Black Maple Forge Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Hello again, all! I was wandering if anyone could tell me the best way to temper a prod (metal bow) for a crossbow. I was thinking of making the prod from a piece that is about 2" wide, somewhere around 20" long and around a fourth inch thick. I believe that straw is the correct temper colour for springs, right? What is the best way to get a nice even temper so the prod snaps back to it's original shape after bending?:confused: Thanks for any insight!:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 the best way is not to. You have that thing close to your face. Buy a prod. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Bp 0078 is good for heat treating information as well as the sickies in the knife section...You did not say wot stell you are useing with out that it is a matter of shop testing to determine heat treat proceduers or send it out to have tests done. And if it is a steel that has enough carbon to use it has to be hardened before tempering..and the only way to do that is with something as long as it is to heat it in to the proper temperature... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maple Forge Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Bp 0078 is good for heat treating information as well as the sickies in the knife section...You did not say wot stell you are useing with out that it is a matter of shop testing to determine heat treat proceduers or send it out to have tests done. And if it is a steel that has enough carbon to use it has to be hardened before tempering..and the only way to do that is with something as long as it is to heat it in to the proper temperature... To be honest, I am not sure what kind of steel it is. I had not thought of hardening it (for some reason). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 If you don't know the exact alloy, then you should forget it and buy the correct alloy. FYI most automotive spring steel is called 5160. For your project and you evident experience I would suggest that perhaps a years worth of study should be done before you begin acutally building your bow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maple Forge Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 I was originally going to make an older fashioned wood prod (~Greece 500AD), but I just wanted to see how plausible the idea of a metal bow was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I was originally going to make an older fashioned wood prod (~Greece 500AD), but I just wanted to see how plausible the idea of a metal bow was. Plausible? Very! For you to do at your present level of skill? Rather dangerous and not adviseable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 DON'T USE SCRAP METAL FOR A CROSSBOW PROD! Really it is a major unnecessary danger; especially if you don't know the exact alloy! As for straw being the correct temper colour Yes for some alloys and ABSOLUTELY NO for other alloys If you don't KNOW the alloy you literally are playing Russian Roulette by having a stressed piece of steel aligned and quite close to your head. You don't know how many times you will luck out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maple Forge Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Thanks for the "constructive" criticism. I have decided since I am not sure of the steel, I will just make one from wood, or else buy a ready made prod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I always liked how Payne-Gallwey suggested using his springmakers in Liege Belgium to get prods made. Unfortunately it's been close to 100 years and two nasty wars since then and I don't believe it's still a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommerr Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Car springs make good bows. Yes, they are 6150 around 28Rc or so. Never use a broken spring! At this hardness, the spring can be heated to just blue and then bent. No aditional heat treating is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) So you are advocating cold forming used cars springs? How do you figure that is safe? micro fractures can be a problems with any used steel also. Edited July 5, 2009 by steve sells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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