Cutting OCS

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Subject

Author

Date

04-03-2008

Re: tempering the OCS

Chilla

04-10-2008

Posted by theChas. on April 3, 2008, 9:02 pm

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This newbie is asking if one messes up the chemistry of automobile leaf
springs when they use acetylene to cut them? I mean a long cuts to make
slender lengths, to make thinner and narrower springs.
I can't find my copper plate to use my hot cut chisel, so I'm thinking of
using gas. The band saw would take forever. in advance thanks.

--
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Posted by Trevor Jones on April 3, 2008, 9:44 pm

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theChas. wrote:

> This newbie is asking if one messes up the chemistry of automobile leaf

> springs when they use acetylene to cut them? I mean a long cuts to make

> slender lengths, to make thinner and narrower springs.

> I can't find my copper plate to use my hot cut chisel, so I'm thinking of

> using gas. The band saw would take forever. in advance thanks.

There may be some effects on the heat treatment, but if you are a
decent hand with a cutting torch, and have it set up correctly, these
are minimal. You should be able to get it started and cutting pretty
quickly. Maybe raise a burr at the start point to get the burn going
even faster.
The stuff that will be burnt looking will be shaped off with an angle
grinder to finish the edges, yes? That's the stuff that will be most
affected. The rest of it will remain as was, but it will become softer
and easier to bend, if allowed to overheat. I'd suggest getting some
Tempilaq sticks (about 350-375 deg F) and using them to monitor the heat
that goes into the springs.

Cheers
Trevor Jones

Posted by theChas. on April 3, 2008, 10:45 pm

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> theChas. wrote:

>> This newbie is asking if one messes up the chemistry of automobile leaf

>> springs when they use acetylene to cut them? I mean a long cuts to make

>> slender lengths, to make thinner and narrower springs.

>> I can't find my copper plate to use my hot cut chisel, so I'm thinking of

>> using gas. The band saw would take forever. in advance thanks. . .

>> .charlie

****************

> There may be some effects on the heat treatment, but if you are a decent

> hand with a cutting torch, and have it set up correctly, these are

> minimal. You should be able to get it started and cutting pretty quickly.

> Maybe raise a burr at the start point to get the burn going even faster.

> The stuff that will be burnt looking will be shaped off with an angle

> grinder to finish the edges, yes? That's the stuff that will be most

> affected. The rest of it will remain as was, but it will become softer and

> easier to bend, if allowed to overheat. I'd suggest getting some Tempilaq

> sticks (about 350-375 deg F) and using them to monitor the heat that goes

> into the springs.

> Cheers

> Trevor Jones

************************
I was forunate to scrounge a large quanity of auto and truck leaf springs,
today.
And three different auto size coil springs too.
The thinner leaf springs I would like to make into pieces, when I am
finished, that are about 1"x1/8" x24", so I can make some top and bottom
swage type dies. Thanks for the help. I hope I can find my sheet of 3/16
copper.
. . . . .charlie . . . . .

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Posted by Trevor Jones on April 4, 2008, 12:07 am

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theChas. wrote:

>>theChas. wrote:

>>>This newbie is asking if one messes up the chemistry of automobile leaf

>>>springs when they use acetylene to cut them? I mean a long cuts to make

>>>slender lengths, to make thinner and narrower springs.

>>>I can't find my copper plate to use my hot cut chisel, so I'm thinking of

>>>using gas. The band saw would take forever. in advance thanks. . .

>>>.charlie

> ****************

>> There may be some effects on the heat treatment, but if you are a decent

>>hand with a cutting torch, and have it set up correctly, these are

>>minimal. You should be able to get it started and cutting pretty quickly.

>>Maybe raise a burr at the start point to get the burn going even faster.

>> The stuff that will be burnt looking will be shaped off with an angle

>>grinder to finish the edges, yes? That's the stuff that will be most

>>affected. The rest of it will remain as was, but it will become softer and

>>easier to bend, if allowed to overheat. I'd suggest getting some Tempilaq

>>sticks (about 350-375 deg F) and using them to monitor the heat that goes

>>into the springs.

>> Cheers

>> Trevor Jones

> ************************

> I was forunate to scrounge a large quanity of auto and truck leaf springs,

> today.

> And three different auto size coil springs too.

> The thinner leaf springs I would like to make into pieces, when I am

> finished, that are about 1"x1/8" x24", so I can make some top and bottom

> swage type dies. Thanks for the help. I hope I can find my sheet of 3/16

> copper.

> . . . . .charlie . . . . .

Adjust the torch tip, so that one of the peripheral preheat jets is in
line with the cut, and you should do fine.
With practice, you can do some pretty cool stuff with a cutting torch!

If you are not just pruning them down to use then as lighter truck
springs, don't worry too much about it. You can always reharden and
temper the springs to get them to do what you want. And they are cheap....!

Cheers
Trevor Jones

Posted by theChas. on April 9, 2008, 9:02 pm

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Today I cut off some of the heavier springs ( close to 3" x 7/16") to make
Hardy hole hot cuts. One tapered, and one beveled with a flat side ( both
about 3" x 2.5" x 7/16"). I did the bevel cut with the metal chop saw set
to 45 degrees, so I won't have much work to get it in shape. On the tapered
one I will have to form the second side of the bevel, with heat, or
grinding. I imagine heat is best as I can cold hammer it some what.
Now I'm at a loss about heat treating them. If I heat treat them before I
weld them to 3/8" base plates, will the welding heat destroy the tempering?
Can I take enough time welding them to the bases so that the heat doesn't
build up too much? I can have the 3" x 3/4" square Hardy peg already
attached to the base so it will heat sink even more of the welding heat. I
can weld them vertically, with a drip set up to keep the cutting edges from
getting too hot. How do you people do this?
I doubt if heating and tempering the entire completed fixture is the way to
go...????
I don't yet know what color to watch for before the oil quench, so I need
help there too.
As before.....thanks 1 & all.
*************************************
<Snip>
**************************************

>>> There may be some effects on the heat treatment, but if you are a decent

>>> hand with a cutting torch, and have it set up correctly, these are

>>> minimal. You should be able to get it started and cutting pretty

>>> quickly. Maybe raise a burr at the start point to get the burn going

>>> even faster.

>>> The stuff that will be burnt looking will be shaped off with an angle

>>> grinder to finish the edges, yes? That's the stuff that will be most

>>> affected. The rest of it will remain as was, but it will become softer

>>> and easier to bend, if allowed to overheat. I'd suggest getting some

>>> Tempilaq sticks (about 350-375 deg F) and using them to monitor the heat

>>> that goes into the springs.

>>>

>>> Cheers

>>> Trevor Jones

>> ************************

> <snip> Adjust the torch tip, so that one of the peripheral preheat jets is

> in line with the cut, and you should do fine.

> With practice, you can do some pretty cool stuff with a cutting torch!

> If you are not just pruning them down to use then as lighter truck

> springs, don't worry too much about it. You can always reharden and temper

> the springs to get them to do what you want. And they are cheap....!

> Cheers

> Trevor Jones

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