through large pipes to remove the danger from workmen. One of the most unusual applications of mechanically controlled air in this plant is for the purpose of blowing acids from the storage rooms near the railroad tracks through pipes a distance of 500 feet into the developing room where the acids are poured into the battery which, acting on the plates, produce electrical current. In the box room of the plant, where wooden separating plates and other wooden products are made, scrap lumber, sawdust and shavings are blown by air suction to another part of the plant and used as fuel. In cooperation with air conditioning experts, this com- pany has developed a dustless system of blending lead oxides to manufacture battery paste. In former years this was considered impossible. The work is arranged in such a manner that all the various operations are synchronized into a co-ordinating closed system. The result is that lead oxide is being handled at a rate of 5 to 6 tons per hour. Mill for Rolling Flat Wire A new type of machine for the manufacture of flat wire with round edges or corners has been designed and placed on the market by the Torrington Manufacturing The mill is equipped throughout with “SKF” ball and roller bearings, making possible the attainment of greatly increased rolling speeds. Sykes double helical driving gears are used. Breaking down and finishing rolls are 4 water cooled.” Facility is provided for the quick and | accurate adjustment of all rolls. Complete guides are a A new design of tandem rolling mill for the high speed included. Suitable winders of several designs are avail- © production of flat wire, with round edges or round cor- able for use with this mill. ners, stich as flat electrical conductors or wire of any other Ps material having a similar shape. Many sizes of flat wire eo may be finished in a single pass through the machine, from round rod. The mill consists. successively of horizontal breaking down rolls, vertical grooved edging rolls and horizontal finishing rolls, all driven by one motor with a varying | speed relation secured by the use of multiple plate disc : i — frictions adjustable while running. 3 _ = Company, Torrington, Conn. The following details of its construction and operation are given by the manu- facturers: % Newly Developed Machine for the Manufacture of Flat Wire of Various Kinds
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34 BRASS White Bronze Mixture _ O.—Please let us have directions for mixing a good white bronze. We would like to have the ingredients separately listed and also the most convenient forms in which to handle them. A.—A good white bronze can be PEERS from the | following ingredients: Comper =. 6.5. os serrigetios 683 30:45 54 ONS ee PUSs Vlas. i, She Us ee 16 SR AR aI AG Me RR aS Ria prelate 171 2 RR as ge ch. ts ak honed eae z gees ated os aap MON TER eT 10 PNR ne eae ee hae es \Y ie order to get this in a mixture, you can make it up as follows: Shot, 50 Nickel—50 Copper .......... 35 Copper Bott Galea sp i cos 5 ccna ca ES 36% Me ee sr yg a co kee 16 7 SIRES Rags seth ies $A lee CORvaNG AMBP) Sern 10 Nas oes oS rad ie VE doe Oo Ue ee 2 NES SS RAG yy —W. J. REARDON. Cleaning Compounds and Methods A large variety of cleaning compounds for metals and other products are manufactured by E. F. Houghton and Company, Philadelphia, Pa., which has just issued an interesting 34-page booklet on the subject. The book treats also of methods of cleaning metal products in various kinds of plants such as automobile factories, oil, enameling, plating and finishing works, railroad yards, wire and rolling mills, etc. General plant cleaning oper- ations are dealt with also. The book is divided into chapters, beginning with a general introduction on the subject of metal cleaning, giving general directions. Tanks and tank systems are described and Sa usent together with such matters as agitation, pumping, washing ma- chinery, steam used in cleaning, plating and cleaning in one solution; cleaning before various other processes such as vitreous enameling, all the well known electro-deposited finishes, galvanizing, rustproofing, etc. The book is illus- trated and gives complete data on the Houghton products for cleaning metals. WORLD reaming are done. February, 1929 . Reaming Cocks or Faucets O.—We are making special ground key cocks in lots of 25 to 100. At present, we ream the tapers in the bar- rels by roughing out with a flat tapered reamer and then we finish with a square tapered reamer. The tools are rotated at slow speed, while the work is fed up floating. We are looking for a more rapid means of handling this work and wonder if you can suggest anything. A.—Generally speaking, your present method is cor- rect in handling small quantities of these cocks. Use a fluted tapered finishing reamer for finishing cut; see that the roughing and finishing reamers have the same tapers and that there is no rough scale for the finishing reamer to cut. The rough surface must be removed with a roughing reamer; a fluted reamer would lose its cutting edge on such a sur- face. In the sketch you will see a holder for placing the bodies of the key cocks in a turret hole to hold them when the rough and finish Make diameter at A about 1% in., or cut it to fit hole in turret. Let bottom of cock rest on point B. Body or barrel fits in space C, which should be filed accurately for it. We would suggest that if you have a drill press, you can ream these bodies on it by the use of a holding gig or device. The reamers should revolve in the spindle of the drill press. The square reamer you are using is impractical for finishing as the barrels will not be round unless you re- volve at slow speed. By using a fluted reamer you can rotate at higher speed and the flutes can be ground in a small universal epindes to maintain the correct taper. | —P. W. Buarr. Sketch of Holder for Ream- ing Cocks or Faucets Oxidized Brass for High Temperature ©.—I am sending you a sample of oxidized brass which I have been trying to produce effectively in the ate ier Caustic potash ROnysinNaGe 8 icin tivesnoke, x2%i. This has been giving the proper color for the plates, which are used as reflectors for heat in gas heaters. The finish is right, but after about an hour’s use in a stove the finish begins to burn off. First it just fades out, then it burns. Can you give me a formula with which I can produce this oxidized finish and have it hold up under the heat? A.—I believe that you have quite a problem in trying to produce an oxidation on the brass plates that will with- stand a high degree of heat without changing color. We would suggest that you use the following solution and make the color darker, so that when the color starts to change it will not be so noticeable: Goden sulphuret of antimony ..... 2 ozs ES a a a 8 ozs. 6 ao ahs yi e. «pie wy an 1 gal. Use near boiling temperature and scratch-brush dry. Use a solution of sodium silicate registering 20° Baumé -to protect the finish against the heat of the gas. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE.
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February, 1929 Sherardizing Apparatus The New Haven Sherardizing Company, Hartford, Conn., has rounded out eighteen years of experience in its field of producing equipment for sherardizing, heat treating, plating and various other metal finishing opera- tions. The company has also during this time developed extensive jobbing units for performing in mass produc- duction Unit tion the work of metal finishing for other manufacturers. The company has a plant and general offices at Hartford, and a branch plant at Akron, Ohio. Branch offices are maintained at Detroit and Los Angeles, while foreign Oval Shape Portable Gas Burning Furnace with Re- and Motor Drive, Showing Drum BRASS WORLD 35 business is handled by the company’s representatives in New York, Oliver Brothers, Inc. Naturally, the company’s chief products are those used in producing the finish known as sherardizing, which con- sists of the application of a coating of zinc to another metal, usually iron or steel, which needs to be given a rustproof surface. This process is performed by the use of a furnace containing a drum, a typical example of such an apparatus being shown in the accompany- ing illustration. In this furnace, known as the No. 10 Oval Shape Portable Gas Burning Furnace, there is a tank in which the work to be coated is placed, together with a pre- determined amount of zinc dust. The work and zinc dust are enclosed in the drum, the fur- nace is closed and the heat applied while the drum is rotated for some hours. A large quantity of work is done at one time. Among the advan- tages claimed for this method of applying a zinc coating to metal products is the fact that the re- sultant surface is highly resistant to rust, as well as capable of resisting considerable abrasion, which makes such a surface applicable to products which must undergo wear and friction. Hollows and recesses are penetrated, it is stated, and in every way this finish has been found highly de- sirable. Among its applications are coating of foundry flasks, tubing (inside and outside), ma- chinery parts and other products. The New Haven Sherardizing Company makes all equipment necessary for the process, and also distributes the zinc dust used. The com- pany also makes automatic screeners and other apparatus. Among the finishes produced in the company’s job shops are sherardizing, Udylite, chromium, nickel and copper. The company is a representative in its district for the Udylite Corporation of Detroit, Mich. Defective Nickel Solutions Q.—I am sending you two samples of nickel solution. The No. 1 solution has been used for general plating, such as brass, white metal, etc. Up to the present time we have been unable to prevent the nickel plate from peeling on white metal bowls and handles. In No. 2 solution we have been plating parts which I think are of a zinc composition. Have had considerable trouble with this solution. If you find this solution un- satisfactory, will you please send me formula which you think might be advisable to try? A.—Analysis of No. 1 solution: DRCR ale: ACTOR oo oi cece canicece Sirs 3.20 oz. Chloride as ammonium chloride.. 1.91 oz. SER TN: Pee IEE aR SES er ES FAY 6.8 The pH of this solution is entirely too high. We would recommend the addition of 10 ozs. of C. P. sulphuric acid to each 100 gallons of solution. We might also state that it is good practice to flash the work that has white metal parts soldered to the brass in a warm cyanide cop- per solution before nickel plating. ; Analysis of No. 2 solution: 3.14 ozs. *oeeeoeiees#e eee © © @ @ bE LicTSUSRa 1S ARIS 2 EA 52 This is a very poor solution in which to plate zinc die cast work. It is high in acid content and low in chloride content. This should be just the reverse. The solution can probably be made to work satisfactorily by adding 1 pint of ammonium hydroxide for each 100 gallons of solution and 7 ozs. of sodium chloride to each gallon of solution, If the solution is not too large, we would discard it and make one from the following formula, which will give good results: Double nickel salts <i. 10. ozs CHIEN). MEETING fs oho ccccutn Gh 7 ozs EO ist ak ih ok 2 ozs Sota wetrate 8 us SES 1 oz. Water ees PO ES FS 1 gal. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Dip Nickel Process | Q.—Do you know of any commercial dip nickel finish- ing process on the market? I have worked out a formula for a solution that will produce a nickel plate on brass, copper or zinc by dipping. A.—As far as we know, there is no successful nickel dipping process in use. The immersion method gen- erally produces a very thin deposit, so that if your process is no different than those we have seen, it is improbable that it will be of much importance commercially. We are always interested in seeing samples of original work. —OLIvER J. SIZELOVE.
