A few months ago I mentioned that I had got a deal on some magnesium bronze at the scrap dealer. In my research, I found that a common use was for valve stems and this made sense because the piece came from a machine shop that does oilfield repairs.
Today I had occasion to use some. I put a 1 5/8" round bar in the 4x6 bandsaw and went about doing other things. When I went to get my peice, the cut had only progressed less than .125". Ah, cheap carbon blade, replaced with new 8/12 bimetal blade and turned bar to start new cut. New blade cut even less than cheap carbon blade.
I put the bar in the abrasive chopsaw with a ferrous blade and it cut well with a clean cut and obviously, no sparks and no damage to blade.
I put the 3" piece in the lathe and to face the ends and clean the surface and it cut beautifully, with a mirror finish. I put it in the mill with a 3/4" end mill to make a flat side and the cutter was dull before I went down 3/16". I finished the flat with a carbide end mill.
Back in the lathe to drill and tap a 5/8" x 18 hole the full length.Drilled OK with 1/4" pilot drill and then 9/16" drill. I tried to run a .5630" reamer and it was dull before I was halfway through. I am still working with a tap and I am in about 2" and I can only get a couple of threads before it squeals. I should have single pointed the thread.
Incidentally, when the D shape piece was turning, the surface finish is so high that the reflected light coming off the surface was a distracting flash.
Rich: Does this answer your question?