Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

On Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:51:13 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

Just Google "brass cookware." What you'll find is that uncoated copper
and copper alloys are not recommended for very frequent use (I still
have some French copper omelet pans I've used for over 40 years and
I'm still kicking. Copper causes egg whites to foam and makes a
lighter omelet.)

But it doesn't sound like you're talking about cooking with them every
day. The issue, anyway, is primarily with pans that have a lot of
surface area exposure and that are used for cooking acidic foods.

As long as you're sure the rods are brass, and not berrylium copper or
some obscure bronze alloy, the above points apply.

Bon appétit.

--
Ed Huntress

On Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:51:13 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave
Some brasses have lead in them. Suppose your brass does. I don't think
any meat you you might cook is very acidic so there would probably be
very little lead leached out. But who knows? Young children are very
sensitive to lead poisoning, the developing brain is especially
subject to damage from lead. Adults are way more tolerant to lead
exposure. What may be more of a problem is that a bad metallic taste
may end up spoiling the meat's taste. I can't think of any brass
cookware except for some tourist trinkets from India. And the stuff I
saw from India (teapots and the like) were soldered with lead bearing
solder, so any lead from the brass would be secondary to the solder.
If it was me I'd save the brass for something else and just hit the
thrift store for some rotisserie rods. In fact, that's where I got my
Farberware countertop rotisserie. In like new condition with all the
attachments for 15 bucks.
Eric

On 2012-01-14, wrote:
On Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:51:13 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave
Some brasses have lead in them. Suppose your brass does. I don't think
any meat you you might cook is very acidic so there would probably be
very little lead leached out. But who knows? Young children are very
sensitive to lead poisoning, the developing brain is especially
subject to damage from lead. Adults are way more tolerant to lead
exposure. What may be more of a problem is that a bad metallic taste
may end up spoiling the meat's taste. I can't think of any brass
cookware except for some tourist trinkets from India.

Or -- coat it with melted and wiped tin, as is normally done on
copper cookware.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

On 1/13/2012 6:51 PM, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

1/4" seems kinda' flimsy, my rotisserie rods are 3/8" chrome plated steel.

On Jan 13, 1:51*pm, "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:
Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

Well if the zinc leaches into your food it could give you zinc shakes
and the copper oxides are somewhat poisonous. It could be leaded brass
as others have said. Copper bowls for eggs shouldn't have any
oxidation on them when they're being used. I'd find something else.
Karl

On Jan 13, 10:40*pm, "
wrote:
On Jan 13, 1:51*pm, "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

Well if the zinc leaches into your food it could give you zinc shakes
and the copper oxides are somewhat poisonous. It could be leaded brass
as others have said. Copper bowls for eggs shouldn't have any
oxidation on them when they're being used. I'd find something else.
Karl

Having thought about it for a while,. I think I exaggerated things. I
still wouldn't recommend it. My worry would be leaching from the hot
rod and possible metallic tastes. I'm not sure if the lead in leaded
brass would be a problem either. It does make me wonder about what's
in the brass plumbing fittings from China.
Karl

On 1/14/2012 6:48 AM, wrote:


Having thought about it for a while,. I think I exaggerated things. I
still wouldn't recommend it. My worry would be leaching from the hot
rod and possible metallic tastes. I'm not sure if the lead in leaded
brass would be a problem either. It does make me wonder about what's
in the brass plumbing fittings from China.
Karl

When I replaced the faucet fixture in my kitchen sink the instructions
said to run the water briefly to flush the residual water from it
because of leaching from the brass.... A Koehler, don't think it was
made in China....
--
:3 )~

wrote in message
...
On Jan 13, 10:40 pm, "
wrote:
On Jan 13, 1:51 pm, "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

Well if the zinc leaches into your food it could give you zinc shakes
and the copper oxides are somewhat poisonous. It could be leaded brass
as others have said. Copper bowls for eggs shouldn't have any
oxidation on them when they're being used. I'd find something else.
Karl

Having thought about it for a while,. I think I exaggerated things. I
still wouldn't recommend it. My worry would be leaching from the hot
rod and possible metallic tastes. I'm not sure if the lead in leaded
brass would be a problem either. It does make me wonder about what's
in the brass plumbing fittings from China.
Karl

================================================== =====================

I'd agree. Copper oxides also taste *really* foul & a very small bit goes a
long way. I've inadvertently tasted it when working on copper plumbing
pipes.

In article
,
"Dave, I can't do that" wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

As many others have noted, uncoated brass will leave a very bad taste in
the food, and 1/4" brass is likely too weak, unless this grill is very
small.

