What IS Gunmetal?…

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Russell Eberhardt on 04/04/2016 10:39:02:

Admiralty gunmetal – a bronze used for casting cannons (and bits for model engines).

Russell

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This monument in Belgium was cast from melted down captured frogite cannons during the battle of Waterloo.

But I think that a very dim view would be taken of anyone chopping bits off it to make model steam engines with though.!

Nick

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

I just asked my wife, who thought it was a liquid for making one metal look like another!

Bless her, she'll always come up original!

Martin

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Nick, that LOOKS like bronze to me.

And did you say Frogite?

Martin

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Martin Field on 04/04/2016 12:04:29:

And did you say Frogite?

Martin

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Yeahhh, why.?

Nick

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Is that where the term "Frog" comes from?

Martin

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Martin Field on 04/04/2016 12:56:00:

Is that where the term "Frog" comes from?

Martin

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Not sure. I always thought it was something to do with them eating frogs legs (which are delicious and like chicken) as they call Brits 'Roast beefs'

I presume that melting the enemy's guns down to make a victory monument was probably a gesture of wiping their eye and adding insult to injury. Would not happen now of course. Be far, far too un PC

Anyway, must have been a very big bonfire to smelt all that bronze. – I wonder if they got froggie prisoners to haul it up to the top.

Nick

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Ah, so Froggite is one of yours?

Martin

[VicParticipant @vic]

Gunmetal must surely depend on the age and to some extent where it was made? I had a small interest some years ago in American civil war cannon, in particular naval cannon and at least some of these were made from (if I remember correctly) cast Iron wrapped with wrought iron hoops to help prevent them exploding.

[John PurdyParticipant @johnpurdy78347]

Gunmetal is generally considered to be 85-5-5-5 bronze. That is an alloy of 85% Cu 5% Zn 5% Sn 5% Pb. ( Also known in some circles as Red Brass). As has been already mentioned it will turn greyish black not only when heated (as for silver soldering) but also it will come out of the mould greyish black when first cast. Normally cast gunmetal parts would then be pickled to get rid of this surface oxidation. Perhaps the ones you've seen have not been pickled?

John Purdy

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

I guess that's a possibility, John.

Mind you, for what some charge for castings I'd expect them to have been linished by Miss Worlds and polished with fairy dust!

Cheers,

Martin

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Martin Field on 04/04/2016 19:04:24:

 

 

Mind you, for what some charge for castings I'd expect them to have been linished by Miss Worlds and polished with fairy dust!

 

Cheers,

Martin

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You keep mentioning the cost. – Perhaps you would find it more attractive to fabricate from raw stock.

Here is a clicky thing **LINK** to help you bypass the casting sellers and make your own from bronze. Don't forget you will need to add 20% to those prices for the dreaded VAT

Nick

Edited By Nick_G on 04/04/2016 20:03:44

[Martin Field 1Participant @martinfield1]

Yes I do,

but that is a consideration. Some are much worse than others. But I take your point about the solid bar stuff. not that cheap either is it? But then I don't need a metre and I do have a lot of existing sheet brass for entablatures, etc.

Perhaps it's possible to buy odd castings separately.

For steel and ally I have a friendly local machinist who casts more into the skip than I'll ever need.

Anyway, this is a new hobby and there's much to discover.

Cheers,

Martin

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