Corroded sheet brass

[DFHicks]

A friend of mine recently gave me an old (certainly pre-WWII) brass garden sprayer.  The sheet brass is too thin (.028") for gun building but should be fine for engraving practice.
As you can imagine it is cankered up very badly.  It will come off with a wire brush but is a slow process.  So here is a lazy man's question _ is there something that will remove or at least loosen the corrosion?  Maybe the equivalent to naval jelly and rust?
Thanks,
DF

[davec2]

Soak it in vinegar over night and the verdigris will come off much more easily. 

However, if you are going to practice engraving, I wouldn't waste my time with salvaging a little bit of corroded brass.  Get some new brass or copper sheet, or better yet, some mild steel sheet.  The question for me would be, "Do I want to learn how to engrave, or do I want to spend all my time learning how to remove corrosion from old scrap metal?"

[Dphariss]

Soak it in vinegar over night and the verdigris will come off much more easily. 

However, if you are going to practice engraving, I wouldn't waste my time with salvaging a little bit of corroded brass.  Get some new brass or copper sheet, or better yet, some mild steel sheet.  The question for me would be, "Do I want to learn how to engrave, or do I want to spend all my time learning how to remove corrosion from old scrap metal?"

Thank you Davec2.

For DF
It possible to order ground finish normalized mild steel (1018) flats in any width and any thickness  and usually in 18" to 12 ft lengths from suppliers like MSC and others. This can then be cut to what every length and practice can start. This stuff cuts very nice and since its uniform in hardness it takes away one more PITA from the inexperienced engraver. When one side is covered turn it over and cut that side. This way a 24" flat gives 4 feet of engraving surface. One can cut a lot of lines in this, or borders or scrolls.

Dan

[DFHicks]

As usual some great advice from members.  I tend to be penny wise and pound foolish way too often.  You all are right; I'm attempting to learn engraving not scrap metal recycling.
Regards,
DF

[Jesse168]

  Go to local machine shop or sheetmetal shop to get what you want a lot easier and cheeper.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Use the new brass for practice, then save the good side to make inlays. Double duty. No one will ever see the practice side. You would have bought the brass for inlays and parts anyway.

[Pete G.]

A brass kick plate for a door (solid, not plated) will give you all the brass you will need for a long time.

[SuperCracker]

I use metal electrical outlet covers for practice plates.  They're soft steel, readily available for about .75 from Lowes.  Hot glue to a block of scrap 1x2 to clamp in the vise, a few swipes with some emery to remove the galvanization and you've got cheap practice plates.

[T*O*F]

Lamp washers and fender washers also work.  You can often find a stack of lamp washers inside old discarded lamps.  Also, old brackets and such from junk cars work too.  Having odd shaped pieces of metal will also teach you how to develop a pattern to fit inside the part because most gun parts are irregularly shaped.

[Jim Kibler]

Depending what you are making, 0.028" brass is not too thin for gun work.  This is in line with what many golden age guns have for parts such as boxes etc.

[Hungry Horse]

 Don't forget the solid brass thresholds used on may old industrial, and commercial doors. Its thick enough for butt plates, and side plates.

         Hungry Horse

[Acer Saccharum]

Sometimes brass that has been exposed to the elements over a long period of time loses all its ability to bend and form. It becomes brittle and cracks easily. Do a test before you invest too much time in old material.

[DFHicks]

Thanks again for all the good information.  As pointed out old brass can be brittle.  After a closer look most of this sprayer was like that _ it just crumbled.  Not sure why but I had never thought of practicing engraving on one side and use the other side showing for inlays.  Maybe blind linear thinking?
DF

[J Henry]

  When did Brass start to corrode?? 23 years in the Navy and I never see it happen!!!!!!always nice and shiney...!!!???!!
  Save your time chuck the old stuff and go new, davec2,,knows from where he speaks