dragon Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Ok, while looking around a scrap yard for parts for a tire hammer, I found some mystery steel to toy with. (I also found my 5" and 4" tubes for the hammer!)The bar is about 15 or maybe 20 feet long. About 2" solid hex. It looks just like a raw stock bar that never got used for anything. I'm having them cut off a foot for me. One end of the bar is stamped with 9781, and possibly either a 3, 5, or 8 after that. Too worn to tell more. It might even just be part of a mis-stamp. Sadly, googling these numbers plus "alloy" or "steel" doesn't bring up anything I'm recognizing as an ID. On wikipedia there's this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades I'm guessing this could indicate a nickle-chrome-moly steel with 81 pts of carbon? But that's just a wild guess, since I don't actually know what the number stamp means, or even if the extra partial number is really a mis-stamp or not. For all I know, the number stamp is the zipcode indicating where it was made or imported to, or some sort of internal company tag number with nothing to do with the steel.For those more familiar with how steel gets labeled, Is there enough information here to narrow down probable alloy, or will it forever be in the mystery stack? If it ends up being identifiable and useable, I might go get the rest of the bar. If not, I'll just have fun with the 1 foot section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Stamp on the end could be anything from a melt number to a part number, order number, etcJunkyard rules apply TEST TEST TEST you're smart to get a small section first I tend to get it all and then test it and find out that it's "1-2-Bucklemyshoeium" and useless for the intended purpose...(though great for another purpose...perhaps) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragon Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 Thanks, Thomas!I was afraid that would be the answer. I'll start with some spark tests and hardening tests in air, oil, and then water once I get it home, then. I'm hopeful it turns out to be some sort of tool steel. But even if not, I'm sure I can find a use for a foot of steel that thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 A lot of times hex stock is good material to work with in my experiences.The only way to really figure out what it is is to have someone do an analysis on it. Don't know how much a test would run, but it could be worth it. At work we had some material that the certs had been lost on, so we had to have the physical tests done at around $75 for each material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Hex shaft isn't low carbon though that isn't much help. The main use I had for it on the drill crew was for auger pin ends and extensions. The male or pin end was a 2" hex shaft that slid into the female or box coupler on the bottom end of the auger. Depending on what we were drilling it wasn't uncommon to stall a 453 Detroit diesel rapping on the pipes in low gear. The drill would twist the entire string sometimes a couple turns then the engine would stall and the string would rebound sometimes starting the engine in reverse. For folk who don't know Detroit Diesel engines used to be 2 cycle and darned powerful for the displacement. They'd run just fine either direction unfortunately the oil pump didn't circulate oil in reverse so you shut it off quick if it reversed on you. Later models were safetied to stop electronically if they reversed.If you've ever heard a 2 cycle dirt bike turning fast and hard enough to be up on the pipe you have an idea what a Detroit sounds like when it's at the top end of it's power curve and under load. It'll make your ears ring with plugs in and muffs on.Anyway the coupler that took the most stress was the one on the extension between the turn table on the head and the first auger and we used the same extensions for years.I don't know what that hex bar is but it's tough as it gets. I'd like to have a few feet I bet it'd make the Caddillac of hammers.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 For folk who don't know Detroit Diesel engines used to be 2 cycle and darned powerful for the displacement. They'd run just fine either direction unfortunately the oil pump didn't circulate oil in reverse so you shut it off quick if it reversedBack in the 70's ... my Dad had a 32' Bertram sport-fisherman, with a pair of 671 Detroits.( When running Marine Engines in tandem, it's customary to run "mirror image" engines, ... where one engine rotates in the opposite direction of the other, ... in order to balance the effect of torque on the propellers. )The interesting thing about the 671 Detroit, is that the blocks are "mirror image" from front to back, ... making it possible to mount then facing either direction, ... thus "reversing" the rotation of the crankshaft.This allows for the use of 2 identical engines, ( inexpensive, common truck engines ) ... and reduces the necessary "repair parts" inventory, that needed to be carried aboard. And yes, ... in those days before lower rpm, "fuel efficient" diesels came about, ... those 2-stroke Detroits were screamers. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Detroits could also be bolted together to make V12 and V16 powerplants, ever drive a truck with one? The best advice I ever had was to "drive it like you just called your wife by her sisters name" tho "drive it like you slammed your hand in the door" and "drive it like you stole it" equaly apply. For you not in the know the V6 and 8,s (like the 872 or 892) had turboes over blowers to feed them, wile the L4s just had blowers. And the designation in the two strokes is typicaly nomber of chlinders, then the next two digets are displacement per cylender, so imagine a 1692 (16 cylenders times 92 cubic inches) later they started using the tork rating as a designation (i think this was the 4 stroke, have to ask dad as I was a gas mechanic not desiel) like the 555 (triple nickle) 555 foot/pounds of tork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Another thing Detroits were famous for was blubbering oil when idling. Used to be up here a diesel wouldn't get shut off all winter unless it was being serviced. It can be pretty hard cold starting a diesel when it's double digit sub zero COLD. Detroits weren't popular with EPA for that reason. Most guys tried to team drive so they could make runs without stopping except to eat and swap drivers.Ayup, drive them like they owe you money. Whip them till they scream. Weren't called "screaming Jimmies" for nothing.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 "Beat it like a rented mule" ... was always one of my favorite similes. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 But I LIKE mules. Treat them well and they're wonderful animals. How about this instead, Beat them like a rented politician? Now there's a worthless animal for you. Heck even mosquitoes are useful, trout and swallows need to eat you know.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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