Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Flattening Leaf Springs?


Recommended Posts

 " how to safely ask curmudgeon for advice"

​That's an easy one.

Print your question on a letter-size sheet of paper, ... staple it to a crisp, new "Benjamin", ... and mail it to .....

SmoothBore Forge

999 yada, yada

Yada, Yada 17406

 

Satisfaction guaranteed.   :P

 

.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 61
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

On April 2, 2015 at 10:51 PM, Charles R. Stevens said:

We need a " how to safely ask curmudgeon for advice" thread, along with a " how to be a curmudgeon" thread.

NO such thing Charles, there should be a warning label instead, something like. There is no safe way to ask a curmudgeon questions. If you don't want my opinion/help don't ask. Post you don't want outside opinions or expect me to obey your rules.<_< I'll respect your wish.

I've snapped at guys here for no good reason, good guys giving me a little friendly ribbing and I went right off the rails. I apologized when I realized what a xxxx xxxx I'd been. Still I'm old, hurt all the time, my blood sugar levels screw with me and am emotionally compromised. I don't have children of my own so never developed the skills necessary to deal with them. Ain't nothing safe about giving me attitude and I don't like being angry. It isn't worth it.

WAIT A SECOND! Smoothbore my Brother! That's IT thank you. I think that'll ease the angry old fart reaction nicely. Go ahead boys ask me anything. Frosty PMB- 0x0, XOXO My Butt trail, Moraine, Alaska 98.600. Please include a self addressed stamped envelope and Benjamin, reply guaranteed.

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think that as the original poster asked " what is the easiest way to straighten leaf springs?" that was as I responded - heat them up and straighten them....to no avail was that a good answer. Now my thinking was that anyone that is involved with blacksmithing - that would be the first thing to do - heat them up in the forge and straighten them. With that thinking the more I thought about it, If that was the case - The original poster could have done that and then..... the logical question that would or could have been asked is " I straightened a couple leaf springs - how can/should I heat treat them. After reading the original posters first post again I seen that they say they are "limited" AS others have said about the lack of info to begin with - I can only assume that the original poster does not have a forge - hence not heating up and straightening or enough time/experience in a forge to be able to do that. Big assumption on my part. Is "Limited" also to not include a press at hand (which most seem to recommend as the easiest way). Now most of us know that a power hammer will not make anyone a better smith without knowing how metal works first (by hand techniques), so I wonder is this project a good project for someone that is that "limited"? My take is.. probably not - not to downgrade the original poster at all, I'm just going by the info supplied - which has been from the start "Limited". I'm not slamming anyone - just trying to show how an original posting can be actually hard to answer without more detailed info. Not sure why I am posting this but this is my take on it. I am not causing waves - just making an observation.

b4utoo - Good luck in your endeavors and stay safe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh you''re right Jeremy. I'm pretty sure it's a beginner project for someone who wants to learn blacksmithing but hasn't done much if any in the real world. Seriously a charcoal BBQ and a post laying on the ground is more than enough to straighten a leaf spring. Heat treating it is the trick. Just going to the local spring shop and buying what you want is the better way. Heat treated leaf spring isn't likely to stay bent, press or whatever unless it's been pushed beyond it's yield point. Who with any sense would want that as a helve?

The only thing that really bothers me about this thread is how caught up we got in it. A lot of knowledgeable guys wasted a lot of time trying to explain basic, REALLY basic garage engineering to someone without the knowledge to use it. Then we got all caught up in THIS aspect of the thread. Now we're trying to caution each other to not get caught in the thing and just let it go.

He's probably not a bad kid but he's a kid. I'm hoping he grows up with all his body parts functioning.

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 I'm old, hurt all the time, my blood sugar levels screw with me and am emotionally compromised. I don't have children of my own so never developed the skills necessary to deal with them. Ain't nothing safe about giving me attitude and I don't like being angry. It isn't worth it.

Frosty The Lucky.

​That statement is like looking in a mirror. ;)

If it had included, ... "never learned to "suffer fools, gladly", ... I'd think I was the author.  :D

 

 

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

​That statement is like looking in a mirror. ;)

If it had included, ... "never learned to "suffer fools, gladly", ... I'd think I was the author.  :D

 

 

.

​BINGO! I spent 20 years WORKING for fools, put my tolerance levels in the crapper.

How about this idea Smoothbore: We start a blacksmith advice for Benjamins column and call it, "Dear Crabby!"

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about this idea Smoothbore: We start a blacksmith advice for Benjamins column and call it, "Dear Crabby!"

Frosty The Lucky.

​That works for me.

And just like your friendly neighborhood drug dealer, ... "the first one's FREE".  :P

 

 

 

.

 

Edited by SmoothBore
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...