[TheForge] rigid vs. springy steel

[Bruce .]

The cranes are gone for scrap.  Can you believe it?  I think MIB must
have been possessed by alien life forms to get RID of anything steel!

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 1:31 PM, Andrew Vida <osan at netlabs.net> wrote:
> Bruce - don't forget all the 1 1/2" hex that's under the crane at
> Marshall's.  It should be 9260 and it is brutally tough stuff.  A 6 or 8
> inch chunk should be more than enough.  Fire up the hammer and prepare for
> slow movement. :)
>
>
> On 7/25/2013 3:12 PM, Jerry Frost wrote:
>>
>> You're on the right track Bruce, a little thicker and more tightly wound
>> AND don't put a spring temper on it, only draw it back to medium to dark
>> straw and you'll be good to go. Oh yeah, spring steel is a good choice
>> as it's more forgiving in the heat treat so little differences in
>> temperature don't have major effects.
>>
>> I guess I'll *never *learn and keep on replying before reading the whole
>> post. <sigh>
>>
>> You're wanting to make a speed bar, great tools, I have a few though
>> I've never made one. I'd forge it down from spring stock and temper it
>> to medium straw. springs are typically drawn back (tempered) well into
>> the blue. You'll want to make a couple test pieces (coupons) to get the
>> temper right, they WILL be struck with hammers so do a few tests.
>>
>> A good alternate stock is found in tire irons, lug wrenches or (big
>> surprise!) pry bars, yard/garage sale stuff. Again, make some test
>> coupons as a departure point I'd draw the temper down to the straw and
>> adjust from there depending on the test coupons.
>>
>> Jer
>>
>>
>> On 7/25/2013 1:06 AM, Bruce . wrote:
>>>
>>> Here's a question you metal munchers might be able to field:
>>>
>>> I have had a few applications in which I need thin but rigid steel.
>>> What steel is best?
>>>
>>> Consider for example a corkscrew -- it's a helix that holds its shape,
>>> it's rigid. But a spring with a comparable shape is flexible. What's
>>> the difference? I suspect that it's simply the relative dimensions --
>>> a spring is relatively thinner wire wrapped on a relatively larger
>>> mandrel, and vise-verse the corkscrew.
>>>
>>> But is that all there is too it, or is there a metallurgical
>>> difference as well?
>>>
>>> Although I've contemplated making corkscrews, the immediate
>>> application is a prybar for roofing and siding nails and similar
>>> stuff. It would be flat, like these:
>>>
>>> http://www.homedepot.com/p/Dasco-Pro-Pry-Bar-Set-3-Piece-91/202585548#.UfDoym1cWgw
>>>
>>> but of thinner steel. (If I can't make it thinner, I'll just use a
>>> commercial one.)
>>>
>>> I'd like it as thin as possible for a number of reasons, but I don't
>>> want more than minimal flex to the thing. So I'm wondering what steel
>>> to use.
>>>
>>> I have, BTW, considered using thin steel and putting longitudinal
>>> bends ("ribs" or "nerves" or "corrugations" -- whatever you want to
>>> call them -- as are used in larger HVAC ducts to prevent oilcanning of
>>> the large flats) in it, but this partially defeats the purpose, as the
>>> result would effectively be thicker -- so why not use thicker metal
>>> and be done with it?
>>>
>>> This is not any sort of critical problem, but I've had similar
>>> problems before and left them unaddressed. This time I thought I'd
>>> ask....
>>>
>>
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-- 
Bruce
NJ