steel banding wooden blocks

[thisblackduck]

G'Day
I would like some some help on different techniques to band wooden blocks together using steel straps, without burning the wood. I tried searching the site but to no avail.
Cheers mark

[ThomasPowers]

One thing to remember is that if you are charring the wood your bands are TOO HOT. Shrinking is not done at a red heat but more like 400 to 500 degF Usual way of checking is when a wood sliver starts feeling like the iron is slick when you push it against the metal.

[781]

I agree you may be too hot
When putting an iron tire on a wooden wheel you need to start with a close fit, heat the steel evenly slide it over the wood then put water on the steel to shrink. On a wheel you should hear the wood starting to creek under the pressure of the shrinking iron, if not it probably is too loose

[thisblackduck]

Thanks Guys for your answers, I will try not to heat above 500F What would the expansion rate be for mild steel.
cheers Mark

[ThomasPowers]

Just google "thermal expansion of steel"

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

we figure about 1/8" per foot or .01 per inch from forging heat. So, being linear, it's about 1/32" per foot at 500 degrees. That's as accurate as your ability to measure temperature.

[thisblackduck]

Thanks guys
Cheers Mark

[forgemaster]

This is easy, all I used to do when I was an apprentice was make the band about 1/4" smaller in circumference than the block, get the band to a "greasy stick" heat then push the sucker onto the block with a 1 ton Massey hammer, oh you may not have access to a 1 ton hammer. That may make a difference, sorry.

[Rob Browne]

Some people really love their power hammers

Good thread, I have learnt something from it.

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

I made a "band" once from 1-1/2 X 4 flat bar and shrunk it on a cracked drop-hammer die block. It was a "temporary" repair, but we ran thousands of parts with that die.