unsure of what they are made of, they must be pretty strong though, anyone ever forge anything with them?

edit: just read somewhere that most are galv. wire, still forgeable? or too hazardous?

Edited March 17, 200917 yr by SJeane

I'd stay away from anything galvanized! Read the sticky on Galvanized,zinc fumes and Milk. You will be doing yourself a BIG favour. Thats why it is a sticky.

Terry

just read Ted's post on his story, i would be in a very well ventilated area but i think i will just stay away lol

for a worst case scenario read about Paw Paws death form complications of metal fume feaver over at anvilfire.com in the i-forge section it's one of the two leading safety postings there.

Zinc, Cadmium, Hydrogen Fluoride and other toxic compounds

Galvanized, zinc, fumes, and milk

I'm sure that a quick reference to Paw-Paw's death because of metal fume fever is enough to make anyone become afraid of working with galvanized material but galvanization is only a coating on the material. As long as you can burn the coating off SAFELY, you can work with the bare material. Light a fire in an outside fire pit and put the springs in the fire so they'll get nice and bright orange for a while. When it burns, the material will turn a nasty yellow color and put off a white "fiber-like" material, stay away from this, it's the zinc/cadmium coat. Let the fire go out and cool overnight and take the springs out. That will get the galvanic coat off. Wire-wheel them and you're good to go.

P.S;
Anything with a chrome coating is just as bad. And because chrome is put on the material by an electrical current and not just dipped like galvanized is, it's alot harder to get off the material.

Be careful, be safe, and be SMART:

-Hillbilly

Hey Hillbilly, are those vizslas in your avatar?

If you're askeered of zinc fumes, you can strip off the zinc by soaking in an acid. Muriatic would be fast (careful about the evolved hydrogen), or you could use something weak like vinegar if you don't mind waiting.

Zinc and cadmium aren't even on the same planet, toxicity-wise. I wouldn't mess with cadmium at all. (I have a little cadmium containing silver solder, and frankly I'm very reluctant to use it even outdoors.) But I doubt you'll find cadmium on your trampoline springs. It's used in electroplating (I'm not sure to what extent), but to my knowledge galvanized steel is generally hot-dipped, not electroplated.

Zinc in the right amounts is necessary for good health.

Cadmium is any amount is very BAD.

Frosty

The reference to Paw Paw was to get people to STOP, LOOK, and THINK! I was asked to give the toast for him at Quad-State that year.

I don't forbid folks from using galvanized metal for forging; but I sure want them to do it in a mindful way. I had a student once that I started teaching smithing and pattern welding at Pennsic one year and by the next year he had spent time in the hospital for metal fume fever and I had told the idjit about the dangers of working with galvanized and the precautions to take if he had to... (Saving money is never a good excuse when the downside is hospital time; shoot he could have bought a stable of triphammers for what his hospital stay cost!)

I'd rather scare them than toast them anyday!

What is the dia of the spring stock? 1/4? maybe 3/8? You can get a 20' "stick" of that from a metal supplier for $10. Toss that galvanized metal in the trash.

I agree with ChrisB. Once you've experienced projectile vomiting at both ends you'll never go near zinc again!

Hey Hillbilly, are those vizslas in your avatar?

If you're askeered of zinc fumes, you can strip off the zinc by soaking in an acid. Muriatic would be fast (careful about the evolved hydrogen), or you could use something weak like vinegar if you don't mind waiting.

Zinc and cadmium aren't even on the same planet, toxicity-wise. I wouldn't mess with cadmium at all. (I have a little cadmium containing silver solder, and frankly I'm very reluctant to use it even outdoors.) But I doubt you'll find cadmium on your trampoline springs. It's used in electroplating (I'm not sure to what extent), but to my knowledge galvanized steel is generally hot-dipped, not electroplated.

I also use muriatic acid before I weld and it works great. It also will take off the mill coatings on hot rolled steel.