Floor drain material

[Hasni2]

How can one know if a floor drain is of stainless steel material or brass with chrome finish. Believe me they almost look alike and I really face difficulty at times while approving floor drains of stainless steel material. Please give some clue, thanks. 

 

[dicksewerrat]

Scratch one with a knife. You will see the brass.

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.

http://WWW.amlinereast.com

 

[bimr]

The most common stainless steels are the austenitic grades. These grades of stainless steel have a higher chromium content and nickel is also added. It is the nickel which modifies the physical structure of the steel and makes the austenitic grades non-magnetic. Other grades of stainless steel may be magnetic.

Solid brass is also not magnetic. If a magnet sticks, the item is usually steel or cast iron, with a brass plating. If the magnet does not stick, you can test further by scratching a hidden area with a sharp tool. If you see a shiny yellow scratch, the item is likely solid brass. If you see a silvery scratch, your piece is likely white metal (zinc). Iron, steel, and white metal can all be replated, in which case a lacquer is always applied to protect the plating.

Test with a grinder - sparks generally means stainless steel. No sparks means aluminum or chrome-plated brass. Use a grinder to grind off a section - if it is more yellow or gold colored, it's Brass.

If it is stainless steel, it will have a uniform appearance throughout. Cut or grind through the piece of metal to make sure it's not just chrome plated steel.

 

[dvd]

If the floor drains have not been installed yet.

The specific gravity of brass is higher than that of stainless steel. It is possilbe to determine specific gravity of an object directly using weight measurements of the object in air and whilst the object is suspended in water. The specific gravity is the ratio:

s.g. = weight in air/(weight in air - weight in water)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrostatic_weighing

 

[Hasni2]

Thanks bimr, for sharing in such a detail, I have already drilled on a spot and found out yellowish metal underneath, prob brass and has been given a nickel chrome finish...that makes it look like se. I will try the grinder method now, thanks anyway.
Thanks dicksewarret and DVD for your thoughts.

 

[berkshire]

If you have already drilled it and found yellow metal or yellow white metal you already have Brass or Nickel Brass ( German Silver ) you do not need to test further.
B.E.

"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government."
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