12 x 0,6 mm

Brass strip with a 12 x 0.6 mm section

Brass is a rewarding metal on the modeling bench. At six tenths of a millimeter thick it can be cut with ordinary sheet metal shears, bent over the edge of a steel ruler and joined with soft solder just as well as with super glue. A width of twelve millimeters is the middle one of the brand's range: the narrower stock measures six millimeters and the widest twenty-five.

The designation twelve by zero point six describes the width and thickness of the section, not the length. The material is brass, that is an alloy of copper and zinc. It differs from aluminum and tin strips in that it will take soft soldering and keeps its stiffness even after bending.

Where flat stock comes into its own

It suits anywhere a thin but strong surface is needed: floor gratings, ramp plates, stiffeners under a wing, a flat strap across a door frame or long straight trim strips that would bow in time if made of plastic. Ship builders use it for deck plating, and on dioramas it serves as a metal strap across wooden boarding.

Degrease the metal with alcohol before painting and lay down a primer intended for metal surfaces. Acrylic paint holds poorly on bare brass and rubs off when handled. True the cut edges up with a fine file, because a sharp burr is left on them after shearing.

The name gives only the width and the thickness of the section; the length of the piece in the package is not apparent from it.

The strip gets on well with plastic: roughen the mating face with abrasive and even super glue will hold the joint. Store the piece flat, because once a bend is in thin metal you will never get it out again without a trace. Do not throw the offcuts away; they serve for small hardware, loops and clasps, where a cast part would look too heavy.