I have some A-286 bar ends available to me in .375", and .4375" diameters. Has anyone made anything from this alloy? The parts that we are making go on the turkey feathers of an F-16, so it must handle the heat pretty good.

If you have worked with this, what did you make from it? I am trying to think of something to make that needs to be heat resistant.

http://www.hightempmetals.com/techdata/hitempA286data.php Looks like it needs to be forged at or above 1,900 F. What are you going to do with it? :blink:

That is what I am trying to figure out Bentiron.

I have it, now what do I do with it?

With the high nickel, chrome content would it be good for pattern welding, or is the working temp too high?

The pieces I have so far are around 5"-12" long. I have also been collecting some of the scrap parts to TIG weld into something like a belt buckle. They are rings, short tubes, bolts, and spherical rod end insert looking parts.

Thanks for the link, I will share that with the floor manager.

We are also running some 17-4 Stainless, and I am planning to get those scrap ends too.

Heck, just light the forge off and combine it with some stainless steel scrap and run a test and see how it dose, what do you have to loose but a whole day and lots of coal? You just may end up with truly beautiful pattern welded steel billets.

What about ornamental items that profit from it's corrosion resistance and colour being different from regular steel. So ornamental pieces applied to a regular steel gate. (flowers, animals, plants, etc...)

Chase some threads on the thinner bar to make clamping screws for your mokume gane experiments. Make nuts from the thicker bar.

Experiment with it to see if it makes a decent slitting punch. Might not work, but how will anyone know without trying?

Make kiln furniture.

Looks wise it appears like any other stainless, so nothing unique there.

Hadn't thought about kiln furniture, I have an older Cress that is missing the furniture.

As to welding a billet up, I would have to be able to forge weld first. My MIG, and TIG handle those chores. Any special flux needed for SS alloys?

I haven't asked what new price is on this stuff, but I know that it is expensive. The longer pieces are getting shorter, as the operator asked for them back this morning to squeeze a few more parts out in order to complete the run.

As to threading, not sure how it is in regards to galling. It is a real gummy material to machine, and poses some real challenges.

Who knows, maybe it will end up as a fire grate in the bottom of the forge.

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far.