SReynolds Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Came across a free supply of very large heavy truck U Bolts.I have straightened out a few....they are about 3 foot long and 3/4" dia. A number of them are 1" dia. I don't know what for steel they are...............any guesses????? The file will cut into them easily. I don't know what for test that is as a file will cut into an anvil face, but the file test seems quite popular w/folks to determine steel grade.I can think of a few items to make from them. The only concern is the threaded section. That may forge it'self out. Perhaps better than a RR Spike. The head of a RR spike has been problematic for me in drawing it out. Folks over and will not blend in to make square stock. The threads of the U bolt may likely smooth over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petere76 Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 S, i got a pile of tie rods once and they had threaded ends. I tried to forge out the threaded ends. The threads set up points of fracture in the forged out sections, I ended up cutting off the threaded ends. If you put a lot of man hours and shop costs into making the stock serviceable, no sense in going to all that effort and having the end product fail. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Trying to forge down the threads will simply collapse them, leaving voids hidden under the shmooshed peaks. While this is horrible for knives, it's great if you want a very nice little detail on a piece. The collapsed threads will leave a spiral of fine lines circling around the metal. This is great for snakes, lizards, bottle openers, wizard hats, and scrolls.I once did just this on a set of cooking tripods. The spiraled finials always amazed folks and they could never figure out how I did it. Of course, I never enlightened them, preferring that they think I was simply a master blacksmith plying the secrets of my trade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 The file test is for when you have hardened them; if you have not hardened them then it tells you squat. (You can file D2 in it's annealed state!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 yes. Great. Thank you much!! I encounter a very similar situation with RR spikes. That head draws out, but I can't blend it very well. Makes for a crack in the newly formed bar stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redd1981 Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Since I am new to all the terminology would those be considered "cold shuts"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 yes. Great. Thank you much!! I encounter a very similar situation with RR spikes. That head draws out, but I can't blend it very well. Makes for a crack in the newly formed bar stock.A couple of days ago, TechnicusJoe posted a new youtube video where he made a set of tongs from RR spikes and after forging down the head and finishing the tongs, he had no apparent cracks or cold shuts....check it out. Good video. Very nice tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Good Morning,Go to your local leaf spring specialist and ask him what material they start with. The good spring shops that I know, bend them themselves. Made to measure.I have used them for punches and small drifts, with great success.Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Good Morning,I just asked Fred Google.Fred said that all U-Bolts, 9/16 and under are 1541, Grade 5 MaterialMinimum 150,000psi Tensile Strength, 130,000psi Yield Strength, 120,000psi Proof Load, Maximum 35% reduction of Area, 10% elongation.5/8" and Greater is Grade 87/8" and Greater is Grade 10Mr Fred Google NEVER tells fibs, subject to...........I know that they are used in Tension (Stretch) and I have never seen one fail, under Normal Use (no Salt or Pepper, Anchovies, Swiss cheese). I know the job the material is designed for is Harsh. I know that I don't hesitate to use them for tools in Projects. I sometimes use them for material, when I am teaching a Blacksmith Class.Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Since I am new to all the terminology would those be considered "cold shuts"?Yes, the texture left when the threads are forged down are cold shuts. They are small sharp deformations to the stock. force is conducted through steel or most anything. Force is conducted in a smooth manner until something interrupts it, all the force concentrates at that spot and it can become the initiation point for a failure.A good example is to have someone stand on an empty aluminum can. They have to apply their weight evenly and smoothly on the end of the can but if they're not too heavy it will support them easily. With them standing on it touch the side of the can with a nice sharp pencil it will collapse.A smooth mark can conduct the force around without it concentrating at a single point and not initiating a failure. for this reason we radius the edges of our anvils and shoulder steel on a radiused edge, tool or die.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SReynolds Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 A couple of days ago, TechnicusJoe posted a new youtube video where he made a set of tongs from RR spikes and after forging down the head and finishing the tongs, he had no apparent cracks or cold shuts....check it out. Good video. Very nice tongs. I have been watching that video, but any direction I forge the spike head, it makes a cold shut. I guess I need to work on that, if it is doable, otherwise I hope the cold shut won't be a problem or perhaps cut it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Joe's squared up spike heads would've had cold shuts too if he hadn't taken a welding heat and welded them up.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Joe's squared up spike heads would've had cold shuts too if he hadn't taken a welding heat and welded them up.Frosty The Lucky.10-4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 It can be done... upsetting the spike head into square without cold shuts. Hardly worthwhile IMO though! It takes a lot of patience! Too many heats! I just square them up and use them for a tong grip then discard after I have used the rest of the spike. UNLESS I want to save the handle as for a door handle with that spikey flavor! Then I just upset the edges, slowly and gently, to get rid of the sharp places and make it more comfortable to handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 And....as a last resort, if one doesn't need the extra steel in the RR spike head, one can always cut it off and then have a nice, square end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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