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I Forge Iron

Spinning Stainless Steel


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Ok, so I like to keep the learning curve near verticle:D So what?
I've been able to learn how to spin copper to the point where I get repetable results, phew!!! I've been at it a while. Anyway, not one to be complacent, I thought I would try stainless. My main question- How does one go about annealing stainless?
I've forged and fabed it but never needed to anneal it.

Edited by Fe-Wood
pushed wrong button!
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I've been walking down the spinning path for about a year myself. I went though two 4x8 sheets of 18ga cold rolled steel before I started to get a one out of five success rate. A buddy gave me a pile of 55 gallon drum lids, the theory is that there is less carbon and therefore less work hardening in this drawing quality steel found in drum lids. Last week, I had 4 out of 5 successes with the lids one night, spinning trumpet shapes with 10 inch diameter discs. I've machined stainless a few times, and never enjoyed it. In fact, I've come to get queasy in the stomach whenever anybody wants me to look at something stainless. If you're like me, and I know I am, start with drum lids, graduate to CR plate, then try stainless. Keep us informed on your progress. I find spinning to be fascinating, and one of the foremost challenges I've ever taken on. Well, besides staying married for so long...

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Thanks nakedanvil... 2000F that HOT!
I was making a pair of stainless tong for an acid quench and after I quenched the tongs from a good heat, maybe orange, they did seem a little softer.

mike-hr
I bought Terry Tynan's DVD set about 10 months ago. I've watched them in total twice then watched specific parts over and over and over. I bet I have 40+ hours of youtube viewed as well. So I can say, I know what you mean about challenging!! I started with aluminum of undetermined origin, That was hard. Then I found scrap copper. I LIKE COPPER:D

I've tried 22g cold roll. Did OK with drag tools made of Brass. Then I made a set of scissor tools. Thats a whole other animal, I'm back to drag tools for now. Biggest thing for me right now is I don't work it fast enough, as in I'm overworking the metal. As I get more confident in the movement of tools and metal, I will go after the stainless. The other challenge for me is don't push too hard, the metal can and will do what it can when it can. In other words, when I think I should stop to anneal or prep the edge a little more before rolling, DO IT!!! I don't know how many pieces I've lost because I wanted to do "just a little more" or "thats good enough"

Another challenge with spinning, there are very few people willing to discuss in detail how its done. I check several forums regularly for posts and have posted many times myself. Through all the bits and pieces I am finally getting it though.

Sorry for the long reply-

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