[How-To] Making a brass drift

[finsruskw]

Thinking about turning a brass drift as a gift for my son as well as replacing one I have that is pretty beat up.
What grade of brass should I use?
Ant tips on turning brass that are different from steel?
Different approach or cutters etc?

Thanks!

 

[COMachinist]

Brass drifts are by nature a sacrificial tool so any thing that is free will work. If you can find an old piece naval brass should be good to make a drift out of, free is the best. Oh and 360 is free machining, machines great with HSS.
CH

 

[Ulma Doctor]

aluminum bronze is nearly indestructible, it makes great drifts

 

[benmychree]

aluminum bronze is nearly indestructible, it makes great drifts

When as an apprentice, I asked a journeyman why he was using carbide (with a chip breaker ground in) to machine brass (actually aluminum bronze) He said "theese is nota brass, theese isa yellow steel" My old friend, now passed, Branko Balija, from Croatia.

 

[weaselfire]

I'm cheap. Go to the hardware store and buy the brass road for a toilet float, about $2 last time I got one. Cut it down with a hacksaw, file the end smooth and there's your drift punch.

Jeff

 

[finsruskw]

I don't think they sell 1-1/4" dia. toilet bowl rods!

 

[weaselfire]

Why would you need a 1-1/4" drift?

Jeff

 

[ThinWoodsman]

As noted a few places above, I just use any old brass lying around (usually 3/8" or 1/2" rods, occasionally something larger) when I need a drift. Keep meaning to turn a proper tapered one, just never get around to it. I did make something similar though, which was a few brass gun picks (quite handy for cleaning revolvers). 3/8 hex stock, with a 5-degree taper for half the length and a rounded (i.e. not sharp) point. Just used carbide, and the brass flaked instead of curling until I dropped the feed way down.

aluminum bronze is nearly indestructible, it makes great drifts

Sounds like some fun stuff to play with.I see McMaster-Carr has some 954, as well as 630 ("aluminum-nickel-bronze") and 955. The 630 looks pretty good - any caveats to using it?

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Aluminum bronze.....
Minimum stick out , rigid set ups preferably
sharp tooling with very low or no back rake
Relative lower spindle speeds are better
Relatively low doc’s in relation to brass or other bronze

 

[pontiac428]

A brass drift is the first tool I made when I brought home my lathe! Actually, I found it inside of a larger and heavily beaten Proto drift from my toolbox. It's an important tool to have for bearing races and the like.

Drifts are more specifically tapered alignment tools. I've always called these brass drivers "drifts" even though they are for driving and not for alignment. Maybe somebody knows if there should be a difference in naming convention...?