The arrival of fall with its shorter days and crisp temperatures reminds us of long-held practices, many of which began when we were school children. The slower days of summer are over and the final quarter of the year is upon us; it’s a time to shift our mindset to personal productivity and get moving on that to-do list of priorities. While great in theory, being consistently productive throughout the day is difficult to achieve. In The New York Times article “Time Wasted? Perhaps It’s Well Spent,” Steve Pavlina reveals that the average office worker is engaged in work-related activity only 1.5 hours per day. The rest of the time is spent socializing, on the Internet, eating, making phone calls, shuffling papers, and engaging in other non-work activities. Sounds extreme, but it is a rare few of us who are satisfied with how much we accomplish in a day.
Conduct a Google search for “time management” and you’ll find countless tips on how to improve productivity: set daily goals, touch each paper on your desk only once, return e-mails within 24 hours, and maintain a clear desk at all times, but sticking to these practices can be unrealistic with so many distractions at hand. So, how do you stay focused no matter how unappealing the task? We’ve pulled together several suggestions that we have found to be helpful to us at Admiral Metals. We hope you will, too.
Carve out time that is yours alone. Interruptions, like an email inbox pop up, are the bane of focus and productivity. Try setting an “out of office” message, shutting down your email and silencing your phone for a specific time each day.
Make it public. There’s nothing quite as effective as a little peer pressure to help get something done. When you inform coworkers that you plan to finish a project, you will be more likely to see the job through.
Maintain momentum. Newton’s First Law of Motion tells us that when you enter a state of motion, the momentum carries you, making it difficult to stop. Take a break as you need it, but make your breaks productive, like a quick walk to think about what you’re tackling next. Then, get to it.
Change your environment. Altering your environment can diminish distractions. Family photos, a message requiring follow up, or a personal bill on your desk can all take your mind elsewhere. Try moving to a conference room or cafeteria where you might find it easier to focus.
Employee Spotlight
Gabrielle Castro, Admirals’ Sales and Marketing Coordinator
When it comes to Admiral Care, no one is more familiar with the impact of customer service excellence than Gabby Castro. As Admiral Metals’ Sales and Marketing Coordinator, she coordinates the details of the way in which Admiral communicates service and quality, then measures its impact. She’s the engine that keeps the sales and marketing team rolling in the right direction.
A long-time intern here at Admiral, and a recent graduate of Fairfield University majoring in English, she brings a fresh approach to Admiral Metals’ communications. Look for the launch of our Facebook Page next month, we may need to change her title to Social Media Engineer.
If only I’d thought to take my phone with me, I could be getting some work done.
Write things down. Free your mind from the distraction of needing to complete one task while working on another by writing it down. Dedicate one notebook for your to-do list. The act of writing something down helps commit you to doing it and allows nothing to slip through the cracks. No one likes having a task sit on their “to do” list for long and we all know how satisfying it can be to cross a project off a list.
Stop surfing the web. The Internet is an endless vault of time wasters. That’s why it’s called “the web;” there’s so much interconnected content to read. Blogger Mark Wieczorek created a simple webpage with the words “Get Back To Work” with a spot to write down his next goal. It’s his homepage and stands as a firm reminder every time he opens his browser.
Follow the one-minute rule. Don’t postpone any task that can be done in less than one minute. Because the tasks are so quick, it isn’t too hard to follow the rule and it yields big results.watch Snowden film online now
Buy necessary supplies and keep them in order. There are those who ascribe to the old saying “it’s a poor workman who blames his tools.” Not us at Admiral. When you have the right tools, and keep them organized, it increases your productivity and limits the frustration associated with looking for something lost.
Do what’s important first. The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, states, “80{41f8e085fc68038a2da2699f98ad8aea8b7e87e25f742017f6f76a0b55118d3c} of the outputs come from 20{41f8e085fc68038a2da2699f98ad8aea8b7e87e25f742017f6f76a0b55118d3c} of the inputs.” The same is true of productivity; 80{41f8e085fc68038a2da2699f98ad8aea8b7e87e25f742017f6f76a0b55118d3c} of your results come from 20{41f8e085fc68038a2da2699f98ad8aea8b7e87e25f742017f6f76a0b55118d3c} of the time and effort you invest. Try to determine which tasks on your “to do” list will produce results that will bring you closer to your goals. Focus on what’s important and try to eliminate the rest.
