360 free-machining brass
The screw-machine brass most shops run as round and hex bar. Bar ends long enough to chuck are what we want to see.
Solids · Brass, bronze & copper · Solids only
Sell brass, bronze and copper drops and bar ends
We review brass, bronze and copper solids: 360 brass, 260 brass, C932 and C954 bronze and C110 copper as bar ends, plate drops, rounds, billets and saw cutoffs, kept by alloy. A labeled 360 round long enough to chuck is another shop's blank, so we review it as stock, not as melt. We do not buy chips, turnings, wire, pipe or mixed loose scrap.
What we look at
Solids only, one alloy per box: bar ends, plate drops, rounds, billets and saw cutoffs. Chips, turnings, swarf and mixed loose scrap are out. Turnings are the most common brass scrap stream, and they belong at a normal recycler.
260 cartridge brass
Usually sheet, plate and strip. Keep it in its own box. It looks a lot like 360 once it's cut.
C932 bearing bronze
Also sold as SAE 660. Mostly cored and solid bar for bushings. Keep it apart from other bronzes.
C954 aluminum bronze
A tougher bronze used for wear parts and bushings. Keep it in its own labeled box, apart from C932.
C110 copper
Bar and plate drops of everyday copper. Bus bar offcuts count if they are clean, solid and unplated.
C101 or C145
In scope only when the alloy is identified by a stamp, cert or packing slip. Unmarked copper is treated as unknown.
Why a clean bar end is stock, not scrap
A yard pays one price for "brass" or "red metal" because it is going to be melted. A labeled 360 round long enough to chuck can be another shop's blank. Alloy ID is what separates the two. Unmarked pieces get valued with less certainty; see how to identify unmarked drops.
What helps a buyer trust it
- An alloy stamp, inkjet print or supplier tag on the bar.
- A mill cert, heat or lot number, or packing slip that names the alloy. See how mill certs raise the offer.
- Straight bar with a diameter you can measure, and square-cut plate drops.
Usually a recycler's job
- Chips, turnings and swarf.
- Plumbing fittings, pipe, valves and wire.
- Plated, soldered or painted pieces.
- Mixed red and yellow metal in one bin.
Keep alloys apart
360 brass, leaded or cast bronze and copper can look alike by eye, especially once they've oxidized. Mixing them drags the whole lot into the uncertain bucket. One alloy per box, labeled, with the cert or packing slip kept with the pieces.
Be honest about what you know. Color is a rough sort, not an alloy ID. We won't name an alloy from color alone, and you shouldn't either. If a box is unmarked, label it "unknown" and we'll review it that way.
Good lot vs bad lot
Good lot
- Straight bar with a measurable diameter and clean saw cuts.
- Plate drops with sizes you can measure.
- One alloy per box, stamps visible, cert or packing slip included.
Bad lot
- Short stubs nobody can chuck.
- Heavily machined skeletons.
- Plated, soldered or painted pieces, or alloys mixed in one bin.
- These usually belong at a normal recycler.
How to sell a brass, bronze or copper lot
1. Sort
One alloy per box. Unmarked pieces go in their own box labeled "unknown".
2. Photograph
The whole lot with a tape measure in frame, then close-ups of stamps or paint codes and the cert or packing slip.
3. Submit
Use the sell form with the alloy, a piece count, rough weight and your ZIP, or email buyers@machineshopscrap.com. Ownership certification is required.
4. Review & offer
A person reviews it and makes an offer. There's no posted price per pound. See how we value.
Brass, bronze & copper FAQ
This page goes deeper than the brass card on solids. Other metals have their own pages: aluminum plate drops, stainless drops, carbon and alloy steel drops, tool steel drops, titanium drops, Inconel drops and Hastelloy and Monel drops.
Do you buy brass chips or turnings?
No. Solids only: bar ends, plate drops, rounds, billets and saw cutoffs. Brass chips and turnings are the most common brass scrap stream, and they go to a normal recycler.
Is 360 brass worth more than C932 bronze?
We don't post a rate for any alloy. Each lot is reviewed by a person. Clear alloy ID and certs help any alloy review higher.
I only have a color and no stamp. Does that count?
Color alone is not an alloy ID. It helps when you also have a packing slip or supplier tag that names the alloy. Send photos and we'll review.
Do you take plumbing fittings, pipe or wire?
No. Those are ordinary scrap and belong at a normal recycler. We look at machinable bar, rod and plate.
Do I need mill certs to sell brass, bronze or copper drops?
No. But a mill cert, heat or lot number, or the supplier packing slip that names the alloy raises the offer, because the next buyer can trust what the material is.