paradox1559 Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 I wish to build a spring swage that fits in a hardy hole. i find that sage advice is the best advice. Any tips? Is this something that can be made in a scrap yard? should I buy materials online? What's a good type of spring steel? You know, the basics. I do not discriminate by level of "sage" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Are you making a swing arm swage or a bent spring swage? For bent spring swages I generally use coil spring from cars and trucks. Not knowing where you live I can't say where the best location to source the material needed would be. If you can buy drops from a spring manufacturer I would go that way; but most can't and so I use stock from a scrapyard. 5160 is a good alloy for it; please be sure to heat treat appropriately! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 I made mine from 1/2" mild steel, probably ~ 20" or so. I flattened ~ 5" toward the middle of the bar to 1/4 to 3/16", curved it to a ~270 degree arc, and adjusted so the remaining round parts were ~parallel and spaced 1/2" or so apart. I then welded that to a piece of box tube that fit the hardie hole. The flattened part acts as the spring and the round parts are the fuller. Hope that made sense. It was a quick and easy beginner project, and it's still in use. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradox1559 Posted October 25, 2016 Author Share Posted October 25, 2016 The Bent spring would be best, I even have coil spring steel how should it be treated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Correct for exactly what you will be using it for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I used coil spring and pretty much did exactly the same as Stash except for the amount of material used since I did use could spring instead of mild. I left mine without any heat treatment just normalized after forging and welding and called it good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 I made mine from a 1/2" dia. sway bar (probably 5160 or similar). Like Stash, I flattened a section, but in my case, it was to double up to fit in the hardy hole. Normalized, no other heat treat. Works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradox1559 Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 That's way simpler than I was thinking in my head. I guess I tend to overthink things, that looks easyer than the image in my head. Thanks Xb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Keep in mind that these photos are technically of a spring fuller, not a spring swage. A fuller has convex surfaces that create concavities in the workpiece, while a swage has concave surfaces that shape the convex surfaces of the workpiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted October 26, 2016 Share Posted October 26, 2016 Greetings Paradox, . I have my beginning students make a spring fuller and a couple of bending forks,. Notice the bends in the fuller they fit the hardi better and the rised bend works as a edge guide for the spring top. Ya never can make enough tools .. Have at it and good luck. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradox1559 Posted October 26, 2016 Author Share Posted October 26, 2016 I love the curls those are beautiful. This looks like a easily adaptable tool. I have a discount with my local scrap yard and can practice all day. When I'm not at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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