Set tighter deadlines. “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson realized you adjust yourself to the deadlines you are given. When you set tighter deadlines it will force you to focus on what’s important and get straight to the point.
It’s not easy to stay on top of every detail, remain organized and operate at top efficiency at all times. It takes practice. Take small steps first; they can bring about big results. And the satisfaction of a productive day can be motivation enough to keep those practices going.
In order to provide our customers with the highest standard of Admiral Care, we can’t afford to let our productivity wane. Our Admiral Care customer care team endeavors to provide our customers with top quality service. These tips have helped us stay on track and we hope they will benefit you, too.
How do you remain productive in your work? We’d like to hear from you with tips or tricks you use to get the most out of your day.
Now, it’s time for me to get back to work…
Wishing you the very best in business,
Brass and bronze are two of the most widely used copper alloys in precision manufacturing — and while they're often mentioned in the same breath, they perform very differently in the field. Choosing the right alloy for a given application isn't just about cost or availability; it's about matching the material's properties to the demands of the job.
This guide covers the key differences between brass and bronze, highlights the grades we rely on most at Admiral Metals — including C360's industry-leading machinability, C954's outstanding corrosion resistance, and the growing shift from C360 to C2745 for lead-free applications — and gives you a practical framework for making the right call.
The Fundamental Difference
Both are copper alloys, but the alloying elements define everything:
Brass
Bright golden appearance, excellent machinability, and strong corrosion resistance in everyday environments. The go-to choice for high-volume precision machining.
Bronze
Harder, stronger, and superior in harsh or submerged environments. The specialist alloy for marine, industrial, and heavy-load applications.
Zinc (brass) favors cost, machinability, and electrical conductivity. Tin, aluminum, or silicon (bronze) favors strength, wear resistance, and corrosion performance under demanding conditions.
Key Property Comparison
| Property | Brass | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| Machinability | ||
| Corrosion Resistance | ||
| Hardness / Wear | ||
| Material Cost | ||
| RoHS / Lead-Free | C360: contains lead · C2745: fully compliant | C954: compliant |
Brass Grades: What You Need to Know
C360 — Free-Cutting Brass: The Machinability Benchmark
C360 — Alloy 360 / Free-Cutting Brass
- Machinability rated at ~100% — the universal benchmark against which all other copper alloys are measured
- Contains ~3% lead, which acts as a built-in chip-breaker and internal lubricant during cutting operations
- Produces short, manageable chips — critical for screw machines and high-speed CNC turning centers
- Dramatically extends tool life and enables faster cycle times versus other copper alloys
- Delivers excellent surface finish with minimal secondary operations required
- Ideal for fittings, valves, fasteners, gears, and general-purpose machined components
- Limitation: Not RoHS compliant — restricted in potable water plumbing, EU-exported products, and medical applications
The lead particles in C360 don't dissolve into the copper matrix — they remain as tiny dispersed inclusions that act as a chip-breaker and internal lubricant at the cutting edge. The result: short, manageable chips instead of the long stringy swarf that plagues other alloys, dramatically reduced tool wear, faster cycle times, and a superior surface finish right off the machine. For high-volume screw machine work or CNC turning, no other copper alloy delivers this combination of speed, finish quality, and cost efficiency.
C2745 — Lead-Free Eco Brass: The Modern Alternative
The traditional choice
~3% lead content · Machinability ~100% · Not RoHS or NSF 61 compliant · Restricted in potable water and EU applications
The lead-free standard
<0.09% lead · Machinability ~70–80% of C360 · Fully RoHS, NSF 61 & California AB 1953 compliant · Drop-in replacement for most machined parts
As regulations around lead in plumbing and potable water systems have tightened — particularly under NSF/ANSI 61, the EU's RoHS directive, and California's AB 1953 (Prop 65 "Lead-Free" standard) — the industry has been steadily migrating away from C360 for these applications. C2745 is the primary engineered replacement: it retains excellent machinability (~70–80% of C360), fits the same stock forms and tolerances, and requires no significant design changes in most cases.