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36 | BRASS WORLD Cementing Metal to Glass ©.—As a subscriber to your magazine, we are seeking some kind of a cement which we can use in cementing silver-plated trimmings onto glassware, such as a glass _liquor mixer with silver-plated top. We wish something different than plaster of Paris, something that will harden and withstand water and other liquids. A.—The cement used for securing metal to glass is prepared from pure yellow litharge and glycerine. This material should be prepared so as to produce a plastic mass. Only prepare as much cement as can be used up quickly to prevent waste. In preparing the cement, sprinkle the litharge into the glycerine, so it will take it up and produce a smooth cement. We give you a second cement formula, taken from the “Metal Workers’ Handbook.” Intimately mix 100 parts by weight of pulverized white litharge (yellow will no doubt answer) ; 50 parts dry white; 3 parts boiled linseed oil; and 1 part copal varnish. Mix very thoroughly be- fore applying. It is possible that a cement prepared from concentrated silicate of soda and powdered glass may answer your purpose. In Henley’s “20th “Century Receipts and Processes,” will be found several cements under “Dental Cements” that may answer your purpose. This book will be found in any reference library. —CuHar_es H. Proctor. Making Nickel Anodes O.—We have been advised to make nickel anodes of the following composition: Nickel, 92; old files, 4; tin, 4. Will you kindly’advise us what is meant by “old files ?” Does. it mean steel files such as are used by machinists, etc., or is it “filings” that are produced by using a file? Are these added to secure the carbon content of the anodes? A.—Steel files are made of high carbon steel. When added to the anode composition they provide iron and carbon, both of which are necessary to produce a soluble nickel anode. We have at hand the following composition, which is said to produce a nickel anode capable of maximum results : DONE ROVE i ee Sa ea 95% Ctr Fe So Te ie See Pat 1.05 2 SEM Gra Beles tar ce OPO irae SPE REO Bac RI 2.05 Oe ee Sei edutn] Pain eae ages Beam | STB ae 0.25 Copper should always be present only as an impurity. There should never be more than 0.025% of it. —CuHares H. Proctor. Galvanoplastic Work Q.—I understand that in galvanoplastic work a certain kind of lacquer and metal powder are applied to make the non-conductors conductive.” Will you please outline the general scheme followed in this-kind of work? A.—The usual method that is employed in galvanoplas- tic work is to make the article impervious to the plating solution and is accomplished by waxing or lacquering the work. It is then metallized by spraying a copper bronze powder mixed with lacquer upon the article. Use a special copper bronze powder that is made especially for this work and a good grade of a cellulose lacquer thinned to proper consistency. Any of. the lacquer manufacturers that advertise in THe Metar INpustry can supply you with the proper lacquer. 3 ea Bet! | —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. February, 1929 1 Flaking Lacquer ©.—I have had some difficulty with lacquer flaking off — after being applied to tin tubing. The tubing is cyanide ~ copper plated, oxidized in liver of sulphur and then © lacquered. The lacquer flakes off. This can be overcome, I find, by striking in acid copper solution for about 5 minutes after cyanide plating, but I want to eliminate the — acid solution. A.—It is our opinion that the sulphide, not the lacquer, — fails to adhere to the copper plated base, so the lacquer © comes with it. The non-adherence of the sulphide or — oxide deposit on a copper plate produced in a cyanide — solution is due to an excessive use of hyposulphite of soda as a brightening agent. Do not add this factor to your cyanide copper solution. A dull red copper gives the — best base for oxidized copper finishes. The coating will — then adhere. Add, occasionally, a little caustic potash and — bisulphite of soda to the copper solution. You will then — obtain satisfactory adherence of the oxide and the lacquer. — One-eighth ounce of caustic potash and % ounce bisul- | phite of soda per gallon of solution will make a great deal — of difference in the copper deposit on the tin tubes. | amount could be added once or twice a week when the — copper cyanide solution is constantly operated. ~ —CHARLES H. PROCTOR. Pin Holes in Nickel Plate ©.—I am having some difficulty in nickel plating parts — for gas stoves. I find that the plate comes out with tiny — pin hiles and cannot determine what causes this condition. — I am sending you a sample of my solution. A.—Your solution analyzes as follows: Ne iS Se Se eee SRS 2.04 ozs. Chloride Acid to methyl red. | Your solution is in a very poor condition and we are — surprised that you are able to do any plating at all. Add © to each gallon of the solution 2 ozs. ammonium chloride, 2 ozs. boric acid and 4 ozs. single nickel salts. After these ~ additions have been made, add 6 ozs. ammonium hydrox- ide for every 100 gallons of solution. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Nickel on Cadmium QO.—We are nickel plating parts which consist of brass — formed over steel structures. Prior to nickel plating, the — steel structures are cadmium plated. These parts are in — our nickel solution from ten to fifteen minutes. We would appreciate your advising us whether or not we are going to suffer any bad effects on our nickel solution by putting these cadmium plated parts into our tanks. We are send-— ing a sample of our solution. A.—Analysis of your solution is: MONG Came tes te yk 5.28 oz. Chloride, as ammonium chloride. ..3.12 oz. Ammonium hydroxide ........... 8.31 ce. Analysis shows this solution to be quite high in metal for a still solution and also too alkaline. We would advise © you to discontinue adding any metal until the metal content — has become reduced and would also add 3 oz. sulphuric acid to each 100 gallons of solution. | We can see no reason why nickel plating over a cad- — mium plate will have any bad effect on the nickel solution. © Cadmium is added to some nickel solutions to produce a— bright deposit. If an excess of cadmium is added, the deposit becomes brittle. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. This @
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acid, acetic acid, fluorides, and various other salts. a) February, 1929 BRASS WORLD 37 Chromium Plating Fundamentals A Discussion of Chromium Plating in All Its Aspects, Theoretical and Practical—Part 7* By P. E. EDELMAN Electrical Engineer WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR BRASS WORLD BATH ADDITION AGENTS HROMIC acid (chromium trioxide), the essential § active agent of present day commercial chromium plating baths, is itself a powerful oxidizing agent. The only other ingredient required in the bath is a suitable buffer anion such as the commonly used sulphate ion added in the form of sulphuric acid or chromic sulphate. A variety of other or auxiliary buffer agents have been proposed. These include such diverse additions as apc sO extra addition agents aimed to reduce cathode gassing, such as ferrous chrome oxalate, are sometimes employed. The possible agents and combinations for various modified effects have not been exhausted, but data available in- dicates negative benefit from a large number of the pro- posed additions. Since the resistance of a commercial _ chromic acid bath is relatively low (usually less than 1.5 ohm-cm. at 45° C.) many of the proposed addition agents merely increase the resistance. Similarly the _ chromium dichromate which naturally tends to form dur- ing the electrolysis of the bath, also increases the re- sistance thereof. Small amounts of weak acids such as boric acid have little effect. CHROMIUM DICHROMATE The trivalent form of chromium present in baths as chromate is a colloidal agent formed during electrolysis. It is desirable to keep the amount of this naturally formed agent. within a minimum range for the good reason that _ increase of its concentration in the bath is accompanied by corresponding exhaustion of the operatively useful (chromic acid) valency of chromium in the bath as well as by increase in resistance of the bath electrolyte. As the concentration of the trivalent form is favored by iron anodes, lead anodes are preferred by many operators. When the chromium dichromate concentration becomes excessive the bath may be turbid, but before this range is reached, it will be found necessary to increase the _ applied voltage to overcome the increased resistance drop in the bath until the limit of the generator used is reached. - Various methods to control the accumulation of trivalent. chromium in the bath have been tried, including even the use of a porous diaphragm according to the early ex- perimental practice in the art. In small shops where hydrometer readings are relied on to check bath strength, the method becomes unreliable as soon as the bath starts to show turbidity from accumulation of the chromium dichromate. Several methods of re-oxidizing are being tried out to control or re-convert this trivalent concentra- tion. While these methods are suitable to a large installa- tion, the small operator can best rely on lead anodes and periodic check on the solution used. METALLIC SALTS Various additions of metallic salts, sulphates of other * Parts 1 to 6 appeared in the issues of August to December, 1928, and January, 1929. metals, carbonates, and hydroxides are still used by some operators but the benefit of many of these is questionable in the light of accumulated data on behavior of various baths. Some possibility for a fluoride content in the bath has been suggested but no commercial data appears available to prove advantages claimed. Any additions which tend to form precipitates or suspensions in the bath are considered detrimental rather than favorable. The same may be said for proposed addition agents which oS ae mai and decomposed by the chromic acid of the ath. ORGANIC CHEMICAL ADDITIONS Organic substances sometimes used in other plating operations to avoid tree deposits appear to have no benefit in chromium plating, so the use of gelatine, glycerine, etc., is customarily avoided. There are, however, certain organic, chemicals which may afford beneficial characteris- tics in view of extensive studies. CONVERSION OF CHROMIUM DICHROMATE For large scale operation, a pump circulated bath may permit conversion of chromium dichromate content back to useful chromic acid and chromic sulphate. The neces- sary oxidation can thereby be accomplished without inter- ference with normal continuous use of the plating tank. Such auxiliary convertors may prove commercial on large installations. REVERSIBLE REACTIONS Various theories of the probable reversible reactions in a commercial chromic acid bath have been advanced. The most obvious conclusions are that a uniform bath composition is desirable. It has been proposed to recover the chemical content lost in spray and drag out, returning same to the mother liquor. It is doubtful if ideal con- ditions for constant baths can be realized in this manner, though same may be roughly approximated, accompanied by saving the loss of reagents. Probably small operators lose as much of the chromic acid bath in drag out and spray loss as they utilize in plating work. The fact that the plating current causes known electrochemical reac- tions of which only a part are definitely useful in de- positing chromium on the work prompts experimental efforts to reverse the unused reactions as far as prac- ticable in the endeavor to restore initial bath composition. The only definitely necessary loss under ideal conditions with full recovery and reconversion, would be the de- posited metal content and the hydrogen and oxygen decomposition gases. Work in this direction is not merely to save materials but rather to maintain constant uniform plating conditions. This is of first importance on large scale operations. EFFECT OF DIRT AND CONTAMINATED TAP WATER Tap water known to be hard should not be used in making up chromic acid baths unless its reagent content is definitely determined by analysis and given proper con- sideration for its proportional buffer action. Some sup- plies cannot be used at all because they change from time
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38 ; BRASS to time due to industrial sewage dumping in the vicinity. Dirt and sludges do no good and should be periodically removed. Drag-in of chemicals by conveyors not properly washed before immersion in the chromic acid tank must be strictly avoided. POSSIBILITIES IN DOUBLE BATHS The possibilities in plural chromium plating baths may receive consideration at this time. It is desirable to work a given bath at uniform operating conditions but ad- vantage may be taken of different operating characteristics of both concentration and temperature range. Thereby different kinds of work can be handled to greater ad- vantage; and in some cases, cascaded tanks may be employed on a conveyor system so that work can be handled in different throwing ranges, first in one plating tank and then in the next one. A rapid change between the tanks will leave sufficient protective liquid and film on the work to permit immediate resumption of plating current in the new bath. Experiments show that a more efficient first dull coating can be followed by a bright coat by this plan. A more interesting possibility, however, is that difficult work can be successfully coated by use of this variation to obtain plating range on recessed articles. Thus, a first plating may be immediately fol- lowed by a second, with the first in a bath of moderate concentration and the latter in a concentrated bath. SHIFT IN CURRENT DENSITY Similar results can be approximated by (1) pump cir- culated and changed baths and (2) by shift in current density during plating. The latter is more. suitable to small operations and requires but one plating tank. The - current density is the one factor permitting rapid shift while other conditions remain substantially constant. The operator has alternative routine to follow. Usually plat- ing is commenced at average mean conditions, keeping ‘the major portion of the work cathode under. current density midway between extremes of the particular work- ing range used. Shifts in current density will permit working nearer to one extreme or the other of the plating range to advantage on some work. At the upper range, however, a limitation is met in possible burning of por- tions of the work. EFFECT OF OVERVOLTAGE In handling different cathode and anode metals in a WORLD February, 1929 — chromic acid bath, consideration is given to the over- voltage, that is to say the different voltages required for gas development at the different metals. Since the work — cathode is limited to the metal to be coated as a base, however thin the undercoat may be, there is little pos- — sibility for improvement. Attempts have been made to — coat recessed articles by applying a thin deposited layer of copper thereon by means of a dip operation prior to © plating. As regards the anode, commercially available — metals are limited to known examples. There is some ~ possibility in employment of auxiliary anodes. Aluminum — suggests itself for special work due to its peculiar proper- — ties in electrolytes, but has so far found no commercial adoption due to higher voltage required. EFFECT OF IRON Iron accumulations in the bath are considered detri- — mental in that the resistance of the electrolyte increases therewith. They are caused by use of iron anodes. PH CONTROL IMPRACTICAL pH control of chromic acid baths is precluded by the — necessity for using strong concentration of chromic acid with a small percentage only of buffer. The amount of control content which could be included for attempted — control would be ineffective. CONDUCTIVITY CONTROL Good working control of the chromic acid bath is — obtainable on basis of the resistance of the electrolyte. — It is important to maintain minimum resistance to reduce © resistance loss due to high current density used. Recent — large scale installations show the result of study of this — factor in reducing the voltage required at the plating tank bus bars. As regards the electrolyte itself, the _usual tendency is for the resistance to increase with use unless proper correction is made for changes in composi- tion occurring during electrolysis. GAS PATH IN BATH The hydrogen evolved at the work cathode deserves more study than has been accorded to it to date. Work should be arranged to facilitate escape of gas with mini- mum contact dragging along the metal surface. Much gas is occluded during plating. This series will be continued in an early issue.—Ed. Q.—We have a small job galvanizing plant and we are using an old formula which we got from THE METAL INDUSTRY years ago. Your combination consists of zinc sulphate as the base with zinc anodes, 99 per cent or more, and yellow dextrine with sulphate alumina as toning. We note now that in your recent issues you recommend zinc cyanide solutions with tin, etc. We have considered using cyanide solutions instead of sulphate but have un- derstood it to be more expensive, though this is a ques- tion on which we would like to have your opinion. If we should decide to go to the cyanide solution with or without the tin addition, what is necessary for this? Can you give us formulas and method of procedure to make this change? We want to get the best results possible at minimum cost. We have considered the cadmium process but the cost of the metal has been too high. It makes the price of work too high for a jobbing plant to use as our cus- tomers want work that we furnish at 144 to 2% cents H Zine Sulphate or Cyanide per pound. Of course, we want to give them the best — rust-proofing possible at these prices. A.—Considering the two zinc solutions, namely, the © cyanide and sulphate, we would hesitate before changing from the sulphate to.the cyanide solution. Both give ~ excellent deposits of zinc if properly made and maintained. — When cost is considered, the sulphate bath will be found to be the cheapest, while the cyanide solution has a higher efficiency. A deposit from a sulphate solution has a whiter color. — A cyanide solution deposits very well on.cast iron, which — was practically impossible to do before improvements — were made. We believe that the cost of the solution is the largest — factor that you have to deal with, and as the cyanide © solution costs about 5 times as much as the sulphate does, — you can readily see there would be no saving in changing | from the sulphate to the cyanide bath. j —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. ~
