[TheForge] Hardy questions

Chris Kilpatrick crimsonkil at lycos.com
Wed Nov 24 17:32:37 EST 2004 

By the way,
     Thanks Dave for all your help.  I heard a rumor that boron was added to the steel to make the tempering go deeper, any truth to this?

-Chris

----- Original Message -----
From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Hardy questions
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 17:16:15 -0500

> 
> Chris,  Another thing -- I have never seen rail that came from the mill that 
> had grind marks -- possible but I am not aware of it.  More likely reground 
> in the field -- but then why not used?  Remove maybe because of some other 
> defect that was detected at the same time as grinding.  Both Sperry and the 
> AAR (Association of American Railroads) built and my still be building rail 
> inspection equipment to look for defects in rail that is in service.  If 
> found the rail would be remove, rather than risk a failure and derailment. 
> (Long story but my Dad worked for the AAR in their research labs in Chicago 
> for 30 plus years.)
> 
> Dave
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chris Kilpatrick" <crimsonkil at lycos.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 12:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Hardy questions
> 
> 
>     This rail never saw service, it still has the finishing grinding marks 
> on the rail top.  When I sliced it through, I could see a line about 5/16 
> below the surface, that went across the face of the of my cut.  It could 
> just be an illusion of the saw;  I have symetrical undulations across the 
> web of this same rail from my saw, so that is a possibility, but the rail 
> head piece is more abrupt; there is an actual line I can see.  Work 
> hardening as I understand it is like heat treating in that it decreases over 
> depth as opposed to a visible, precise, razor fine line.
> 
> -Chris K.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Hardy questions
> Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 11:40:27 -0500
> 
> >
> > Chris,  Thinking some more about your question about "something welded to
> > top".  Can you see the line on both sides of the rail?  The action of the
> > wheel flange will cause the head of the rail to roll to the inside.  This 
> > is
> > especially true on the outside rail from a curve.  Some railroads had or
> > have special equipment to grind this cold working off of the rail from 
> > time
> > to time.  This is also why rail would be re-laid (still is) to use the 
> > other
> > side of the rail head as the inside or flange side of the rail.  Over it's
> > service life your rail may well have seen service as both the right hand 
> > and
> > left hand rail.
> >
> > Dave
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Chris Kilpatrick" <crimsonkil at lycos.com>
> > To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:40 AM
> > Subject: Re: [TheForge] Hardy questions
> >
> >
> > My guestimations had it at 128#/yard, so 133# is not out of the question.
> > it is 7+" tall and the foot is 6" wide and the railhead is 2 3/4" wide.
> >
> > -Chris K.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
> > To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> > Subject: Re: [TheForge] Hardy questions
> > Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:17:13 -0500
> >
> > >
> > > Most rail is close to 1080 with about 1 % mag.  By the very nature of 
> > > it's
> > > service requirements rail is very good stuff.  It makes great tools --
> > > hammers, cutting tools, woodworking tools, almost anything you would 
> > > make
> > > out of a 1060 to a 1095 steel if buying stock new.  Not sure about you
> > > comment about the formation at the top of the rail other than work
> > > hardening.  How heavy is your section?  Rail is measure in weight per
> > > yard.
> > > (not weight per foot)  This is almost always noted on the side of the 
> > > rail
> > > along with the year of manufacture.  I just pick up some scrap rail that
> > > was
> > > 85 pounds per yard made in 1928.  This is small rail for normal railroad
> > > use -- most main line track being in the range of 133 pounds per yard.
> > > Rail
> > > was often re-laid -- moved from mainline service to siding or yard use 
> > > to
> > > get more life out of it.  Some rail is weld repaired when used in areas
> > > like
> > > switch frogs but not over longer lengths that I know of.
> > >
> > > You can use rail for lots of things -- just know that it is high 
> > > carbon --
> > > don't quench it unless you want it very hard.  For things other than 
> > > tools
> > > I
> > > would use mild steel and save my rail road rail for tooling.
> > >
> > > Dave Smucker
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Chris Kilpatrick" <crimsonkil at lycos.com>
> > > To: "SCA Metalsmiths" <ekmetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>;
> > > <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 12:10 PM
> > > Subject: [TheForge] Hardy questions
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi folks,
> > >      Just got a bandsaw for Christmas (early, I know) I have been 
> > > reducing
> > > some railroad rail into hardy sized pieces, have several questions:
> > >      First, it appears as if the rail had a 1/4 piece welded to the top 
> > > of
> > > the rail (there is a clear line where this section stops)  Are
> > > appearancess
> > > deceiving?
> > >      Secondly, I have come up with plans for spring fuller dies as
> > > follows:
> > > flatter dies, drawing dies, vee dies, veining dies, various round and
> > > square
> > > dies.  I also have come up with bending forks, rivet bottom tools, 
> > > several
> > > small stake anvils.  Any suggestions on what other tooling UI can make
> > > from
> > > RR rail?
> > >      By the way, I have no power hammer, so all suggestions need to be
> > > slanted to hand hammering.
> > >
> > > thanks in advance,
> > >
> > > Chris K.
> > >
> > > It is I who formed the blacksmith,
> > > who fans the flame into a fire and
> > > fashions a weapon fit for it's work.
> > >
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> 
> It is I who formed the blacksmith,
> who fans the flame into a fire and
> fashions a weapon fit for it's work.
> 
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> 



It is I who formed the blacksmith, 
who fans the flame into a fire and
fashions a weapon fit for it's work.

-- 
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