dfsrusa Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I'm looking for suggestions for types of steel to make a fuller top and bottom die for a guillotine tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Look up "Blacksmith Journal" web site. They sell dies and tell you what type of material used. I use mild steel and had face the working surface but I have lots of hardface rods . Not a great solution but one that works for occasional use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I've had good luck using leaf spring but I made my guillotine to fit. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Yup, Leaf Spring. I got a leaf spring from an 18 wheeler, made my guillotine tool so that the width of the spring was the width of the dies. I have plenty of that size spring so anytime I need to make another die I just pull out the same size spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I arc welded round-section A36 (so called mild steel) to the sliding blocks in the guillotine. They are lasting me a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 The dies I use in my guillotine tool (that I made according to the instructions in Lorelei Sims' book "The Backyard Blacksmith") are just mild steel & are holding up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 My dies are mild steel as well, no complaints so far. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfsrusa Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 Thanks alll. I'm planning to have a friend who has a welder help me make the guillotine tool as described in "The Backyard Blacksmith". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfsrusa Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share Posted December 25, 2015 Ok, I think I'll use A36 in 1/2 inch thick 3 inch wide sections. After I get the fuller forms I want on the dies, what would you all recommend for heat treating the die edges? Water quench, oil quench? As they're going to be in a lot of contact with hot stock being worked, does it make any sense to temper them? Do they need at least one temper before being used so they're not too brittle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 31 minutes ago, dfsrusa said: Ok, I think I'll use A36 in 1/2 inch thick 3 inch wide sections. After I get the fuller forms I want on the dies, what would you all recommend for heat treating the die edges? Water quench, oil quench? As they're going to be in a lot of contact with hot stock being worked, does it make any sense to temper them? Do they need at least one temper before being used so they're not too brittle? I haven't done anything to my mild steel dies and they're holding their shape fine. Even the sharp corners on the dies I use for necking shoulders on bars to form tenons haven't become dull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Work hot steel and mild/a-36 will hold up fine. No heat treat needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 A36 won't harden, just leave it as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfsrusa Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share Posted December 25, 2015 Great, thanks for the tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 A friend who has a guillotine tool uses regular mild steel for his dies, but heat treats the business ends using superquench. Even though mild steel is generally considered a "non-hardenable" steel, the superquench gives him a bit more harness=longer life on his dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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