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February, 1929 Soft Cyanide Copper Deposit O.—I wonder if you can give me a formula for a cyanide copper deposit that will spread during the buffing operation on such work as radiator shells? I have been using a solution that plates well but the deposit comes out hard and when the shells are buffed the plate does not spread out as I would like it to. What should the free cyanide content of a copper solution be? A.—There are three factors that make a hard deposit from a cyanide copper solution, namely, low metal con- tent, high cyanide content and too high a current density. The metal content should be 2.5 ozs. per gallon, with a free cyanide content of 1 oz. Formula for cyanide copper solution: Copper cyanide .......... de eA 34 ozs. SOGHiN:-CYAIIGE. coer ees 4 ozs. CArnOnate. SOR yi ssn ds oad nes Le Weber TESS oes San wees 6 63 1 gal. Use solution at 110° F., with 2 volts of current. There is no reason why your present solution cannot be made to work satisfactorily if you will send sample for analysis. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Oxidized Silver Relief Finish O.—We are inclosing a finished brass part. We would be grateful if you could give us a plating formula for putting this particular finish on brass parts. A.—The finish on sample submitted is what is known as an oxidized silver relief finish and is produced by the following method: The work should be cleansed from grease in an alka- line cleaner, passed through a bright dip, rinsed thor- oughly in clean cold water and then plated in nickel solution for 5 minutes, or immersed in a mercury dip for a few seconds. | Then pass through the silver strike, and plate in silve. solution for 30 to 45 minutes. After silver plating, rinse thoroughly in clean cold water, and blacken in a sulphur solution made of one-half ounce liquid sulphur or one once polysulphide to one gallon of water and use hot. The next operation is the relieving, and this is accom- plished with the use of pumice on either a rag or tam- pico wheel. Finally, lacquer with a good cotton lacquer. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Cleaning Solder _ Q.—Please let us know if there is any flux to clean _ cadmium from solder (new stock). We fluxed out the _ zinc with sulphur and rosin, but cannot get the cadmium _ out of this lot of solder metal. A.—We would suggest the following for removing cadmium from solder: -_ Heat the bath to a red heat, then agitate the metal by _ poling, that is, by inserting a stick of green wood to the _ bottom of the kettle of molten metal and holding it there until it burns away. _ Then stir in the sulphur and treat the scum brought _ to the top by stirring rosin in, and then skim the metal. _ Add a handful of flux composed of 50% sulphur, 25% _ sal ammoniac and 25% rosin. Stir well. Cadmium is much more volatile than zinc, and this _ process should eliminate cadmium when present in small - amounts since it readily volatilizes. —W. J. REARDON. _ adding freshly prepared barium chromate. BRASS WORLD « 39 Excess of Sulphate in Chromium Bath QO.—I am .experimenting with chromium and have a 10-gallon test solution made up on one of the formulas you have published. It contains 33 ozs. of chromic acid and 3 ozs. sulphuric acid to each gallon. At 150 amperes, 6 volts it plates fine on small articles but I tried it on a heavy hub cap and also on switch parts and it failed to deposit. A.—We do not know who has made the mistake, but your formula should call for 33 ozs. chromic acid and 0.3 oz. (three-tenths ounce by weight) of sulphuric acid, to each gallon. : Using 3 ounces of sulphuric acid to the gallon has given your solution an excess of sulphate, which decreases the throwing power of the solution. You can precipitate the sulphate.in your solution by Then add the correct amount of sulphuric acid again. —QOLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Stoneware Acid Holders and Baskets The U. S. Stoneware Company, operating a plant at Akron, Ohio, and New York district offices at 52 Church Street, New York City, produces a complete line of acid- proof, vessels, baskets, tanks, etc., for industrial use. The line is varied and covers most types of containers needed in plating and finishing plants, pickling rooms and other operations requiring strong acids or other corrosive chemicals. The company makes pots for containing acids, alkalis or other corrosive substances, which are stated to be highly heat-resistant and the vessels are made with or without glaze. Various Types of Acid-Proof Stoneware These are made in regular sizes ranging from 5 to 60 gallons, from 11 to 24 inches inside diameter and from © 14 to 31% inches high. Covers and special sizes are also available, up to 300 gallon capacity. Dipping baskets of strong, non-porous vitrified chemical stoneware are made in a variety of sizes and shapes, with handles such as are shown in the illustration herewith. Acid pitchers of chemical stoneware are made in 2 quart, 1 gallon and 2 gallon sizes. It is stated that these have long pouring lips and well fitted handles. The makers state that these products are suitable for plating and finishing plants. In this regard it might also be stated that the company produces a line of one-piece, vitrified stoneware, acid-proof tanks for electroplating, galvanizing, pickling, etc. They are made in sizes rang- ing from 4 to 119 gallons, and also in special sizes to order. } The tanks are rectangular in shape and are made with or without glaze. The company states that these are guaranteed to be acid and corrosion proof, and in every way suitable for plating purposes.
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40 BRASS, WORLD Bright Nickel Solution Q—lI am plating electrical fixtures and cheap coffin hardware. I need the formula for a bright nickel solu- tion for such work, to go under a bright silver plate. I have a nickel solution now, but when a heavy silver deposit is put over the nickel deposit which this solution produces, the nickel tends to peel off. A.—The following formula will give a very bright deposit of nickel if the basic metal surface upon which the nickel is to be deposited is as bright as possible when immersed in the solution: MN Se ee Fae 3 eee 1 gal. single fickel Salts . 0. ced. ieee 12 ozs Peacmer CImONGe: oho Ceo. 8a 1 oz. Dae Be 2 SS ts ae ne 2 ozs Ammonium chloride ............. 2 ozs. Cadmium sulphate: 0256. k. 1 grain Temperature of solution, 80° F. At 4 volts an un- usually high amperage can be used with this solution; test plates gave 35 amperes per sq. ft. of surface. The addition of cadmium can be increased up to 5 grains per gallon for very bright nickel deposits. This amount of cadmium, however, should not be exceeded, and additions should only be made in the minimum amounts when the nickel deposit shows an indication of becoming dull again. The addition of small amounts of pure hydrochloric acid as free acid at frequent intervals is an advantage, but not more than % oz. per gallon at one time. The up- keep can be primarily made on the basis of: oneie nickel: Salts: 5:22 6 ei ee 1 Ib. Nickel chloride! és. 0: <sik. be 2 to 4 ozs Atpmontum ehioride-* Se: 65 265. 2 OZS. Using sufficient hot water for solution, as many pounds of the above combination may be added to the solution as may be indicated by results obtained from the solution, but primarily indicated by current conditions. Some firms purchase the cadmium metal in sticks about 6 inches long or more, % to 34 inch diameter. The codium metal is connected as anode and used as the brightening agent at intervals when the solution denotes that cadmium is required. Care, however, should be ex- ercised not to get too much cadmium in the solution as such a condition produces a yellowish tone in the nickel and also induces a brittle deposit. | —CHARLES H. PROcTor. Non-Inflammable Kerosene ©.—Our superintendent is under the impression that at some time he has read in your magazine an article on how to make kerosene non-inflammable. We will ap- preciate it if you can give us any information on this point, and oblige. A.—We do not remember mentioning a non-inflam- mable kerosene oil. We have, however, mentioned the production of non-inflammable gasoline or benzene. The same factors would produce a non-inflammable kerosene: 40 parts by measure of gasoline or benzene and 60 parts by measure of carbontetrachloride or trichlorethylene pro- duces a non-inflammable mixture. Considerably less of the materials would be required for kerosene. Try 75 parts kerosene and 25 parts of either non-inflammable solvent mentioned. Make your test carefully, in the open air. If the mixture does not ignite when a flame is placed in or to the mixture, it will be non-inflammable. —CHARLES H. Proctor. February, 1929 Extra-Size Plating Barrel Lasalco, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., announces the develop- — ment of a mechanical barrel for electroplating which has a 400-gallon solution capacity and capable of plating 700 _ to 800 pounds of work at a load. This is the largest bar- rel the company has yet put out, but it is in practically all — respects the same as the company’s other barrels in con-— struction. The barrel shown here with a boy sitting in it to indicate the depth of the cylinder, has inside dimen- — sions of 7 by 3 by 3 feet. The cylinder is 24 inches in- diameter and 60 inches long, of all formica construction. In regard to this development, the makers state that earlier attempts to make a barrel of this size have been baffled by the fact that it was not possible to make such a barrel that would plate the large amount of work it — Large Type Plating Barrel could take in the same length of time that a smaller-— capacity barrel would. plate its smaller load. There was, they state, a tendency for the length of plating time to increase as the size of the mechanism was expanded. The new harrel, they claim, will operate as rapidly as the smaller machines of this type. Smaller Lasalco barrels, it is stated, have always been found rapid and efficient, and the new large machine is said to be the same in this ; respect. The company states that another new development along the same line but, paradoxical as it may seem, in another direction, is a pigmy plating barrel which will be the smallest yet produced, while retain the principles of the company’s regular line of mechanical plating equip- ~ ment. Generator Size for Chromium Bath O.—Please let me know if a 2,000 ampere motor-— generator set is large enough to take care of a chromium _ tank measuring 72 in. long, 24 in. wide and 36 in. deep.” A.—The proper size generator for a 250 gallon” chromium solution would depend upon the amount of — surface that was to be plated. Usually it requires from — 150 to 200 amperes per square foot of cathode surface. Not knowing what class of work you are going to plate, © we would say that a 2,000 ampere machine would be large enough for any work, with the sepicpinees of large © sheet work. -—OLIVER 7: ‘Sizetaa
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February, 1929 BRASS WORLD AL New York Platers Hold Annual Session and Banquet Practical Experience as Well as Research Are Covered in a Fine Array of Papers on Various Phases of the Plating Industry HE New York Branch of the American Electro- platers’ Society held its annual educational ses- sion and banquet on February 16, 1929, at the Aldine Club, 200 Fifth Avenue, New York City. About five hundred persons were present for the banquet in the evening and a considerable number of these were present during the afternoon activities, consisting mainly of the educational session. The session was animated by lively discussion of the excellent papers presented. The meeting was opened by short addresses of welcome by Frederick Haushalter, chairman of the banquet committee; Frank J. Mac Stoker, president of the New York Branch, and Charles H. Proctor, founder of the Ameri- can Electroplaters’ Society, who presided over the session. The papers read were as follows: Flexibility and Adhesion in Modern Lacquers, by Leo Roon, technical director, Roxalin Flexible Lac- quer Company, Long Island City, N. Y. Mr. Roon’s paper was supplemented by a number of exhibits which demonstrated differences in various kinds of lacquers, with a view to showing the value and desirability of - three particular qualities in lacquers for metals, viz.: adhesion, durability and flexibility. He stressed the value of new methods of application developed in recent years by lacquer manufacturers and the benefits to be derived by scientific handling of this material. He stated that the plater and finisher will profit by giving attention to new lacquers developed for coat- ing metals, and urged that they consider the represen- tations of makers of lacquers. Factors that Control Chromium Plating, by Oliver J. Sizelove, chemical editor, THe, Metat Inpustry, New York City. This paper gave an accurate detailed outline of the subject, stating that careful control is the chief necessity for proper deposition of chromium and that platers will find it necessary to exercise such control if they are to succeed with chromium. He gave full credit to research workers in chromium, mentioning especially Dr. William Blum of the United States Bureau of Standards, and Richard Schneide- wind and associates at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The paper then gave a number of ob- servations which have resulted from considerable experimentation and practical application, paying par- ticular attention to such factors as temperature, cur~- rent density, chromic acid concentration, trivalent chromium, anodes and anode corrosion, sulphate and other details. Mr. Sizelove voiced the opinion that the plater need not be either an expert chemist or an electrician, but that he must of necessity have in- formation along both of those lines for successful operation of chromium solutions. He presented the opinion that lead anodes are equal to the combination of lead and iron anodes. In discussion of the paper, Mr. Proctor stated that in his experience he had found the use of iron anodes in addition to lead quite as efficient as lead alone, and that he had observed similar practice in plants in the Middle West. However, the question is still a debatable one and no completely definite conclusion has as yet been reached, he said. Simplified Methods of Chemical Control, by Dr. C. L. Pan, instructor in electroplating, College of the City of New York. Dr. Pan’s paper was highly in- structive, presenting an involved and important phase of the plater’s work in terms readily understood by those not well versed in technology. By means of charts, he explained several easily applied methods - of determining various factors in plating solutions, such as acid content, pH, free cyanide or free alkali content, free metal content and metal in solution, etc. He explained that since most practical platers prefer not to make involved mathematical calculations if they can be avoided, the use of these charts is very desirable. His paper was very well received and several of those present, including Mr. Proctor and . George B. Hogaboom, well known plating expert, paid high tribute to Dr. Pan’s demonstration. Mechanical Plating Methods and Formule. F. J. Mac Stoker and W. Strein. This paper discussed from a practical viewpoint the subject of mechanical electroplating of a very wide variety of small articles with an equally wide variety of finishes. The various methods employed were detailed just as performed where the authors of the paper have charge of a large plant, and many interesting points were brought out. Of particular note was the statement that preparaion of the work is usually the most difficult part of it, and that only cold solutions, rinses, cleaning dips, etc., are used at this plant. No heat is used in any of the operations, means having been found to perform all the work at normal temperature. The paper was supplemented by a large exhibit of all kinds of finishes produced, including copper, brass, nickel, cadmium, galvanized, Parkerized, blued steel, and several black finishes. Following the papers there were short addresses by a number of men who were called upon by Mr. Proctor. Horace H. Smith, Supreme President, greeted the members and invited all to attend an all- day session to be held by the Newark Branch on April 6, 1929, which will be followed by that Branch’s annual banquet. There was a report on the Research Committee of the Society. It was stated that the next Research Conference is to be held at Newark, as part of the all-day session there on April 6, instead of Washing- ton as in the past. There were further remarks by Messrs. Hogaboom, Gehling, Mesle and Dr. Blum. The crowning event of the brilliant day was the annual banquet, where the combination of fine food, music and general good spirits on the part of everyone made it a memorable occasion. Dancing followed the dinner. There were delegations from several other branches, including Newark, Philadelphia, Bridgeport and Balti- more-Washington.
