I wanted to use solid red brass on a furniture project because of its color but I realized that its high density would create serious weight problems.  Is there a lighter alternative to red brass, but with the same redish color?  Can I use a light alloy like Aluminum as the base and lay a thin layer of red brass on it?
Also, is there an industrial product I can use to prevent or slow down the natural corrosion of brass so that it only needs to be polished once every couple of years?  
Finally, the brass element would be flush with wood.  Does anyone know how the polish to clean brass would affect the wood?  Thank you for your insight.