glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Quick question - have a 3"x8"x1/4" piece of leaf spring (5160) I want to hot cut length-wise to make couple punches and a drift. What is the hottest color I should heat it to before starting my cuts (I know this will take several heats). Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I go with a low orange as seen in the ambient light of my shop---what your shop's light is like I have no idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks Thomas. My smithy is adequately lit but not overly so and the corner where my forge is has no window and no light overhead, so it is darker in that corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 then look at is this way, welding heat is hot enough, if you get any hotter you risk damaging the steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Steve - Well, there it is. Feel a bit foolish 'cause had I given it a couple extra seconds of thought I would have answered my own question. By the way, like your site - your glossary of terms is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I work with leaf spring a bit, and have an old circular saw with cut off wheel in it, takes less time and fuel to cut "precision " with it than chisel, even when hot, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Hmm...I was thinking leaf spring would have been too hard to cut practically this way, but I have a couple of disks for my saw, so will give it a shot. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks! Yeah - I was thinking to score it deep with the cut-off disk and then hot cut it to fruition, but I've got to get off this purest mindset - great-great grandad has a hacksaw so why shouldn't I use one too??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I was cutting some 1.5x3/8" thick stock yesterday and it sure was faster and easier hot cutting it than with an abrasive wheel---I cut it with the wheel to get it to size to fit in the forge and then did the rest of the cuts with a good hot cut driven by a 6# hammer---hot cut was wider than the piece so no repositioning needed. So about as many cuts both ways, hot cutting was quieter and less dusty too! Course this was just A-36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Dale - A Viking huh? Probably he knocked an Anglo-Saxon smith on the head and took it! Ha ha! Or did you mean the ones from Minnesota... Thomas - Thanks again! I still might just score it deep and hot cut it. Would be good practice and uses up lots of calories. Then again, I might just shove in my "Alien" DVD and collect some of that good alien blood and use it - looks like it will cut just about anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Dale - Just took a look at the link you provided. I was not aware of the Mastermyr project and history behind it but I am definately going to take the time to read through it all. Just another example of there being nothing really new under the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Lotsa good ideas, I have some leaf springs that are 4"w x 1"t x18"l, so cutting down to size before forging is important. I do agree that anything uder 1/2 inch could easily be hot cut after a groove with a wheel, so you have an easy line to follow! Also ancient blacksmiths were innovators!! The first hammer and anvil were rocks, so any tool you can think up, either make it or use it. I try to balance effeciency and tradition, try to keep with hand tools, but power tools just save time and repetitive injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I generally use the chop-saw to cut a leaf spring to length. Then I get "creative" in cutting to thinner dimensions. Sometimes with the chop-saw, sometimes with an abrasive cutting blade in the skil-saw, and sometimes hot slitting with a chisel and the treadle hammer. It's always a matter of what I need to do at the moment. Mikey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Sam - Sorry about that! After my second post I realized that but it seemed eaiser than typing out "ApprenticeMan". Later this morning I will drop down and give you 25. Ha ha!! Are you involved in anyway with the Mastermyr project? CBran and Mike - Thanks for taking time to give your input! Since mankind has gone to a lot of trouble to create electricity and power tools I might as well use them from time time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 glilley, if you hot-cut most of the way through the stock leave a thin layer and either saw it as Sam says or fold it both ways repeatedly to break it off.A Viking huh? Probably he knocked an Anglo-Saxon smith on the head and took it! Must... not... enter... archaeologist... mode...I might just shove in my "Alien" DVD and collect some of that good alien blood and use it - looks like it will cut just about anything. But what will you store it in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 glilley, if you hot-cut most of the way through the stock leave a thin layer and either saw it as Sam says or fold it both ways repeatedly to break it off. Must... not... enter... archaeologist... mode... But what will you store it in? Store it in? Uhh...right-forgot about that. Well, what ever it turns out to be it had better not be from out of the kitchen! Learned that lesson the hard way long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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