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42 BRASS WORLD Nickel Plating Die Cast Metal Q.—I would like to have a good formula for nickel’ plating die cast articles. What is being used generally today? What is the procedure, roughly outlined? A.—Formula for nickel solution for die cast metal: Double mickel salts’... . 22... 3. ©. 10 ozs Sees “chloride 25. Soe... 7 Ozs ee AS oN os ewes 2 ozs Sear freee. re Ae SS 1 oz. PRM aoOe AS ares Lifes 1 gal. Temperature, 80° F. Strike with 4 volts for few seconds, then reduce to 2 volts. A 10-minute deposit is considered a good deposit and one that will stand color buffing well. Work should be cleansed in a mild alkali cleanser, rinsed in clean water, passed through a cyanide dip, _ rinsed in clean cold water, and plated directly in nickel solution. : —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. | Electro-Tin Solution QO.—We desire to make up an electro-tin plating solu- tion of about ten gallons and would thank you to give us the best formula for a good white plate, stating just how to mix and voltage required and any other informa- tion necessary. -~ A.—The following formula for an electro-tin solution will give excellent results: Senaremss GtaNAIe cu. 6 6k). wos hese 28 ozs Wrote Oonde tit. . 2... oo. kes ew es 2 ozs ne ogee a PG ona ge ae OT le oz. ake eae Pies air: gate apy gl ne 1 gal. Dissolve starch in warm water before adding to the solution. Temperature, 130° to 150° F.; 3 to 6 volts. Use pure tin anodes and iron anodes, with steel hooks, in equal proportions. / — OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Carding Wax QO.—I am enclosing a sample of carding wax, which is used by dental manufacturers for sticking sample artifi- cial teeth on cards, and hence the name. It is a parafine product and is colored. It has a structure and fibre like taffy candy that is “pulled” to make it homogeneous and “chewy.” The wax has the property of being somewhat plastic at about body heat, 95 to 100° Fahrenheit. I wonder if you can give me a formula for such a wax. A.—The only data we can give covering the possible production of a similar wax is found on page 603, Scientific American Encyclopedia, “Local Notes and Queries,” under the caption of “Dentists’ Molding Wax,” which is as follows: NR UE Sa oo eh a he's oh 25 parts Ramer went Cote 5602 27 5 SSS 25 parts BE ORY ee I RS 50 parts Grrwamne 358 se ES Y part Oil of rose geranium Melt the gum copal by heat of a sand bath; when slightly cooled, add the stearine, stirring constantly. When this has melted, add the other ingredients, previ- ously intimately mixed so that a homogeneous product is obtained. The adhesiveness of the composition may be increased or diminished by modification of the amount of copal. —CHARLES H. Proctor. February, 1929 Burnt Brass Finish Q.—We are sending you a sample furniture pull. We are having a little trouble procuring this particular finish. Will you kindly advise us what to use for this finishii F A.—The sample brass pull you have submitted is pre- — sumably produced by the aid of golden sulphuret of antimony and 26° aqua ammonia. In the furniture hard- ware trade, it is called the Old English or burnt brass finish. The method used in its production is as follows: The brass should be either bright acid-dipped or cut down with Tripoli and usual muslin buffs. The article should be cleansed as for plating, then im- mersed in a dip prepared by adding golden sulphuret of antimony to 26° aqua ammonia until a semi-plastic solu- tion results. The solution should be prepared in an earth- enware stone jar of suitable dimensions. The jar should then be placed in hot water tank and kept surrounded with water heated to 200 deg. F., to maintain a uniform temperature. 7 The articles to be finished should be immersed in the solution on copper or brass wires, in quantities, for a short time, then removed and left to drain. When partly dry, immerse them in cold and boiling waters and dry out. Relieve the highlights with small felt wheels to which is applied minute quantities of Tripoli or white polishing composition. Afterwards lacquer. The original method was to apply the antimony and ammonia paste with a brush; then the articles were heated in a lacquer oven for a time; the excess coating was brushed off and relieved and finished as outlined. This method was too slow so the immersion method was adopted. —CuARLES H. Proctor. Making Hydrogen Peroxide Q.—Please give me a method producing hydrogen peroxide. I had it once and it worked very well in the control of pitting. A.—To produce hydrogen peroxide solution for the — control of hydrogen pitting, proceed as follows: In 1% gallons of pure water heated to 110° F., dissolve 1 lb. sodium perborate. Mix thoroughly, then let cool down to about 80° F. Add pure muriatic acid to the solution until it becomes faintly acid in a blue litmus paper. test. The litmus paper should only change to a violet or very faint pink in color. This amount of sodium perborate converted into hydro- gen peroxide will be ample for from 250 to 1,000 gallons of nickel solution that gives hydrogen pitting. The addition of a pint per day to each 250 gallons of nickel solution should eliminate any danger of pitting. —Cunarves H. Proctor. Neutralizing Acid Water Q.—We are making changes in our plating room and would appreciate information as to a method of neutraliz- ing acid water to prevent rusting the drain pipes, both underground and exposed.’ A.—The best answer would be to use lead pipe or iron pipe lined with lead. A tank could, however, be arranged, into which the acid waters could flow and be connected with an overflow to the sewers. Ordinary soda ash could be used to neutralize the acid waters. The amount required per 100 gallons of water will have to be decided by test, using blue litmus paper; when the blue litmus paper no longer becomes red, pink or even violet, the water is neutral enough. The use of lead pipes, however, is the cheapest way out. —CuHar_es H. Proctor.
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February, 1929 BRASS WORLD And Plating — Polishing — Finishing Published Monthly by THE BRASS WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. 11 Cliff Street, New York Telephone, Beekman 2306 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Domestic, one year, $1.00. Canadian, one year, $1.50. Foreign, one year, $2.00. Single copies, current issue, 10 cents each. ADVERTISING RATES ON APPLICATION Issued about the 25th of each month Forms close on the 15th CONTENTS The Chasing Tools—Conclusion .......... 29 By Henry Jerabek FROME, WU OMEE AMMO fe5has sd eae WA oe sock 4st 31 By Jewelry Metallurgist Removing Nickel from Steel ............. 31 Action of Mica on Cadmium ............. 31 Furnaces for Heat Treatment of Metals .... 32 Spots Om Geee”. s1sirkG ssi J WV ERIS IOs: 32 Air Conditioning Aids Production in Battery EIQOS «. , os Soak h piaedbe ted oid Gans Kek ¢ Wed Mill for Rolling Flat Wire ............... 33 White Bronze Mixture .................. 34 Cleaning Compounds and Methods ........ 34 Reaming Cocks or Faucets ............... 34 Oxidized Brass for High Temperature .... 34 Sherardizing Appatatus 64.52) 6cccbooes on 35 Defective Nickel Solutions ............... 35 Cementing Metal to Glass ............... 36 Making’ Nickel Anodes 23). 0050000060 8. 36 Galvanoplastic Work ................. 13) C36 Biakine- | ace? .:.cs o3:sk Pemenisee secu sis 36 Pin Holes. in Nickel Plate» '.:03).::0.05).3... 36 Nickel on‘Cadmiam . s::s:cuss.. sasiawe eds. 36 Chromium Plating Fundamentals—Part 7 .. 37 By P. E. Edelman Zinc Sulphate or Cyanide ................ 38 Soft Cyanide Copper Deposit ............. 39 Oxidized Silver ‘Relief Finish ............ 39 ee SECS EEE OT A MOEN 39 Excess of Sulphate in Chromium Bath ..... 39 Stoneware Acid Holders and Baskets ...... 39 Bronce Mickel Solition® 0007 oS. 5S 40 Non-Inflammable Kerosene .............. 40 Extra Size Plating Barrel (. 2s. . 40 Generator Size for Chromium Bath ........ 40 New York Platers Hold Annual Session and RS oe Ot IS ET eA ie 283 4] Nickel Plating Die Cast Metal ............ 42. PissreTiy Solution 25 ee ear 42 Ce rete OL SO hey PSY 42 Purnt Dirass Pinighe ee es Po 42 Making Hydrogen Peroxide ............. 42 Neutralizing Acid Water... 222020 0 42 PRONE PUPS OES AUS SS 43 Questions and Answers ......5....0..0... 44 Associations and Societies ..............0. 47 Busitiess Reports in Brief! 2 oe. 48 New Conmpanies) S260 8085, PPS EEO LE 50 Trade Publications). ey fee SEOs & 50 Mietel Pride ss ESO RES, APS 51 CMDR TES PPO SPR EO ES 52 _ work and the nature of the product. BRASS WORLD 43 Chromium Prices Ws various phases of the chromium plating busi- ness have still to be perfected and placed on a prac- tical and commercially economic basis, so great has been | the advance in this remarkable new field that already it gives evidence of developing some of the problems which attend the progress of any important industry. By some there has been raised the question of whether there are not too many platers engaged in deposition of chromium, We rather doubt that there are already too many in the industry. But we do not overlook the fact that there is a considerable number, and that this number is expanding. And this tendency, in any industry, always gives rise to speculation as to what the effect of strenuous competition for business will be. It is almost axiomatic that supply, demand and prices are constantly related in any field where competition is open and practically compulsory, as it is under the laws of this country. Thus, ask some, what will happen to chromium prices with so many rushing for business? We ask this, too, and in addition, we want to know what will happen to chromium quality if prices are minimized? The chromium industry being as young as it is, there is still ample opportunity to avoid the great mistake of driving away public confidence by selling a product that is poor because competition in the industry cuts prices to a point where only a poor product can be marketed at a profit. Such a situation is easier to avoid than to rem- edy, and it will be avoided as long as all in the industry remember that its existence depends upon the consumer’s confidence in the product; that prices must permit quality of product. 7 Pattern Storage Costs ‘T HE cost of storing patterns is, in these days of ac- curate cost-finding and strict adherence to systematic practice, a large item on the books of the foundry. It is costly to keep too many old patterns in stock, especially when additional buildings are needed to hold them. What to do with idle and obsolete patterns, therefore, is no mere academic consideration; and it has been given very en- lightening study by several organizations in the foundry industry, and their activities in this direction are summed up, together with the results of some original work in the same direction, by the Policyholders’ Service Bureau of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, which has done considerable research on improved foundry practice. Fhe term “obsolete” has been defined ordinarily as having gone out of use. With patterns, however, this must be somewhat modified in the light of the type of A pattern that is obsolete in one line might still be active in another. Where replacement of parts is required long after the product is made, patterns necessarily remain active longer than where there is no such replacement factor. In some cases, even where a pattern might be needed a very lonz time after it is made and used, the high cost of storage might warrant its destruction after a certain period of disuse, despite the possible necessity of reproduction when the pattern is wanted. Here a comparison of the cost of reproduction with cost of storage usually indicates the proper procedure. Some companies have fixed a definite period of inactivity for patterns, after which they are destroyed. Jobbing foundries vary in their pro- cedure, some retaining customers’ patterns indefinitelv, some writing a storage period into the contract, after the expiration of which a storage charge is made. The card index system of tabulating patterns has been found to have great merit. In all, the study is well worth the at- tention of foundrymen.
