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Bronze or Brass for a pipe

TheSpindoctor

Plastic
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Hi,

I am designing some artisan machined smoking apparatus and was curious what the collective wisdom of this forum would feel regarding the best alloys for this purpose. I am making some with Stainless (304) but want to make a series which has the warmth of brass or bronze as well.

Original prototype made using 360 Brass looks great and was easy to fabricate but I suspect the 3 percent lead is going to make some people concerned. The burning matter is directly in contact with the metal. Honestly i think it is very unlikely any transfer would occur but people are very sensitive about the subject of lead and aluminum right now.

Doing some research it seams that 464 brass would be an option though im not sure how hard it would be to machine.

642 bronze seems like it would be great and has very little lead though aluminum is present.

510 phosphor bronze is another possibility though I am not sure how workable.

The parts need to be turned on the lathe and then drilled.

I hate joining a forum and then making the first post a plea for information but people seemed good natured here and I would like to thank you all in advance for your time.

Regards TheSpinDoctor
 
Have you tried searching for "Food Grade" ?

I think that would help narrow things down allot.
 
It's funny how anyone who is smoking dope can be worried about the side effects of whatever is in the brass pipe.
 
Next you'll be saying that depleted uranium is a no-go.

Bunch of namby-pamby safety wankers here...

"Glow in the Dark" can be a selling feature.

Also, the radiation's alteration of the smoke could be touted for better sales as well....
 
Original prototype made using 360 Brass looks great and was easy to fabricate but I suspect the 3 percent lead is going to make some people concerned. The burning matter is directly in contact with the metal. Honestly i think it is very unlikely any transfer would occur but people are very sensitive about the subject of lead and aluminum right now.

It might also cause concern if the user holds your brass contraption in the hand.
If you go to any plumbing supply they can tell you what types of copper are not allowed for water pipes. I don't know what it is for brass.

You could line the burn chamber or whatever it is with a stainless insert. You don't want to get a citation from a environmentalist.
 
The government in California is talking about lowering the taxes on legal marijuana. Seems that not enough people are buying the legal stuff so tax income is less then they expected.
I imagine next well be adds touting buy marijuana so the taxes can support health care and education.
One of the biggest vape makers is headquartered in San Francisco, paying lots of taxes into California.
Bil lD
 
I wonder about the glass pipes used for this. Do they use the same radioactive colors that potters use or just lead based stuff. Cobalt blue is a very nice color of glass.
Bil lD.
 
I know a guy who used to be a wholesale distributor supplying goods to head shops all across the nation. He used to buy small pipes in 55 gallon drums from India. He still has some of his catalogs from the late '60s and boy, they are a hoot.

metalmagpie
 
Some people have or can develop a nasty allergy to brass, leaded or not. That is why brass musical instrument (trumpet, trombone, horn, tuba) mouthpieces are silver plated. I have seen raw brass mouthpieces cause some nasty blisters - slow to heal.

-Jess
 
Some people have or can develop a nasty allergy to brass, leaded or not. That is why brass musical instrument (trumpet, trombone, horn, tuba) mouthpieces are silver plated. I have seen raw brass mouthpieces cause some nasty blisters - slow to heal.

-Jess


nah the really good ones are gold plated then you don't have the silver allergic problem either.

as for the original question do a search on what they are now using for brass fixture in California schools

and you might look at what it would cost to gold plate loads of advantages don't corrode
non allergenic...
 
And just how safe are those plastic(s)?

Is there anything that is safe in this whole smoking business?

I am not a smoker, but I believe I have seen pipes that had one material on the outside for appearance and another material was used for the bowl where the combustion took place. I would try to use a traditional material for the actual, inside bowl. But one that is as "safe" as possible.



The plastic mouth pieces used for cigars can be used for the end of the pipe barrel.
 
You will have to put a prop. 65 warning on them anyhow, may as well go for it. The state is taxing federally illegal product, it's a weird deal. One of us could never get away with such nonsense. I'm not passing judgment, I just got packaged brass fittings in a printed bag with no information on it at all besides the prop 65 crap. I'm having to label all our products and frankly this kind of B.S. pisses me off.
 








 
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