[TheForge] slit & drift question

[David E. Smucker]

While H-13 will work great, S-7 which is easier to find will work great too. 
While I still have some H-13 around I have started using S-7 for all of my 
tooling of this type.  As to the drifts of course S-7 or H13 will work great 
but good old coil spring or 4140 / 4340 will work fine too.  All depends on 
what you have and what you want to spend.  You can now find S-7 on sale at 
ENCO for a good price.

A high temperature lubricate designed for industrial forging really helps 
with this type of tooling.  Tom Clark sells some as do the folks with Big 
Blu power hammers.  You can make your own with a mixture of graphite and 
soluble oil.  Not as good as the stuff above but still not bad, and better 
than a mix of coal fines and oil.  You can buy the graphite from your local 
locksmith.  A quart can of graphite cost me about $ 18.00 last year.

Dave Smucker
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <williamsiron at comcast.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] slit & drift question


> Dave,
>
> As you are cutting through 3/4" bar, I would use H-13 for the slitter and 
> make two of them. Plus make the drifts out of S-7.
>
> Mark
> Snow Hill, Maryland
>
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: "Dave Mudge" <dave at magichammer.net>
>
>> Dear TheForge,
>> I have a couple questions that I think some of you my have answers for.
>> I have a job coming up where I will have to pass 1/2" square pickets
>> through 3/4" x 1-1/2" flat bar.
>> I want to use the split & drift method.
>> 1. How long does the split have to be to be in order to drift it out
>> to 1/2" square? even through 3/4" flat bar?
>> 2. What is the best material that may be commonly found in a machine
>> shop to make the splitting chisel from?
>>
>> thanks in advance,
>> dave mudge
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