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44 BRASS WORLD February, 1929 All inquiries are considered in the order received and the answers published in the next regular issue whenever possible Cleaning Galvanized Surfaces QO.—Is there any way to clean galvanized cross arm braces that have turned black from exposure to the weather? I would like to use a dipping solution that would brighten them without removing the zinc coating. _ A.—There is no chemical method that I know-of where- by oxidized zinc may be cleaned. You will be compelled to resort to mechanical means and would suggest that you use a crimped iron wire wheel 6 inches in diameter and operated at 1400 R. P. M. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Chromium Installation ©.—I would like to have full information on installa- tion and operation of a chromium solution. Please let me know what kind of tanks to use; whether work should be nickel plated before chromium plating; what current is used; what length of time to chromium plate; whether to keep chromium plating outfit in separate room from nickel; how to protect men from fumes; if solution is used hot or cold; what anodes are used; best kind of installation for 200-gallon solution to plate wrenches. -A.—To install a 200-gallon chromium solution to plate wrenches, the following suggestions are offered: The work should be nickel plated and nickel colored before plating with chromium. To produce a nickel deposit that will not raise when chromium is deposited on the nickel requires much care in the control of the nickel solution, for the deposit must be soft and adherent. A soft nickel deposit can be pro- duced in the following solution: Double nickel salts 6 fC R Ses 8 ozs Meeeie MeNel salts ..50. Se. 4 ozs rat ee Ae CSRS 2 ozs Ammonium chloride ............ 2' ozs MS GSES BRIVIS SEES 1 gal. Temperature, 100° F. pH, 6 to 6.2; amperage, 20 per square foot. Formula for chromium solution: Cee AC. sw s,s 55 ozs. Sulphuric acid ........ 0.5 ozs. by weight Ss ai ae ar 1 gal. _ Temperature, 105° F. Amperage, 75 to 100 per square foot. Use iron tank, glass or slate lined, with lead anodes. Tank should be equipped with proper exhaust system to take care of the gases that are given off as these are dangerous to the membranes of the nose. It is not nec- essary to have chromium plating outfit in a separate room, but it would be advisable to have a separate supply of current so that the amperage can be properly controlled. Should you have trouble with your nickel deposit rais- ing, send a 2-oz. sample bottle to us for analysis. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Chromium Solution Analysis ©Q.—How does one go about analyzing a plating solu- tion? A.—Write to the United States Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C., for a copy of Technologic Paper No. 346 (price, 15 cents) which contains a complete method for the analysis of chromium solutions, besides other valuable data on chromium plating. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Defective Chromium Solutions Q.—We are shipping’ you three samples of our chromi- um solutions. The jars contain solutions from three different tanks. | We have done considerable experimenting with these solutions, adding various ingredients in our attempts to make them function properly, and we believe that we have spoiled these solutions. We are wondering if you are in a position to analyze these solutions carefully and advise us what ingredient it would be necessary for us to add in order to put them back in perfect running order? Please report to us on each separate solution as numbered. Analysis of chromium solutions: l..2 Chromic atid. Secs eee. 52 3 ozs, Tri-valent chromium ...... 9 OZS. Siiphune acids 22720 ys 1.63 ozs. 2. GRreahic Ger. nase 70 OZS. Tri-valent chromium ...... 6.6 ozs SUPRA SOME SE. en 2.16 ozs Oc Ce “ORE Sk es ts 36 OZS. Tri-valent chromium ...... 8 oz. DUpHUrie Mle ee 1.6 ozs A.—Solutions 1 and 2 are in very poor condition. The tri-valent chromium and sulphate contents are high in all three solutions. So is the chromic acid content in No. 2 solution. — Before solution No. 1 can be made to produce satisfac- tory results the sulphate and tri-valent contents must be reduced. The sulphate content may be reduced by pre- cipitation with freshly prepared barium chromate. It is best to add sufficient to precipitate all the sulphates and then add the correct amount of sulphuric acid, which would be approximately % oz. by weight, per gallon of solution. To decrease the tri-valent chromium con- tent, procure a porous pot, fill it with a solution made by dissolving 2 pounds of chromic acid to one gallon of water, hang porous pot on cathode rod with insulated wire, suspend into porous pot a sheet of lead and connect lead with cathode rod and use a high voltage. It will take quite some time, probably several days, to decrease the amount that is present in your solution to a point where solution will work properly. After you have followed the above recommendations
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February, 1929 for No. 1 solution, advise me as to results and send an- other sample for analysis. A 2 or 3-oz. bottle will hold sufficient solution for analysis. Solution No. 2 should be reduced one-third; the sul- phate and tri-valent chromium contents should be reduced by same method as outlined above. Solution No. 3 is low in chromic acid. After reduc- ing the sulphate and tri-valent chromium contents add 1 lb. chromic acid per gallon. Our advice would be even more complete if you had stated the types of baths you have; the kind of anodes used; and the class of work plated. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Electroforming Methods ©O.—We are interested in electroforming and would ap- preciate information on the subject. We have very finely etched copper molds on which we copper deposit. Our chief difficulty has been in secur- ing separation of the deposited metal. We have ruined several original copper plates, which are very costly. This has been due to adherence of the deposit. We used ether and alcohol with beeswax in very thin liquid form, and when dry we rubbed in plumbago. Because we must in- sure perfection in the reproduction we have to rub most of the plumbago off. Langbein, and also Hogaboom, in their books, speak of iodized silvering. What is your experienced opinion? A.—Your method of preparing the finely etched copper mold for plating is wrong. The method in general use consists of forming an iodide of copper on the mold be- fore copper plating so that the deposit may be separated from the mold easily. Prepare the iodide solution in the following way: To every ounce of potassium iodide use 3% ozs. of alcohol. Stir well until all the iodide is dissolved and then coat the surface of the mold with the solution either by flowing the solution over the surface or by using a sponge or soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly in clean, cold water and place in copper plating solution. When the copper is deposited to the desired thickness, loosen carefully around edge of mold and you should have no trouble with the copper deposit adhering to the mold provided that the engraving is not undercut too heavily. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Electroplating Equipment Q.—We have a small shop employing five men and most of our work must be replated, such as bar pins, rings, chains, etc. We have an electroplating outfit sup- plied with direct current; in other words, seven carbon lights erected in series, cutting down the 110 volts direct current to six and 45 volts. We do most of our plating with 45 volts. I do not know how many amperes we use. This hook-up is used in all the small shops and most of the plating is guesswork. The solutions we use are yellow gold, dark green, light green, white gold, platinum and silver, and are all in two-quart containers made of enameled iron. A _ two- quart solution is large enough for our work. We manage to get the small articles plated fairly good by plating one article at a time, but as soon as we try to plate a large article it will not work. | Kindly send us information :n an inexpensive hookup that will plate articles as large as mesh bags; the best method of stripping small articles; how to test for am- peres. Is it necessary to have a generator? We have direct current, 110 volts. ~ A.—lIt is considered very poor plating practice to sup- BRASS WORLD 45 ply the electric current from the source that you are using. The amperage, that factor upon which the character of the deposit depends so greatly, is necessarily very limited when taken from a 110 volt light circuit, and 45 volts is* entirely too high to use for electroplating purposes. If the installation of a small generator to supply the current is too expensive, we would suggest the use of a storage battery. These can be bought very cheaply and we believe that one rated at 6 volts and 100 amperes would be sufficient for your work. It is advisable to place in the circuit a rheostat, volt meter, and ammeter, so that you can have proper control of the current. : | To strip gold and silver use the following solution: Yellow prussiate potash .......... 2 ozs snes “CVOINGE oS ea ites 6 ozs. MO ae eC ce eee eee 1 gal. Use solution at 120°F., 6 volts and the reverse cur- rent. Lead cathodes. ——OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Making Thin Cores ©.—Is there anything else than sand to use in making: — a core that is 3-16 in. thick and 14 in. long? We have been having trouble producing such a core with a core machine and thought that perhaps some material other than sand would give better results. A.—We regret that we know of nothing to take the place of sand in making cores around which brass or iron is to be cast. We agree with you that it is exceed- ingly troublesome to make a core 3-16 by 14 in. How- ever, it is the best method we have today and sand is about the only material used. —W. J. REARDON. Time for Chromium Plating Q.—At your convenience I would appreciate you ad- vising me the amount of time required to deposit a chromium plate. A.—Assuming proper composition of the solution and a knowledge of current density and temperature require- ments, the time necessary to deposit chromium is entirely. dependent upon what you are trying to accomplish. For most jobbing work the complete covering of the surface with chromium is sufficient. This is generally accom- plished, with proper rack design, in 5 minutes. For a better grade of work, 10 minutes is seldom exceeded because after that the edges begin to cloud up, requiring © coloring. When chromium is deposited on dies, punches, etc., to increase life of machine tools, one-half hour is the customary deposit. —JosEpH HAas. Nickel Deposit for Burnishing QO.—Will you please criticize the formula below and tell us if in your opinion this will produce a bright, soft nickel deposit that will be suitable for ball burnishing in mechanical equipment? We are of the opinion that this solution will produce the proper plate for such a burnish- ing operation and wish to have your opinion in the matter. The formula is: ME 68 coarse sp COR eee 1 gal. IPE TICKET SAIS. Si. 6 cas orc baie 8 8 ozs. WOGTUEE CE oe as tee hg ee es tox. MSE GANS on ce te tt 1 oz. < APU SAE bss cp tse ee 1. Y Oz.. When replenishing the solution, use only single nickel salts and boracic acid. To every pound of single nickel
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46 diehoge Se | BRASS WORLD salts add two ounces of boracic acid. Boracic acid should be dissolved in boiling water as it dissolves very slowly even in warm water. Use a still tank; voltage 6 to 8. A.—We would not recommend a nickel solution to be made from formula given, especially for ball burnishing. A solution made from this formula would contain 1.6 ozs. of metal per gallon. It would not contain enough chlor- ides to give proper anode corrosion and would have a pH of about 5.4, depending upon the acid content of the nickel salts. This would produce a deposit entirely too hard for ball burnishing. A solution made from the following formula will give excellent result: Double nickel salts: ... 5.0354 666 04% 8 ozs Ts oO 6 ne ae eae 4 ozs -Ammorium chloride ............ 2 ozs eee we ps FS ek 2 ozs MOE CEES. LORS, Uda tpt als os 1 gal. Use at 80°F., with 2% to 3 volts for still tank work. Solution should be analyzed before replenishing and then you will know exactly what to add and how much of each constituent. | —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. a Plating Plaster Molds O.—We would like very much to know the latest methods for plating plaster molds. We understand that a great deal of this work is being done in various parts of the country. We have used stearic acid in connection with electrotypers’ bronze powder and common bronzing liquid for a medium with very little success. The stearic acid seems to crack the plaster and is very costly. We would appreciate your opinion relative to this class of work, including the mixture used for plaster and the plating process. There is a large amount of this class of work that our shop could get to do, providing we could do it economic- ally and satisfactorily. A.—Stearic acid is not generally used to make the mold impervious to fluids. Beeswax, which is dissolved in turpentine, is being given preference. After the mold is waxed and allowed to dry, it is metal- lized by applying with the spray gun a mixture of copper bronze powder and bronzing liquid. Upon the quality of the copper bronze powder and bronzing liquid used, de- pends greatly the metalizing effect produced. Langbein’s book on “Deposition of Metals” contains a general outline of the procedure for galvanoplastic work. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Plating Room Floors Q.—We will appreciate it very much if you will advise us the proper kind of a floor for a plating room over a basement. Our present plating room has a concrete floor and we note that after only a few vears’ service the con- crete has disintegrated. This room is not over a basement and of course it did not matter if the solutions did leak through the floor as nothing would be harmed. Now we are figuring on increasing the size of our plating room and installing it in an addition which we con- template building. There will be a basement under the new plating room and we are interested in knowing the proper kind of a floor to put down. One that will prevent any leakage and also stand the wear is what we want. The floot we are contemplating will cover a space of about 30 x 40 feet and we had in mind concrete slabs several inches thick, covered with asphaltum about 1 inch or 1% inches thick. We certainly will appreciate it if February, 1929 you will send us any information on this subject that you have. A.