[TheForge] Bed frame steel

[Larry and Pat Brown]

Don
Most frames are at least a medium carbon steel, they are not all the same 
or consistent. You can spot anneal with an acetylene torch for drilling, 
sometimes. I wouldn't quench anything that was just welded as welding 
builds enough stress in the material and quenching will keep it there. Weld 
two pieces of the scraps together with one weld and quench, then do the 
same with two more scraps and let air cool. Then pull them apart. Most of 
the time you will see larger grain in the quenched piece and with the 
frames the weld might pull out of the base metal looking like rock candy.

Guess how I know?

Sudden rain storm got me (actually I was in rain potential denial) and the 
last piece I welded came off with huge crystals

They also make good material for exhaust brackets on trucks as there is a 
lot of strength for their size, or any other extra strength application.
Larry (I should be able to finish this before it rains) Brown


At 04:42 PM 6/28/2004 -0400, you wrote:
>Anyone have any idea what bed frames are typically made of? They spark test
>out with a fair quantity of carbon and will harden. I always assumed they 
>were
>whatever junky stuff might be available but all the frames collected over the
>years consistently test out at relatively high carbon.
>
>I'm cutting some up to make shelf supports for steel stock not making samurai
>swords or the like. Just a casual concern about  cooling quickly in water
>after some mig welding.
>
>Kindest regards
>
>Don Plummer
>Plummer Design Works
>392 Hallman Mill Road
>Phoenixville, PA 19460
>610-495-5058