Custom CNC Machining Brass Parts

Commonly used brass for CNC machining.

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There is a variety of grades available for brass, each grade of brass has its unique material makeup. 

For CNC machining parts, the commonly used grade is listed below:

C260-Cartridge brass

Alloy C260 is also known as cartridge brass, it is a copper-zinc alloy that has
a shiny, yellow appearance. 

According to ASTM B927/B927M-17, C260 brass is made up of 68.5-71.5% copper, contains up to 0.07% lead and 0.05% iron and the remaining is Zinc.

C260 is suitable for applications that involve exposure to the environment,
due to its corrosion resistance. Also, it is ideal for use in many manufacturing processes like machining, forming, and bending, because of its high flexibility.

Some applications for C260 brass include: 

• Fasteners

• Instruments

• Locks
• Hinges
• Electrical connectors
• Radiator tanks
• Lamps
• Bathroom fixtures

C360-Free-cutting brass

Alloy C360 is known as free-cutting brass, also called lead brass. It is a copper-zinc alloy that contains more lead.

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C360 brass is made up of 60-63% copper, and 2.5-3.7% lead, it also contains up to 0.35% iron and the remaining is Zinc.

This alloy is the most common type of brass, it is known for having excellent machinability, as well as it is suitable for fabrication processes like soldering and brazing.

Some of the applications for C360 include:

• Fittings
• Valves
• Musical instruments
• Adapters
• Bolts
• Nuts
• Connectors

C353-Clock brass

Alloy 353 is also referred to as clock brass, it is often used to fabricate small precision components, such as clock and watch parts, because of its superior machinability.

C353 brass is made up of 60-63% copper, and 1.5-2.5% lead, it also contains up to 0.1% iron and the remaining is Zinc. 

This alloy is excellent for soldering and it has better formability than C360,
as well as excellent machinability that makes it ideal for producing the components with precise measurements. However, it is not good for
welding or hot working. 

You can find some applications for C353 as follows:

• Bearings
• Gears
• Clock and watch components
• Screws
• Wheels
• Couplings

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Post by TReischl » Sat Nov 14, 5:51 pm

Well, I do not have it all figured out but do have a few suggestions.

Brass is grabby, will try to pull the tool into it or pull the work.

Doing any metal work on a router is testy. The spindle speeds are typically way too high. Our routers are typically not as rigid as a machine tool. When doing brass and aluminum I have used very slow feed rates, in the neighborhood of 20-25 IPM, sometimes slower for small cutters below .125 dia. Clearing the chips helps a lot. A lot of heat can be generated so if you can have an air line blowing a bit of air it really helps out.

Generally for all metal work I use HSS bits on the router. Couple of reasons, they can be had cheaply these days so when one breaks it is not a big deal, but more importantly they are much sharper.

When doing profile work I use the ramp/spiral option rather than plunging to depth of cut. Usually take about .010 - .015 per pass. Like I said, slowwww.

Another tip is to remove metal using conventional means whenever possible. If you can rough drill a hole, do it. If you have a cut out and have a scroll saw, remove most of the material that way, much faster. If you can rough saw the profile on a bandsaw and still fixture the part, do it that way.

In my shop I run a metal working lathe and mill. Those little machines can cut aluminum, brass, and steel much faster and easier than my router. In other words, most any machine tool is better at it. But boy, can the router come in handy! Later today I need to cut a hex shape in the end of some aluminum round stock to build a die holder for the lathe. So I will rough drill and bore out the piece to waste the bulk and then use the router to create the hex shape.

One other thing, all brass is not created equal. Pay attention to the grade you want to cut, make sure it is free machining.

"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

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