—The floor, if made of wood, should be made water- proof by using 3 ply tar paper which is coated with asphalt. Concrete is then put over the waterproofing and a grade established with the concrete.. This grade should be about 1/16 inch per foot. On top of concrete a 2 ply coat of roofing tar paper is laid and coated with asphalt. On top of this is placed an inch layer of a mastic asphalt composition, which can be procured from the Johns-Manville Company. This composition is harder than the common asphalt and will not soften with hot water. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. — Protecting Floodlights ©O.—We manufacture floodlights for outdoor use. The casing is made of Armco iron. We wish to cover the iron with the best coating possible. The cases will not get hotter than 250°F. The appearance is secondary, as they will be painted. The idea is to get a good protective coating to prevent rusting. We are considering three different methods, ie. : 1. Galvanizing (hot) 2. Leading (hot dip) 3. Cadmium plating. In your opinion, which will give the longest life? A.—Of course, cost is a factor in your product, and, considering that, we are of the opinion that hot galvaniz- ing will give you the best results. The heavier coating of zinc obtained in hot galvanizing will compensate for the closer grained deposit that you would obtain in cad- mium plating. We recommend this on the basis that you are painting over the flood lights and appearance is no factor. We recommend hot galvanizing in place of hot leading because of the known superiority of a zine coating over a lead coating to prevent rusting. : —JoserpH Haas. Tin Plating Q.—Please furnish us with a formula for plating tin on small articles such as brass buttons, spring clips, con- tact-springs, brass slugs, etc. We prefer the article to have the appearance of the finish obtained with Hoke tin white finish. This, however, is too expensive to purchase in the small quantities offered. We also would prefer to have the salts ready mixed, without the addition of more than a very small amount of water, so that the ad- ditions of water will make a ready solution at once. This will prevent making up new solutions every few days, as it seems all tin solutions quickly deteriorate. A.—Small work such as you mention is usually tinned by the immersion method, which is as follows: Procure a steel or cast iron tank with steam coils on bottom. Cover steam coils with a piece of ™% inch iron wire mesh. Over this mesh place mossy tin to depth of 1 inch. Now make tin solution as follows: fe Camstte sGtlasinis-sikk Hees oas6 nies 12 ozs Pin-clbnaidesss oa istihis eek «oh 4 ozs Sokitemn-: chietide x ic cdcatises ee 6: 1 oz. WG oaceduduguese.de luis. 1 gal. Fill tank half full with this solution and place work in brass baskets into the tin solution. It is best to sep- arate work in baskets by placing perforated tin plate. Boil tin solution for 10 or 15 minutes, when articles will be coated with a nice white coat of tin. Rinse in clean, cold water, and dry in hardwood sawdust.
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February, 1929 Replenish tin solution by adding chemicals as given in formula. If an electro-tin is desired, use the following : Sodium: stafinate SPT 28 ozs. White. oxide tits dias Joec145.03. 2 ozs. ee Baie socal 6 ale dae komad 1 gal. Put in % oz. starch to each gallon as brightener. Dis- solve starch in warm water. Use 3 to 6 volts; plate at 130° to 160° F. Use pure tin anodes with iron hooks. Use % tin anodes and % iron anodes. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. Silver Deposits on Glass O.—Where can I obtain full information on the deposi- tion of silver on glass Are there any books or pamphlets on the subject? Can you tell me an easy way to precipitate silver with nitric acid from its ordinary form in bars or ingots into a mushy state by putting strips of copper, or suspending them, in it to recover the silver from the precipitation? A.—There is no complete treatise published on the deposition of silver on glass, but an article published by A. A. Le Fort in the February, 1913, issue of THE METAL InpDuSTRY deals with the subject from a practical work shop viewpoint. There was also an article published by Howard Pear- sals in the June, 1918, issue of Brass Worip which is well worth reading. We believe you can get all the in- formation you need from these two articles. —OLIVER J. SIZELOVE. BRASS WORLD cae Wire for Stringing Work ©.—Will you please advise us whether iron stringing wire is detrimental to a nickel solution? We have always used copper stringing wire, but lately we have experi- mented with iron wire on account of the cost. We wish to be sure it will not harm our plating solution. A.—Of the two metals, iron and copper, we are of the opinion that copper is the more detrimental. If you had no trouble due to accumulation of copper, there is no rea- son why you should have any difficulty due to accumula- tion of iron. However, we firmly believe that the substitution of iron wire in place of copper wire for stringing up articles for plating is false economy. In the first place, the iron wire is stiffer, slowing up the stringing and therefore the filling up of the tanks with work. Again, with the same thickness of the two wires, copper is six times as conductive as iron. To obtain the same deposit of metal with iron wire as with copper wire in the same time, you would have to have either the iron wire six times the diameter of the copper wire, or your current density six times as high; or leave the work in six times as long. If you don’t consider the above factors you may have more cut-through work in coloring and then where would the economy be? The above statements are made with due consideration of the high and advancing’ price of copper. —JosepH Haas. Associations and Societies American Electroplaters’ Society Baltimore-Washington Branch HEADQUARTERS, CARE OF G. F. P. TURNER, 5324 MAPLE AVENUE, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND Annual Meeting and Banquet’ Only a brief report was possible in the previous issue regarding the first annual educational session and banquet of the Baltimore-Washington Branch of the American Electroplaters’ Society, held at the Emerson Hotel, Baltimore, on January 26. The at- tendance was larger than expected and the program of activities was very fine, especially in view of the fact that the Branch was organized only a few months ago. The educational session was in charge of Dr. William Blum, electroplating expert at the United States Bureau of Standards, who has taken an active part in the organization and operation of this branch. He read a letter from Charles H. Proctor, founder of the Society, which gave a good outline of the his- tory of chromium plating. Dr. Blum followed this with some remarks on research in chromium. The other papers were as follows: Chromium Plating Methods, by Oliver J. Sizelove, chemical editor, THe Metra. INpustry, New York City. Re, General Application of Chromium Plating, by George B. Hogaboom. Application of Chromium in Ordnance, by A. J. McKinney, United States Navy Yard, Washington, i oy | Chromium on Printing Plates, by R. H. Slattery, United States Bureau of Printing and Engraving, Washington, D. C. The banquet, attended by 111 persons, was a gay affair, with singing and other entertainment, especially by Messrs. Garrison and Slattery. Several delega- tions from other branches were present, a large one from Newark, N. J.; being headed by Horace H. Smith, Supreme President of the American Electroplaters’ Society. | : Newark Branch HEADQUARTERS, CARE OF ROYAL F. CLARK, P. O. BOX 201, NEWARK, N. J. All-Day Session to Be Held The Newark Branch of the American Electroplaters’ Society will hold an all-day educational session, which will be followed by the annual banquet, on Saturday, April 6, 1929, at the Elks’ Club, Newark. There will be a few rooms for men available at the Elks’ Club, and reservations can also be arranged at other hotels by com- munication with Horace H. Smith, 208 North Third Street, Newark. This all-day session is expected to bring together an extraordinarily large body of electroplaters and chemists, due to the large number of special papers to be delivered, and also because at this session there will be held a Re- search Conference on Electroplating, under the joint auspices of the Branch and the Research Committee of the American Electroplaters’ Society, with Oliver J. Size- love presiding. This conference will take the place of one that would ordinarily be held at Washington, as in former years. It is believed that holding it at Newark will bring to it many more platers than if it were held ln
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48 | ~ BRASS WORLD Washington, because Newark is a more central point for the industry. A tentative program for the csp Conference lists papers by the following: W. P. Barrows, Research As- sociate, American Electroplaters’ Society; Dr. William | Blum, Bureau of Standards; H. R. Moore, Bureau of Standards; H. L. Farber, Research Associate, American Electroplaters’ Society; M. R. Thompson, Bureau of Standards; R. O. Hull, Research Associate, International Association of Electroplaters; C. T. Thomas, Bureau of Engraving and Printing; Philip Sievering, (report), Treasurer, Research, Committee, American Electroplaters’ Society. In a report on an investigation of the measure- ment of pH in nickel solutions, the following will par- ticipate: Dr. Blum; N. Bekkedahl, Bureau of Standards ; K. Pitschner, American Chain Company ; C. J. Rosecranz, Leeds and Northrup, Inc.; F. R. McCrumb, LaMotte Chemical Products Company; A. K. Graham, University of Pennsylvania; J. T. Burt-Gerrans, University of Toronto. February, 1929 International Fellowship Club HEADQUARTERS, CARE OF F. J. CLARK, 43 FORT PLEASANT AVENUE, SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Annual Luncheon The International Fellowship Club, representative or- ganization of salesmen of plating and finishing equipment and supplies, held its annual luncheon at the Aldine Club, New York City, on February 16, when the New York Branch of the American Flectroplaters’ Society held its annual session and banquet. There was a large at- tendance, with Frank J. Clark presiding and Benjamin Popper, secretary, in charge of arrangements. There were several addresses. R. A. Balzari, assistant general manager, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Inc., New York, spoke on “Selling.” Dr. William Blum of the United States Bureau of Standards spoke on “Research in Sales.” A. P. Munning, chairman of the Board of directors of Hanson-Van Winkle-Munning Company, Matawan, N. J., gave a talk on sales. Business Reports 1 in Brief — National Sanitary Company, Salem, Ohio, is plan- ning the construction of several plant extensions. Northern Bronze Corporation, has removed from 4212-20 Cresson Street to the southeast corner of Tenth and Tioga Streets, Philadelphia. James Graham Company, Wooster Street, New Haven, Conn., brass forgings, has acquired additional land for expansion. St. Thomas Metal Signs, Ltd., St. Thomas, Ont., Can., is having plans prepared by | ae Finlay, 430 Talbot Street, for an addition to cost $30,000. Springfield Aluminum Plate and Casting Company, Springfield, Ohio, is considering a one-story addition, to cost more than $4,000 including equipment. Rogers Brothers Galvanizing Works, Rockford, IIl., will take bids for a one-story plant unit at Blue Island, Ill., to cost about $45,000 with equipment. A. D. Joslin Company, Manistee, Mich., manufac- turer of metal goods, is said to be planning a one- story addition to cost about $20,000 with equipment. George L. Barnes of Everett, Wash., is erecting a building for a brass foundry. The new plant will employ about six men. Northern Blower Company, W. Sixty-fifth Street and Barberton Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, manufac- turer of dust collecting equipment is enlarging its plant by an addition 75 x 125 ft. -Garrott Brass and Machine Company, Houston, Tex., moved to a new plant recently completed at Pease and Ennis Streets. John C. Garrott is presi- dent and owner. Springer Bros. Company, Gadsden, Ala., manufac- turer of plumbing equipment and supplies is planning an addition to its plant at East Gadsden to cost more than $115,000. New Bedford Brass Foundry, 42 Front Street, New Bedford, Mass., has plans for a two-story addition, including improvements in present foundry, to cost more than $30,000 with equipment. Barnes Metal Products Company, Chicago, IIl., has purchased property at corner of Sixteenth Street and Kilbourne Avenue, improved with a one-story build- ing containing 50,000 sq. ft. of floor space. Kittle Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles, Cal., manufacturer of metal stampings, automobile acces- sories, etc., has awarded contract for a one-story addi- tion, 70 x 120 ft., to cost about $26,000 with equipment. Freas-Therms Electric Company, 1208 South Grove Street, Irvington, N. J., manufacturer of electrical equipment, has awarded contract for a one-story addi- tion, 90 x 160 ft., to cost over $50,000 with equipment. James Neon Lights, Inc., Elm Street, Battle Creek, Mich., manufacturer of electric lighting equipment, is considering a two-story addition, to cost more than $35,000 with equipment. The Watson-Stillman Company, 75 West Street, New York City, manufacturer of hydraulic machinery has appointed the Midvale Mining & Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., as its representative in that district. Lamson & Sessions Company, Cleveland, Ohio, has placed contract for a four-story building, 83 x 185 ft., for heat treating and plating departments. It will be equipped for cadmium chromium, copper and brass plating. Rome Company, 4th and Goodale Streets, Colum- bus, Ohio, manufacturer of metal bedsteads, etc., is planning to rebuild factory branch and distributing plant recently destroyed by fire. Headquarters are at Rome, N. Y. Connecticut Jewel Manufacturing Company, Thomaston, Conn., manufacturer of ash trays, folding chairs and novelties has secured manufacturing quar- ters at Winsted, Conn. E. M. Grilley is president and general manager. Porcelain Enamel Metal Products Corporation, Oxford, N. J., occupying a former building of Oxford Steel Company, will carry out expansion program including additional building and installation of three furnaces and other equipment. Conshohocken Foundry Company, Conshohocken, Pa., recently organized by David Baker, Jr., Rose- mont, Pa., and associates, with capital of $50,000, plans operation of local plant to manufacture iron, steel and other metal castings. Fremont Aluminum Castings Company, Fremont, Ohio, has sold its plant and real estate to Charles J. Miller, president of the Fremont Foundry Company. The company will continue to operate the plant under the direction of E. J. O'Farrell, manager.
