Motor Brush Material Question

[bcall2043]

While at the scrap yard today I found some large motor brushes and they followed me home. I was thinking project raw materials when I picked them.

There are two different types that I found. The ones in the attached photo are large and like the “normal carbon” brushes seen in small universal or DC motors like drill motors but just larger. They are quite large, about ½ inch thick and between 2 and 3 inches long. I am not sure if they are "carbon" material but that is what I have always heard them called. The smaller ones are some kind of metallic looking material.


The question is, does anyone know what materials are used for motor brushes? Thanks in advance for any information.

Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes

 

[pdentrem]

I have seen two types. The solid high density carbon brushes, they are soft and you can shape them fairly easily. I have made some from die mold carbon scraps. The other style, when I ran a parts dept, I used to order for some of the local farmers who still used generators on some of their equipment. It looked like it was a matrix of carbon and copper, they would wear slower than the carbon only brushes, but wore the armature quicker. Pay me now or pay me later applies in this case.
Pierre

 

[bcall2043]

Thanks for the replies.

One idea I have been rolling around in my head for a use is a putting two bench grinders on a rotary table mounted on one pedestal so that the two grinders occupy the floor space of one. I would like a slip ring between the table and pedestal so that only one power cord is used and would not get twisted up. This is just a thought at this time. I got the slip ring idea from a retractable power cord reel I once saw.

Benny
The Orphanage Never Closes