Which Metal Is Stronger? Brass vs. Steel vs. Copper vs. Aluminum

The Hydraulic Press Channel needs no introduction. We talked about its content for the first time in 2016 (technically it was born in 2015), and it already has almost 400 million views. If you want to see things crushed and/or reduced to mush, the channel is simply unmissable, and its latest installment is a kind of metal duel. Brass, steel, copper, and aluminum. Which one will resist the press the most? Explosions and broken windows, guaranteed.

Calculating the maximum stress and compression of different materials is a fundamental aspect of using them safely. Choosing the wrong metal or an insufficient amount could cause severe problems, accidents, and even loss of life. It is a very serious matter that should be left to professionals… however, in the universe of YouTube, it is possible to relax, and a lot. In other words, today we are going to see a group of four classic metals, crushed by a giant hydraulic press for no reason at all.

The Crushing Results

The 'work' is carried out by the tireless Hydraulic Press Channel, its creator Lauri Vuohensilta, and his accent (which is basically another character in the videos). Four samples: Brass, steel, copper, and aluminum. All with the same dimensions, so the comparison is a little fairer. The first victim was copper (809 grams), which throws in the towel just past 30 tons, reaching a limit of 49 tons. As expected, steel (706 grams) remains almost intact until reaching 70 tons, with a ceiling of 93 tons.

The third attempt on the hydraulic press was for brass (765 grams). Its deformation begins near 40 tons, with a peak of 63 tons. Finally, aluminum (245 grams) deforms with a compression of 30 tons, and registers a maximum of 49-52 tons. Needless to say, the scientific rigor of these measurements is very limited (not a controlled environment, we don't know purity values, etc.), and all we care about is seeing how the press slowly destroys those samples.

But there's more! The return of brass to the press was truly spectacular, as a piece of the sample shot out at high speed, and it's a miracle it didn't kill anyone. A window in the factory where they film the videos served as a 'sacrifice' to the YouTube gods, and those who follow the channel on Twitch had the privilege of enjoying that moment live. What will they explode next time? You'll have to subscribe to find out...