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261291 February, 1929 Canadian Hanson and Van Winkle Company, Ltd., Toronto, Canada, manufacturer of foundry equipment, etc., will build an addition to cost $10,000. Day Name Plates, Ltd., Toronto, Canada, will have plans prepared for a factory to cost $35,000. Con- struction work will not start until spring or summer. Houghton Manufacturing Company, Worcester, Mass., manufacturer of brass ferrules, etc., was par- tially destroyed by fire recently. The company plans to rebuild. Liberty Starter Company, West Fort and Minnie Streets, Detroit, Mich., manufacturer of automobile starting and lighting equipment, for a four-story addi- tion, 30 x 120 ft., to cost about $100,000 with equip- ment. Hamilton-Beach Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis., manufacturer of commercial and domestic utili- ties with fractional horsepower motors, is having plans prepared for a new foundry unit, largely for aluminum and alloy casting. ~ Dudlo Manufacturing Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., manufacturer of wire and cables, a division of the General Cable Company, N. Y., has awarded general contract for a one-story addition, 175 x 193 ft., to cost about $80,000 with equipment. Star Machine & Novelty Company, Inc., Bloom- field, N. J., manufacturer of hardware specialties for radios and talking machines is completing a one-story plant on site 35 x 340 ft., at Hillside, near Newark, and will remove to the new location. National Electric Products Corporation, Fulton Building, Pittsburgh, Pa., manufacturer of electrical equipment, has leased two story and basement build- ing at Philadelphia, totalling 21,000 sq. ft., floor space, for a new factory branch and distributing plant. Roy Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IIl., manu- facturer of store and display fixtures, metal trays, etc., has leased a five-story and basement building at 220 W. Huron Street, and will remodel for a new plant. Additional machinery will be installed. Rundle Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., manufacturer of plumbing equipment and supplies, has plans for a branch plant at Camden, N. J., to cost about $1,000,000 with machinery. Bids will be asked on general contract early in February. Machias Foundry and Machine Corporation, Machias, N. Y., will erect a new foundry and machine shop. The company will produce iron, brass, bronze, aluminum and alloy castings, having its own pattern and machine departments. Operation will begin in the early spring. Art Metal Works, Inc., 7 Mulberry Street, Newark, N. J., manufacturer of metal automobile ornaments, toys, advertising novelties, etc., is disposing of stock issue to total $2,500,000, part of proceeds to be used for expansion. Plans are under way for a one and two-story addition. Lockstrip Manufacturing Corporation, L. I. City, N. Y., has taken over the manufacture and sales of lockstrip department of Traitel Marble Company, L. I. City, maker of brass and other metal strips used in terrazzo, cement and composition floors. It also manufactures strip for insertion in cement finish of floors. James Clark, Jr., Company, 520 W. Main Street, Louisville, Ky., manufacturer of electrical equipment, has been purchased by Lake States General Electric Company, Columbus, Ohio, and will become a divi- sion of the latter. W. S. Ball, formerly manager of James Clark, Jr. Company, will be manager of the new division. BRASS WORLD 49 Peerless Roll Leaf Company, 345 W.. Fortieth Street, New York, manufacturer of metal leaf prod- ucts, has acquired former factory of Reiss Premier Pipe Company, Union City, N. J., consisting of three- -story and two-story units, 30 x 107 it., and 107 x 146 ft., for a new plant. Present works will be removed to the new location and additional equipment provided for increased capacity. 3 Magnetic Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., maker of high-duty magnetic separators, mag- netic clutches and special magnetic equipment, has added trade name Stearns to its equipment in addition to former name High Duty. The designation is de- rived from the names of the officers, R. H. Stearns, president and treasurer, and R. N. Stearns, secretary. The company name remains unchanged. Frank M. Windeman, vice-president and general manager of Fred Pabst Company, Milwaukee, Wis., manufacturer of steel and brass nipples and other specialties, has purchased business from Pabst Cor- poration, Milwaukee, and will continue it as Frank Windeman Company, a new Wisconsin corporation with a capitalization consisting of $150,000 preferred stock and 1,000 common shares without par value. It retains present shop in Pabst Industrial Com- munity, 917 Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee. Alchrome Bearing and Casting Company, Cheshire, Mass., has been acquired by Edward Runge, pro- prietor of Charles Runge and Son, Inc., of the same city. Mr. Runge is the son of Charles Runge, original proprietor of the Runge concern. Recently, the younger Runge bought all the capital stock of his father’s company, a scrap metal business, and at the same time acquired the Alchrome company, together with the Protective Products Company, a new Cheshire firm which was organized recently in a por- tion of the Aeolian company’s plant in Cheshire. The Alchrome cOmpany specializes in bronze, brass and aluminum products. J. B. Klein Iron and Foundry Company, Oklahoma City, Okla., sends corrected information regarding expansion. Its engineers are now preparing plans for a steel fabricating plant, 100 x 350 ft., with storage yard. Later in the year the firm will build a reinforc- ing steel fabricating shop, 75 x 20 ft., ornamental iron shop, 100 x 200 ft., gray iron and non-ferrous foundry building, 70 x 100 ft., warehouse, 75 x 200 ft., and office building, 50 x 150 ft., two stories. The company will move from the present location at 1004 W. Second Street, to a new plant at Fourth and Blackwelder Streets as soon as the first unit of the new plant is completed. R. W. Robertson is president; C. A. Lord, engineer; Wm. Klein, superintendent; C. L. Bullock, assistant superintendent. 1 ie Monarch Aluminum Ware Company, Cleveland, Ohio, has acquired 100,000 sq. ft. of floor space in Power Warehousing Terminal Building, W. 94th Street and Detroit Avenue, and manufacturing facili- ties of Club Aluminum Utensils Company, now located at Baltimore and Chicago, will be consolidated in this plant. Monarch Aluminum Ware Company was organized in 1913 as a subsidiary to Monarch Brass Company. Recently the Club Aluminum Uten- sils Company acquired a half interest in this company. Club Aluminum Company will continue sales organ- ization with headquarters at Chicago. The Monarch company in the new plant will specialize in the manu- facture of permanent mold aluminum castings and will also operate a sand foundry. Polishing and as- sembly departments will be installed. The Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh,
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50° BRASS WORLD Pa., which is building a $2,000,000 alloy mill at Alcoa, Tenn., a report of which appeared in these columns some time ago, is planning to erect there a large divi- sion for the manufacture of metallic powders of aluminum, aluminum-bronze, etc. ing to reports, will cost about $1,000,000 and will be started immediately. Its construction is in line with the large expansion in the use of aluminum paint. Work is in progress on four additional pot rooms at the old Alcoa plant. Standard Aluminum Castings Company, Lansing, Mich., plans to resume full operations shortly, a part of the force having been recalled already, according to Louis Simon, manager. The company manufactures aluminum castings, largely for the automobile in- dustry, holding large contracts with some of the major producers. John Boone, who was associated with the Wash- ington Metal Products Company, Washington Court House, Ohio, until about three years ago, will start This mill, accord- February, 1929 operations shortly on the construction of a foundry in that city, to specialize in brass and aluminum cast- ings. Mr. Boone is associated with other business- men in the venture. The new works will be located at the B. and C. tracks and will be the first brass foundry in Washington Court House. | Chase Brass and Copper Company, Inc., Waterbury, Conn., has removed its Los Angeles, Cal., branch headquarters to 210 South Central Avenue, where it will have about three times as much space as in the former place on East Eighth Street. The new build- ing is of brick; two story and basement. ‘The local manager is L. B. Ard. The Harshaw Chemical Company is the new firm style adopted by The Harshaw Fuller and Goodwin Company, manufacturers of chemicals, plating sup- plies, anodes, etc., of Cleveland and New York City. This company is headed by W. A. Harshaw, presi- dent. Change in name was made so that it would be more signiffreant of the nature of the business. New Companies Nassau Brass Foundry, Brooklyn, N. Y., has been incorporated for $25,000 to $50,000. Art Metal Guild, Passaic, N. J., has been incor- porated for $100,000, to manufacture artistic iron, brass and bronze articles. The company’s office will be at 666 Main Avenue. Strand Enamel Company, Winsted, Conn., now being organized with capital of $100,000 has leased former plant of Franklin Moore Company, to manu- facture wire drawing machinery, wire-enameling equipment, etc. It is understood that the company will be affiliated with Strand and Sweet Manufactur- ing Company. é | Phoenix Brass Fittings Corporation, Irvington, N. J., has been organized to succeed Phoenix Brass Foundry, and expects to improve plant with economi- cal installations during 1929 and to add to lines of brass products. No new buildings are contemplated. United States Foundry Company, Los Angeles, Cal., has been organized by H. F. Long and has leased plant of Holbrook, Merrill and Stetson Foundry, to produce gray iron castings, specializing in stove and heater work. It will also make small castings, including aluminum. Sanitary ware will also be manufactured. The company is not at present in the market for equipment. Trade Publications Krometal Seals. Art Metalabel Corporation, York, Pa. ‘High Pressure Rotary Gas Pumps. The P. H. and F. M. Roots Company, Connersville, Ind. Engineer- ing data in 16 page booklet. General Electric Company, Schenectady, N. Y., publications: Some Outstanding Achievements of 1928; Type AW Resistor Arc Welders. Easy Cutting’ Perfect Threads. Armstrong Manu- facturing Company, Bridgeport, Conn. Concise tabu- lation of a wide variety of dies for use with Arm- strong stocks. ; Announcing the Ross “Senior.” The Ross Manu- facturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Pamphlet on a wheel truing which, according to the makers, has remarkably long bearing life. How to Bronze-Weld Cylinder Blocks. The Linde Air Products Company, New York City. Useful information on an important phase of automobile repair and other similar work. Perpetual Calendar. Taunton-New Bedford Cop- per Company, Taunton, Mass. A fine bronze frame holding a calendar made of celluloid, capable of serv- ing indefinitely. It is an excellent example of the metal this company produces. Enclosed Circuit Breakers. Roller-Smith Com- pany, New York City. Type EAF, free handle, is described with full engineering data. This type of circuit breaker is intended for protection of motors and feeder circuits against overload and failure of voltage. Telephone Almanac. American Telephone and Telegraph Company, New York City. A _ perennial achievement, this almanac is concise but well filled with a great variety of information which is useful as well as interesting. The format is very fine, hav- ing the smack of old times while being in fact extremely modern. “D-12” and “Conqueror” Engines: Their Use of Nickel Alloy Steel. The International Nickel Com- pany, 67 Wall Street, New York City. A very in- structive pamphlet giving complete details of the two Curtis airplane engines mentioned in the title, with particular reference to the use of nickel steels; and also nickel aluminum alloy, of which the pistons are made. Illustrated. Alpro Educational Service. Alloys and Products, Inc., Oak Point Avenue, New York City. A fine loose-leaf binder with a large amount of data on va- rious “Alpro” alloys, designed to aid the practical man in the plant, as well as the technician, in acquiring a wider knowledge of alloys. The bulletins will be issued periodically and may be had gratis upon re- quest to the company. The first issues deal mainly with brass foundry practice. Future issues will cover other branches of foundry and metal work.
