Valve Stem Material

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Johnny O
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 5:02 pm
Location: Havertown

Valve Stem Material

Post by Johnny O »

Hi
I occasionally run into old valves of decent size and end up pulling out the stems for stock use. I presume they are bronze so as not to break and have a shaped head on end to engage valve wedge. Maybe forged or cast shape but a good source of material over one inch in diameter. Machines more like a bronze then brass. I just thought I,d troll around to see if any of roots have tried something similar.
Thanks
John
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refinery mike
Posts: 623
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Valve Stem Material

Post by refinery mike »

I love bronze valve stems, top quality stuff. They are getting harder to find though because most valves come with stainless stems now. One thing i must warn you however. at least when i turn them they make a whole lot of tiny, bronze, razor sharp needles in the swarf. Be extra careful about tracking them around. The wife is not pleased when she has to dig them out of her foot the next day. By the third time she is ready to start shooting.
pete
Posts: 2518
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:04 am

Re: Valve Stem Material

Post by pete »

I have a bunch of those shafts. My non scientific assesment of them is that they are bronze. Much, much harder than your normal brass anyway. Those shafts are well worth stripping out of the valve bodies. One thought? Since you don't know exactly just what chemicals have been thru those valves, Then it may not be a great idea to leave the swarf from those shafts on any precision surface you care about. I do know there was some nasty chemicals thru mine, So I'm fairly careful about doing the above and washing up after handling them before machining all the contamination off. A dust mask at least might not be a bad idea either till your down to virgin metal.

Pete
Johnny O
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 5:02 pm
Location: Havertown

Re: Valve Stem Material

Post by Johnny O »

True, I work at various power plants and know what you mean. This last one was from a red painted valve so I believe its from our fire system. I have to watch out for those reactor water clean up valves though. :shock:
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