[TheForge] Re: Welding 5160 (Ralph Sproul)

[Thomas A. Troszak]

> Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 14:47:10 -0600
> From: jim wallbridge <jmew@telusplanet.net>
> Subject: [TheForge] Re: Welding 5160 (Ralph Sproul)

> Tom, I would be very interested in what alloys, in what forms,
> particularly if it is a W or O tool steel, you having been buying
> from Uddeholm and Crucible if that is not privileged information.

Dear Jim,

From Uddeholm: ORVAR 2M amn ORVAR SUPREME (plate and round).  The ORVAR 2M
gave good results hardened at 1850-1875  and the ORVAR SUPREME between
1900-1925. Never had a piece fail to harden, never had a crack, machines
beautifully.

I have also used their A-2 and it worked very well.

The Crucible steel was supposed to be H-13, but we got pieces that couldn't
be machined even before hardening, and pieces that wouldn't get hard, even
after three different attempts at increasing temperature ranges, and pieces
that cracked while cooling in still air. Even at $1.85/lb. it wasn't worth
the trouble.

I recently got some H-13 from Republic that gets good and hard, but will
crack if cooled too aggressively.

No W or O, sorry. I usually only buy small pieces from the catalogs, or
coils of 1095 for making springs.

Tom Troszak