As meat cooks, it shrinks, and a 1/4" rod may not be able to prevent
free rotation of meat on spit. You may need some kind of outrigger
spike sliding on the square rod to prevent this.

I would use stainless steel, type 316L. There was a long thread on my
choosing the alloy to make double-prong skewers, and 316L was the
answer. And the resulting skewers (15" long hairpins made of 1/8" round
rod) work just fine.

Joe Gwinn

Thanks to all, the 1/4" is what is in the thing now, albeit chromed
steel. I am not cooking small cows and large pigs, but a 6-lb chicken
comes out just fine. {grin}

In the interim, I also thought of aluminum as I think I may have
access to some 1/4" square too. Will check with neighbor and see what
he has.

Given any and all of the possible issues with brass, I will pass. If
the aluminum won't hold the weight at 400-F, I guess I will have to
buy some stainless. I was just trying to do it cheeeeep, {grin} free,
is always good.

Thanks again.

On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:52:39 -0800 (PST), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Thanks to all, the 1/4" is what is in the thing now, albeit chromed
steel. I am not cooking small cows and large pigs, but a 6-lb chicken
comes out just fine. {grin}

In the interim, I also thought of aluminum as I think I may have
access to some 1/4" square too. Will check with neighbor and see what
he has.

Given any and all of the possible issues with brass, I will pass. If
the aluminum won't hold the weight at 400-F, I guess I will have to
buy some stainless. I was just trying to do it cheeeeep, {grin} free,
is always good.

Thanks again.

Plain steel is good if you clean it after you use it. It isn't hard to
clean a skewer, unlike a grill.

--
Ed Huntress, cheaper than you, I'll bet. d8-)

Tom Gardner mars@tacks on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:40:15 -0500 typed in
rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On 1/13/2012 6:51 PM, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

1/4" seems kinda' flimsy, my rotisserie rods are 3/8" chrome plated steel.

"Let it be a learning experience for him." Hey, maybe for what
he wants, it will work.
--
pyotr
Go not to the Net for answers, for it will tell you Yes and no. And
you are a bloody fool, only an ignorant cretin would even ask the
question, forty two, 47, the second door, and how many blonde lawyers
does it take to change a lightbulb.

"Dave, I can't do that" on Fri, 13 Jan 2012
15:51:13 -0800 (PST) typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Check the MSDS for brass, and specifically for the type brass you
have. As in "Besides copper and tine - what does it have in it?"

That said, there is a silver colored "wash" (tin?) I recall
watching the copper smiths apply to the cooking surfaces of the pots
and pans they were making. You might look that up and just apply a
coating of that to the rods where the food will make contact. (Start
from the pointy end where you skewer it.)
--
pyotr
Go not to the Net for answers, for it will tell you Yes and no. And
you are a bloody fool, only an ignorant cretin would even ask the
question, forty two, 47, the second door, and how many blonde lawyers
does it take to change a lightbulb.

Remember the beautiful cooking ceramics for the kitchen -
Wheat versions - Mom had a set... Until it was found out
that the lead in the clear finish would leach out with anything
acidic - e.g. tomatoes or citric.

There are leaded glasses that are danger to health - both have
peacock colors from an angle. All a health issue.

Martin

On 1/14/2012 5:48 AM, wrote:
On Jan 13, 10:40 pm,
wrote:
On Jan 13, 1:51 pm, "Dave, I can't do
wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

Dave

Well if the zinc leaches into your food it could give you zinc shakes
and the copper oxides are somewhat poisonous. It could be leaded brass
as others have said. Copper bowls for eggs shouldn't have any
oxidation on them when they're being used. I'd find something else.
Karl

Having thought about it for a while,. I think I exaggerated things. I
still wouldn't recommend it. My worry would be leaching from the hot
rod and possible metallic tastes. I'm not sure if the lead in leaded
brass would be a problem either. It does make me wonder about what's
in the brass plumbing fittings from China.
Karl

On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:34:37 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

In article
,
"Dave, I can't do that" wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

As many others have noted, uncoated brass will leave a very bad taste in
the food, and 1/4" brass is likely too weak, unless this grill is very
small.

As meat cooks, it shrinks, and a 1/4" rod may not be able to prevent
free rotation of meat on spit. You may need some kind of outrigger
spike sliding on the square rod to prevent this.

I would use stainless steel, type 316L. There was a long thread on my
choosing the alloy to make double-prong skewers, and 316L was the
answer. And the resulting skewers (15" long hairpins made of 1/8" round
rod) work just fine.

Joe Gwinn

Ive got about 60 lbs of 1/8" "bars" of 316L..about 12 foot long .....

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch