October 24, 20232 yr From last Christmas, I made a pitch fork from the garage door spring then made a few of these from floor scraps.
February 22, 20242 yr would add... the 3/8" d garage door springs I have forge weld together nicely and make good grappling hooks. I have a pile, various garage door springs, different sizes so would love to hear more ideas!
February 22, 20242 yr I made up a bunch of these scribes as giveaway items over the past couple years: The wire diameter of the spring was maybe 5/16” with the tip water quenched for max hardness. Just a couple coils straightened out went a long way… I’ve also welded bits into the cutting edge of chisels that were made out of larger diameter garage doors springs. Garage doors springs also make really strong S hooks. Basically, use it in place of mild steel whenever you want more strength, but a delicate look. Just remember to normalize (and not to quench the pig tale scrolls on the ends of a hook before bending like you would with mild steel). Keep it fun, David
February 22, 20242 yr Usually, they also make good firesteels (flint stikers). However, I have one that will not harden in either oil, superquench, or water. Probably some odd alloy. GNM
February 23, 20242 yr Supposedly? It's good for anything you'd use a medium carbon steel that diameter for. One tip for use. Don't try to unwind a whole spring! We tried at a club meeting, heated it in the forge, clipped the free end to a pickup truck with the coil over a round bar with a piece of pipe over it for a roller. The driveway wasn't long enough by half at a 300' pull. Then what do you do with a piece of 5/16" x 300' round stock? I suppose if I had a fence handy I could rig a rack. Good stuff, I cut a coil when I need some. I have the other spring from the old overhead door in a corner in case I need another 600' or so. Frosty The Lucky.
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