Free-Cutting Brass C36000
The fastest-machining engineering metal — 3 percent lead brass for turned fittings, terminals, valve parts and volume screw-machine work.
What C36000 Brass is.
C36000 is the reference free-cutting brass: about 61 percent copper, 3 percent lead and the balance zinc. The lead exists as tiny globules that break chips and lubricate the tool, giving the alloy a machinability rating of 100 against which every other metal is compared. It is supplied to ASTM B16 as rod and bar in soft, half-hard and hard tempers.
We turn C36000 into fittings, terminals, valve components and custom fasteners on our CNC lathes and Swiss machines. It is not an ASTM F468 fastener alloy, so structural brass bolting is made in naval brass or silicon bronze instead.
Chemical composition.
| Element | Symbol | Min % | Max % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Cu | 60.0 | 63.0 |
| Lead | Pb | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| Iron | Fe | — | 0.35 |
| Zinc | Zn | balance | — |
Values per ASTM B16/B16M-19 Table 1 (verified against the specification). Confirm the edition called out on your purchase order with our estimating team.
Mechanical properties.
| Temper and size (in.) | Tensile strength, min (ksi) | Yield strength at 0.5 % extension, min (ksi) | Elongation, min (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O60 soft anneal — 1 and under | 48 | 20 | 15 |
| H02 half-hard — under ½ | 57 | 25 | 7 |
| H02 half-hard — ½ to 1 | 55 | 25 | 10 |
| H02 half-hard — over 1 to 2 | 50 | 20 | 15 |
| H02 half-hard — over 2 to 4 | 45 | 15 | 20 |
| H04 hard — over 3⁄16 to ½ | 70 | 35 | 4 |
| H04 hard — over ½ to ¾ | 65 | 30 | 6 |
Values per ASTM B16/B16M-19 Table 2 (verified against the specification). Confirm the edition called out on your purchase order with our estimating team.
Specifications that apply.
How C36000 Brass ships from Houston.
- Screw-machine fittings, adapters and plugs
- Terminals, bushings and spacers
- Valve stems and bonnets
- Custom brass screws and nuts (non-structural)
- Certified B16 rod, hex and square bar
C36000 Brass fasteners we make.
Every item is manufactured to your drawing or standard in C36000 Brass, imperial or metric, with an EN 10204 3.1 certificate.
What is C36000 free-cutting brass?
C36000 is a duplex alpha-beta brass with about 3 percent lead added purely for machinability. The lead does not dissolve in the brass; it sits as discrete particles that shear the chip and reduce tool wear, so parts can be turned at high speed with an excellent finish. Strength is moderate, around 55 ksi in the half-hard temper, and ductility is low, so the alloy is machined rather than formed.
Where it fits and where it does not
Choose C36000 for any brass part that is machined from bar and carries light loads: fittings, terminals, valve trim and decorative hardware. It is not suitable for cold heading or thread rolling in the hard tempers, it dezincifies in aggressive water, and the lead content excludes it from potable-water and many food-contact uses. For structural brass bolting specify naval brass C46400 to F468; for corrosion resistance move to silicon bronze.
Testing, certification and marking
- Tensile and hardness tested per lot on the finished product
- Grade or alloy marking by UNS number and heat on the certificate and manufacturer's identification on every piece
- EN 10204 3.1 material test report with heat number and chemistry; 3.2 witness available
- Alloy identified by UNS number on the certificate
Naval Brass C46400
The marine brass — 1 percent tin for seawater resistance — and the ASTM F468 structural brass fastener alloy (F468D).
ASTM F468 / F467 fasteners · ASTM B36 / B927Cartridge Brass C26000
The 70-30 brass for cold-headed and formed hardware — 60 to 90 ksi as a fastener under F468, with deep-drawing ductility.
ASTM F468 / F467 fasteners · ASTM B98 rodHigh-Silicon Bronze C65500
The strongest common silicon bronze in bar form, 90 ksi in hard temper and 100 ksi extra-hard in small rod — for machined marine fasteners, valve stems and pump parts.