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Spring Wire

RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
edited November 2018 in Ask the Experts
I found a packet of spring wire; about .028 diameter and each 8" or so long. A few years back I picked it up to fashion a bolt release spring for an old Sako Vixen. Worked great, but I don't recall the process for tempering the spring after it's been properly contoured.
I'm thinking something like heating to cherry red and quenching in oil. Any suggestions? I have enough I may just experiment, but it would be nice to have a better idea of what I'm doing.
Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving to All!
Rob [:D]
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's a black art IMHO. Heat treatment can be a 2 part process, hardening and annealing. Depends on your starting material for specific conditions.

    I have made flat springs from 4140 IIRC, but that was long ago. Much easier to form spring steel with a ball peen hammer on the end grain of wood. Grind to shape but don't let it get hot to draw the temper.

    I high school I would walk past a place than made/fixed leaf springs for cars/trucks almost daily on the way home. Was absolutely fascinating watching shaped white hot steel go into an oil bath. Later the steel was re heated to some temp like bright cherry red, then dipped rapidly in/out of an oil bath to some other color like light straw yellow before being dropped into the tank. The color was read in the shade inside the building. A laser thermometer might be handy.

    Thin metal in a torch will take more skill than thick metal in an electric or even a gas furnace.

    Lots of youtube vids from the knife makers on heat treatment.

    https://www.acxesspring.com/how-to-heat-treat-spring-steel.html

    added In the shop we made bail springs for fishing reels from round stock music wire by just forming it around a mandrel.


    Happy holidays to you and yours.
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    RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the info, Charlie. Reminded me of a knife maker, Merle Sequine (credited with the "gut hook blade mod, which he claimed was intended for removing the coffee pot from the campfire and not originally for gutting game). He worked in my home town and I still have one of his knives that my Dad's Forest Service buddies were kind enough to give him instead of a gold watch when he retired.
    For years Merle swore by leaf springs from Henry J's to fashion his blades. Not sure what he went to when the supply inevitably ran out.
    Not sure if the retirement knife is Henry J or later material.
    And a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, as well!
    Rob
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wasn't aware, that spring wire had to be annealed? Years ago, I broke a trigger spring, on one of the Thomas DAO .45's. Needless to say, no replacements were to be had.

    Had to buy a assortment of spring wire, from Brownells. To get the specific diameter I needed.

    It seems annealing, (softening), a spring, after forming to the proper configuration. Would defeat, it's intended purpose.
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    Bill DeShivsBill DeShivs Member Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most spring wire is already heat treated for spring properties. You shouldn't need to do anything to it.

    Trying to heat treat wire springs is very difficult-this coming from someone who has made THOUSANDS OF SMALL LEAF SPRINGS, AND QUITE A FEW COIL SPRINGS.
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    truthfultruthful Member Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You don't anneal the whole spring, just the end, or ends, that you need to bend into a loop or other shape to fasten the spring in place.

    Tempering a spring wire can be a bit of a challenge. First it is difficult to get the entire thing heated to the correct color all at the same time. Second, once you get the proper temperature (color) it can cool nonuniformly before hitting the oil (or water).

    Uniform temperature, color, is essential. If the color is too hot (orange, yellow, white) the spring will be brittle. If too cold (dull red) the will not be enough temper to make it springy.
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    yonsonyonson Member Posts: 904 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Spent much of my work life in a Navy defense plant - springs were wound on a mandrel using a lathe with a small amount of handwork to finish the ends for a flat surface. They were never heat treated afterward as that would require considerable experimentation to get the right spring properties. You choose the right stock to start with. Specialty springs made in large quantities would of course be made differently, perhaps with some type of heat treatment.
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    RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No immediate need, but sounds like I'll play around with it and see what I can do with no heat. Will also write to Brownells, as I'm certain that's where I got it from originally.
    Thanks.
    Rob
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    mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    Brownells spring wire just needs to be put in a oven at 350#730; for a while after they are bent to shape...
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    mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    Brownells spring wire just needs to be put in a oven at 350#730; for a while after they are bent to shape...
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    Bill DeShivsBill DeShivs Member Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is 350A#730?
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