Other Key Brass Grades
C464
- Tin addition significantly improves seawater corrosion resistance over standard brass
- Common in marine hardware, propeller shafts, and condenser tubes
- Good combination of strength and formability
C260
- Exceptional cold-working and deep-draw capability
- Used for ammunition casings, radiator cores, springs, and stampings
- Good corrosion resistance; moderate machinability
Bronze Grades: Strength Where It Counts
C954 — Aluminum Bronze: The Corrosion Resistance Leader
C954 — Alloy 954 / Aluminum Bronze
- Outstanding corrosion resistance — resists seawater, mild acids, and high-temperature oxidation
- Aluminum content (~9–11%) forms a tenacious, self-healing oxide layer similar in principle to stainless steel
- High tensile strength (~85 ksi) combined with excellent wear and erosion resistance
- Preferred for pump impellers, propellers, marine shafting, valves, and chemical plant components
- Inherently corrosion-resistant throughout its cross-section — not dependent on coatings or plating
- Lead-free and fully compliant with environmental regulations
- Well-suited for heavy structural and flow-exposed parts where coating integrity cannot be guaranteed
The aluminum content in C954 creates a dense, tightly adhering aluminum oxide surface layer that reforms instantly if the surface is scratched or abraded — providing robust, self-repairing protection in saltwater, mild acids, and oxidizing atmospheres. Unlike many alloys that rely on surface coatings for corrosion protection, C954 is corrosion-resistant throughout its entire cross-section. This makes it the material of choice for pump components, propeller hubs, marine shafting, and any application where coating integrity cannot be reliably maintained.
Other Key Bronze Grades
C932
- The workhorse bearing bronze — conformable, low friction, embeds contaminants
- Excellent for bushings, washers, and thrust bearings under moderate loads
- Available in oil-impregnated form for self-lubricating applications
C510 / C544
- Phosphorus addition increases hardness and significantly improves fatigue resistance
- Excellent for springs, electrical contacts, and fine wire mesh
- Good corrosion resistance in both fresh and salt water
C651 / C655
- Outstanding weldability — preferred for architectural and artistic fabrication
- Good strength and corrosion resistance
- Used in marine fasteners, bolts, and sculpture
C863
- Very high strength — among the strongest of all copper alloys
- Used for heavy-duty gears, wear plates, and structural hardware
- Good resistance to dezincification in seawater
When to Use Each: A Practical Guide
Choose Brass When…
- High-volume precision machining is the priority (C360 or C2745)
- Electrical or thermal conductivity matters for the design
- Aesthetic / decorative finish is important (warm golden color)
- Cost is a primary constraint on the project
- Mild corrosion environments — air, fresh water, indoor service
- Lead-free compliance is required → specify C2745 or C464
- Plumbing fittings, HVAC components, instrumentation
- Locks, gears, ammunition casings, musical instruments
Choose Bronze When…
- Marine or submerged saltwater exposure is a factor (C954, C464)
- High wear, bearing, or bushing performance is required (C932, C954)
- Elevated temperature or chemical plant service conditions apply
- Heavy structural parts require high tensile strength
- Pump impellers, propellers, shafts, valves in aggressive media
- Springs and electrical contacts needing fatigue resistance (C510)
- Welded assemblies and architectural or artistic work (C655)
- Inherent corrosion resistance is needed throughout the cross-section
Quick Grade Reference
The Bottom Line
Brass and bronze aren't interchangeable — they're complementary. Brass wins on machinability, cost, and everyday corrosion resistance, making it the default choice for precision machined parts in benign environments. Bronze wins in demanding conditions: marine exposure, heavy loads, bearing surfaces, and anywhere a coating simply can't be relied upon.
Within each family, grade selection matters just as much as alloy family. C360 remains the machining benchmark, but C2745 is becoming the responsible default for any application touching potable water or destined for regulated markets. And when corrosion or wear is the design driver, C954 aluminum bronze is in a class of its own among copper alloys.
Not sure which grade is right for your next job? Our team has been matching customers to the right material since 1950 — give us a call or request a quote online.
Ready to Order or Need a Recommendation?
Admiral Metals stocks a full range of brass and bronze alloys in rod, bar, tube, and plate — cut to your exact requirements.