Drako11 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hello everyone, I was talking to a guy at a car garage today where my car was getting fixed. He said he'd be happy to give me some old parts for smithing if he had any that I could use. So I was sitting here thinking about what parts I could use; leaf springs, coil springs, torision bars, and I think steering columns can be used. I was wondering about head bolts though, can those be used?? I know a lot of them are made out of some material that stretches and probably wouldn't work well, but what about solid steel ones; is there even such a thing? Also if you know any other good parts that would work I would be grateful for your insight. ^_^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 The ones that stretch are just a ductile steel with less heat treat. As the bolt stretches it work hardens, and has properties closer to its ultimate (fracture) strength than if it was heat treated for hardness like old style head bolts. Old style head bolts, the ones that could be reused, had to function below the plastic deformation strength. The cross section of stretched bolts is also smaller for the load that they are under compared to bolts that are not stretched, and bolts not meant to be stretched. That being said, I bet they will forge just fine, probably like a medium carbon steel, which I think they are. They are kinda skinny though, especially where they bottleneck. Try them and let us know. I doubt they are an exotic alloy since "if you save a dollar and make a million units, you made a million dollars" drives the auto industry. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaylan veater Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi Drak11, I am a mechanic by trade 38yrs this year. I do all the trans work and other things too. I use alot a differnet car and truck parts. I use door pins,trans shafts, axle shafts,some solid push rods, coil springs, leaf springs. Newer ubolts are alot harder than the old ones. Anyway there is alot of things that can be used. I have forged some head bolts into tools but most of them were older chevy ones can not say about all of them. Gayaln Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 anything and every thing solid?.........remember, a piece of pipe or tube to me, is just a piece of flat thats been stored differently. and bolts make great washers, rivets, and pick tools or wire. from the broken drive shaft pipe opened up i make leaves, spoons, radio brackets, drains for the forge/patches, pot racks,etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hood and trunk springs and torsion bars are handy. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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