Brass is one of the most machinable metals — free-cutting grades chip cleanly at high speed with excellent finish and long tool life, which is why it's a favorite for fittings, valves and connectors. Sharp tools and higher speeds give the best results; leaded and lead-free grades machine a little differently.
It turns and mills easily on general machines and Swiss lathes, so the machine matters less than throughput. See related metals like copper and aluminum in the glossary.
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