This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. German to English

Messingspänen

English translation: brass filings

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Messingspänen
English translation:brass filings
Entered by: Jennie Sherrick, MA

00:16 Jan 15, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering / tempering (steel)
German term or phrase: Messingspänen
Article discussing the process of tempering steel. Here's part of the paragraph before the word in question so you know at what point in the process this is at:

"Hierzu werden sie (workpieces made of steel) in eine kalte Flüssigkeit, meist Wasser oder Öl eingetaucht und 'abgeschreckt'. Dabei verdichtet such die Molekularstruktur des Materials und das Werkstück wird so hart wie Glas und dabei sehr spröde."

"Um den Stahl einerseits wieder bruchfester zu machen und andererseits weiter bearbeiten zu können, muss er wieder etwas 'weicher' gemacht werden. Das blank geschliffene Stahlteil wird deshalb in ***Messingspäne*** langsam erwärmt."

Thanks!
Jennie Sherrick, MA
United States
Local time: 08:41
brass filings
Explanation:
I'd just like to point out that Späne is also translated as filings. I think the process needs fine filings to create the proper heat distribution.

Heat Bluing
When tempering steel, colour is commonly judged by watching for the progressively darker "temper colours" to form. One of these is a deep and attractive blue.
This oxide film isn't robust, and so it's not a finish that's useful for gunsmithing. It's popular amongst watchmakers though and is the traditional finish for clock or watch hands protected under a glass crystal. The British Horological Institute has some good notes on bluing clock parts
It's simple to form this blue colour. Clean and polish the item as usual, then heat it. You'll need to watch carefully until the correct colour forms. Once coloured (and cooled) protect with a wax polish, like Renaissance wax. Heating can be done with either a spirit lamp flame, a hot air gun, or heated in a dish of sand. The presence of brass encourages this blue colour, so watchmakers often use a bed of brass filings, rather than sand.
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 06:41
Grading comment
Thanks Kim for your suggestion and clarification of the answer. I chose this one as it had more to do tempering steel for the watchmaking industry (sorry again that I didn't mention that sooner!). Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to explain your answers and find references. :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2brass chips
Edward L. Crosby III
4Brass Shavings
William Kratzer Jr.
4brass filings
Kim Metzger
3brass turnings?
Kim Metzger


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
brass turnings?


Explanation:
I'm not a metallurgist, so I don't know if this applies in your situation.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-15 00:40:17 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another possibility: brass shavings or filings. This site deals with bluing of clock hands.

Bluing
If you want to do the job properly, heat bluing is the route for you. But, be prepared for a lot of practice and frustration. The thinner the metal you are working with or the degree of taper from boss to tip that you are bluing, the greater the difficulty.
Too much heat, and you will \"white out\" the steel, and will have to start all over. Not enough movement of the heat source according to the thickness of the hands and you will vary the colour from too light to deep blue to purple, to brown. Whenever you \"white out\" you have to polish the steel down again, and start over.
Method 1.
This method involves placing the hands on a bed of granules that will transmit the heat evenly over the whole length of the hand.
Place granules (silica sand, Salt or Clean Brass filings) in a tin or metal type pan. Use about 1/8\" of granules in pan. Lay the hands finish side up on the sand and with heat source of some kind such as a wood oil burner, begin heating the bottom of the pan and keep the pan moving with the hands staying in the centre of the flame as much as possible. After the sand gets hot the hands will begin to change colour - a reddish colour first and a maroon colour and then watch carefully for the colour you desire. When the colour is as you please, remove the hands and place in water or oil to cool.
http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/bluing.htm#Bluing



    Reference: http://brassbar.copper.org/alloy360/free-cutting.html
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 06:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
brass chips


Explanation:
would probably work in this instance, although the correct term in English for "Spaene" is "swarf".

As you turn a piece of metal in a lathe (for example) and remove metal from it, the removed metal takes the form of a long (or sometimes not so long) filament. The pile of such pieces left after processing the workpiece are the "Spaene".

In order to keep the filament of removed metal from becoming too long, lathes are often fitted with devices called "chip breakers" ("Spaenebrecher").

In this case I don't think they're necessarily referring to waste produced in a machining operation, hence I'd go with "brass chips".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-15 00:31:55 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here\'s a chipbreaker: http://www.liqui-filter.de/produkte/spaenesysteme/spaenebrec...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-01-15 00:38:06 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Details on metal cutting, chips, chip breakers, etc. here: http://mmu.ic.polyu.edu.hk/handout/0102/0102.htm#9

Edward L. Crosby III
Local time: 05:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 527

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rowan Morrell: "Brass chips" was my first thought as well. Happy New Year Edward.
15 mins
  -> Thanks, Rowan, and same to you. Hope you had a nice Christmas!
agree  Antoinette-M. Sixt Ruth
19 mins
  -> Thanks, A-M.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Brass Shavings


Explanation:
The clip was coated on that with carpenter glue and covered inside and outside with Messingspaenen.

Hierauf wurde die Schelle mit Tischlerleim bestrichen und innen und außen mit Messingspänen bestreut. Das Schelleninnere wurde mit Sägespänen gefüllt.


    Reference: http://www.trimm.de/venter/de/page63.html
William Kratzer Jr.
United States
Local time: 08:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 84
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
brass filings


Explanation:
I'd just like to point out that Späne is also translated as filings. I think the process needs fine filings to create the proper heat distribution.

Heat Bluing
When tempering steel, colour is commonly judged by watching for the progressively darker "temper colours" to form. One of these is a deep and attractive blue.
This oxide film isn't robust, and so it's not a finish that's useful for gunsmithing. It's popular amongst watchmakers though and is the traditional finish for clock or watch hands protected under a glass crystal. The British Horological Institute has some good notes on bluing clock parts
It's simple to form this blue colour. Clean and polish the item as usual, then heat it. You'll need to watch carefully until the correct colour forms. Once coloured (and cooled) protect with a wax polish, like Renaissance wax. Heating can be done with either a spirit lamp flame, a hot air gun, or heated in a dish of sand. The presence of brass encourages this blue colour, so watchmakers often use a bed of brass filings, rather than sand.



    Reference: http://www.paranoia-towers.com/armoury/blueing/
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 06:41
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192
Grading comment
Thanks Kim for your suggestion and clarification of the answer. I chose this one as it had more to do tempering steel for the watchmaking industry (sorry again that I didn't mention that sooner!). Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to explain your answers and find references. :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search