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February, 1929 Metal Prices, February 21, 1929 BRASS WORLD 51 NEW METALS Copper: Lake, 18.125. Electrolytic, 18.00. Casting, 17.75. Zinc: Prime Western, 6.35. Brass Special, 6.45. Tin: Straits, 49.00.° Pig. 99%, 48.10. Lead: 6.85. Aluminum, 24.30. Antimony, 9.375. Nickel: Ingot, 35. Shot, 36. Elec. 35. Pellets, 40. Quicksilver: flask, 75 lbs., $123. Bismuth, $1.70. Cadmium, 95. Cobalt, 97%, $2.60. Silver, oz., Troy, 55.875. Gold: oz., Troy, $20.67. Platinum, oz., Troy, $66.50. INGOT METALS AND ALLOYS ee ee Oe en ON ET) Ey See Riet een 13%4tol4y% press. Ingote: Red: pian i vey «ia ware nbens Give Boze 16%4tol7% IE" BO ne Se eg Sota ke Siete panei’ 17 to20 Casting Aluminum Alloys.................. cece ees 21 to024 Manganese Bronze Castings ................eeeeee: 24 +040 Manganese Bronze Ingots ........ 6 sse0sccs ceescetess 15 tol8 Manganese Bronze Forgings ............0.-eeseeees 32 to42 Dente GORGE: DOE oc skys bce haces este ey tee’ 27 to35 Monel Metal Shot .............. Sh ets ye ete . 28 Monel Metal Blocks © so iic 666 OPER a 28 Parsons Manganese Bronze Ingots..............+6-. 161%4tol9% Phosseet Bronke .. 636. os we eewise S| .BBaae 17%4tol9 Phosphor Copper, guaranteed SD) acted fo he Nas lbs 22¥4to25 Phosphor Copper, guaranteed 10% ..............45. 21%4to24 Phosphor Tin, no guarantee ............--eeeeeeees 60 to70 Silicon Copper, 10%...... according to quantity...... 28 +032 OLD METALS Buying Prices Selling Prices 15%4tol6 sueaee. at Comet o.oo ORS 16%4tol7 15 tol5% Copper Wire, mixed ................. 16 tol6% 1234tol3 Saat Cte aos Gc act i eee 1334tol4 1034tol2 Heavy Machine Composition .......... 1134tol3 834to 9 Peavy Beaieck§ corr cress oes ov awe 934tol0 FINE TA BN REE OR 8%4to 8% 10%4tol0% No. 1 Yellow Brass Turnings ........ 11%tolly% 1034tol1 No. 1 Composition a Te Se See 5p 1134tol2 Soke SH Phive dead cis oso se ee se 634to. 7 Ste 394 Zee Geram 23s ok oS bk ee 434to 5% 8 tol0 Scrap Aluminum Ttokers SA ES gee 12%4tol4% 13 tol3%Z Scrap Aluminum, cast alloyed ......... 17Y%tol8Y% 19 to20 Scrap Aluminum sheet (new) ......... 22 to22% 30%t032 NER Ne ee et Re eet ns Ne ts 35 to38 20 to21 Old Nickel Anodes. ................... 22 to23 20 to23 Cone Tene FSS oes eee es 22 to25 Wrought Metals and Alloys COPPER SHEET 273% to 283@c. net base 283% to 293%c. net base eeeeveveeevreeeee Mill shipment (hot rolled) From Stock BARE COPPER WIRE 1934c. to 197%%c. net base, in carload lots. COPPER SEAMLESS TUBING 2836c. to 293éc. net base. SOLDERING COPPERS 300 Ibs. and over in one order ........-eeeeeeee 257%c. net base 100 Ibs. to 200 Ibs. in one order ...........+.eeee 263¢c. net base ZINC SHEET Duty sheet, 15% ' Cents per Ib. Carload lots, standard sizes and gauges, at mill, less 7 per cent discount ......+..eeeeeeeeeeeeeees 9.75 net base Casks, jobbers’ price .........see essere eect rectors 10.25 net base Open Casks, jobbers’ price ........+..+-- 10.75 to 11.00 net base ALUMINUM SHEET AND COIL Aluminum sheet, 18 ga., base, ton lots, per Ib. .......... .. 33.30 Aluminum coils, 24 ga., base, price ..........ebeee ee eeee es 31.00 ROLLED NICKEL SHEET AND ROD Net Base Prices Cold Drawn Rods........ 53c. Cold Rolled Sheet....... 60c. Hot Rolled Rods........ 45c. Full Finished Sheet...... 52c. BLOCK TIN SHEET Block Tin Sheet—18” wide or less. No. 26 B. & S. Gauge or thicker, 100 Ibs. or more 1034c. over Pig Tin; 50 to 100 lbs., 15c. over; 25 to 50 lbs. 17c. over; less than 25 Ibs., 25c. over. SILVER SHEET Rolled sterling silver 5634 to 5834 per ounce, Troy. BRASS MATERIAL—MILL SHIPMENTS In effect Feb. 8, 1929 To customers who buy 5,000 Ibs. or more in one order. -———Net base per lb . High Brass Low Brass Bronze Shee NEES $0.22 $0.24 $0.26 Wite 2nd RPT ESS, es: bk 2414 26% ROG gies wir eres Oo 5 oss: 201% 2434 26% ee ee EN en ae 30% saa 353% Open seam tubing .............. 30% 34 Angles and channels ............ 30% 34 BRASS SEAMLESS TUBING 273%6c. to 283%c. net base. TOBIN BRONZE AND MUNTZ METAL Tomin Brome Bete ce 2 cree is rs ot al 24%4c. net base Muntz or Yellow Metal Sheating (14’x48”).... 22'%4c. net base Muntz or Yellow Rectangular sheet other SO» Site 5 ive es cg PU cbs a Ae ak 23%4c. net base Muntz or Yellow Metal Rod ...............0... 20%4c. net base Above are for 100 Ibs. or more in one order. NICKEL SILVER (NICKELENE) Net Base Prices Grade “A” Sheet Metal Wire and Rod 1058: Se! elds. 28%c. 10% Quality ......... 313% c. 15% Quality ......... 30%4c. 15% Quality ......... 35t4c. 18% Quality: ......... 31%c.. 18% Quality ......... 3834¢. MONEL METAL SHEET AND ROD Hot Rolled Rods (base) 35 Full Finished Sheets (base) 42 Cold Drawn Rods (base) 40 Cold Rolled Sheets (base) 50 BRITANNIA METAL SHEET No. 1 Britannia—18” wide or less, No. 26 B. & S. Gauge or thicker, 500 Ibs. or over, 8c. over N. Y. tin. price; 100 lbs. to 500 Ibs., 10c. over; 50 to 100 Ibs., 15c. over; 25 to 50 Ibs., 20c. over; less than 25 Ibs., 25c. over. Prices f. o. b. mill.
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52 3 BRASS WORLD | February, 1929 ~ Supply Pr ANODES Gebers Gast is [2 . ciewerni Se R558 09dd- pga pusepor ean igs pee PAPER Ib. .05-.06 Sulphuric, 66 deg., carboys.........+++e+eeeeess Ib. 02 Phosphorus-22 Dilty” free“accordiria te quahtiey Ibi 35-40 Abephol— Butyl (ow 5s KEE 8 8 ne one ee to 8 9 ag gine lb. 171%4-.21% Potash, Caustic Electrolytic 88-92% broken, | Denatured, CRPUIAG | oc oe nin ons Hin sigan 9 88 00 eo 8 gal. 48-.56 ss ii hile sb esees lb, .09 3 Alum—Lump, Barrels .......----+-sseee rere reese lb. .03% Potassium Bichromate, casks (crystals)........... lb. 09% Powdered, Barrels .........--0-2- esse eee reer: tb. 039 Carbonate, oY, Se See eee eee ee Ib. 07 Aluminum sulphate, commercial tech..........---: Ib. 3.3 Cyanide, 165 Ib. cases, 94-967 .........-. 000. Ib. S72 Peteee iia entation inseatboys. ©. < 2.0. Ib. 06% ati Reena is et ated a eee oe wae dee nit Fe | Sa gaglyenaeeagiennatiaaetiten we ae. dg CME OMEN a 04% Sulphocyanide Swat UEFA Ve a usw lo! ted Un 'm Wee = pia ecostaie, Feel FIDO Me BRS og isin oon sas sie diciccoimls lb. 25 ee ee eet ee ee ys ilver’ eed AGald tet 28. 5g bas anit. es chee Ib. 65% OOP Oa OR eer Ib. is St Acancistad ( Aupaiialiogt CMMoritle) ih Gaaks). jritl 08% Benzol, pure .........---- sec eee eter ee enteccees gal. ; Silver Chlori IEE SE ee eS | Bas 46V5 | ‘Borax Crystals (Sodium Biborate), bbls.......... tb. Ys Ce EE NEN ST Cat eee Me eee Te oz. _—-«.57-.60 Calcium Carbonate (Precipitated Chalk)......-+-- Ib. 04 Nitrate, TO pinot! 16th... 5. kaw. agi dieceess Oz. 40 = Carbon Bisulphide. Drums ......---0:++++0000+s Ib: ne. 7. | Ser aE Ib. 02% Chrome Green, bbls. ........----2-s essere tee eees Ib. .28 Sodium—Cyanide, 96 to 98%, 100 Ibs............. lb. 18 Chromic Sulphate .........--.-seeeee ee eeeeeeees lb. 37 Hyposulphite, SNE: pc itinee SEI «gdh 5 Me le Se lb. 04 Copper—Acetate (Verdigris) ....... 5) Mignapepiae soap ae lb. 23 Nitrate, tech., bbls. RESET SEERA ERE fo " oa : REBORN OIE Oe epee ree Ib. .16%4-.17 Prapepeiertcy " LEGH FRRNS ARES eb alt ati Ake “4 be Ree raph ees ec ceye tb. .50 Silicate (Water ES ie eet Te i a . iA acn-s eres tnes: *y ee Ib, 0644 F eagytintill te ae :. pe —_ . i see Sere wate wet - 3. ae Chloride, 100 Ib. kegs....++..0e00eseesenee. Ib. 38 eT, sce? ee bin 6h. senesced tb. 05-08 Tripoli, Powdered .......-..0.00.-0eeeee etree Ib. 03 ae ete ee lb. 06 Wax—Bees, white, ref. bleached ................ “a < Flint, powdered .........00- eee eee renee teens ton $30.00 Yellow, oe cals). clade. aco ine eben = 021 06 -Fluor-spar (Calcic fluoride) ......--.--+s++eeees ton $70.00 Whiting, ata © 2 FIND Fes ES EO 2c ile “ . eae NN eis gee cee: - bee os Sherine gal. $4.45 Zinc Gemonere: Me sia hey Th ee * AL ee a ne ee cay ee Oz. $14.00 Chloride, MO i Stee) eee ok pay pee . 7 Gum—Sandarac ... .. Pte eee ah Se ae we ee epee Ib. 26 - Cyanide (100 Ib. kegs) ......-2 0. - eee reece eee % aa Meee ee ee she Sete. eS 3 oa lb. —_-.59-.61 Sulphate, SS et eee ee ee SE * SARE a? Ib. 03%