Any One In Spring Making?

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sigp2101

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I am about to recreate original flat trigger spring for Remington 1858 Army out of circular saw blade. It has a right thickness. I do not have great experience in doing this but I want to try by all means. Any spring makers here to elaborate on the procedure and share their own findings. Annealing, tempering that sort of thing.

Thanks!
 
sigp2101 said:
I am about to recreate original flat trigger spring for Remington 1858 Army out of circular saw blade. It has a right thickness. I do not have great experience in doing this but I want to try by all means. Any spring makers here to elaborate on the procedure and share their own findings. Annealing, tempering that sort of thing.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have made a number of springs in the past, some flat, and some coiled. It seems that medium carbon steel is the preferred material but high carbon can be used. Heat treating would be similar to making hardened tools, heat until magnetism is lost, quench in oil with constant movement. Temper to a blue color, about 600F. Anneal if you are going to machine: different steels have different temperatures but if you take it to a dull red, you should be OK. Since the part is so small, I would preheat some ashes to the annealing temperature and allow the part to cool to room temperature in the bed of ashes. Better yet, if you have access to an oven that you can ramp the temperature down, use that. Various steel vendors have specific instructions for heat treating, including annealing.
 
Thanks so much for your reply. Here is what I come up as home made possible procedure. Looking for corrections.
I will be using propane torch only I think it should be sufficient for small parts. I know it is not highly controllable heat but that is all i have for now.

1. Anneal old spring (saw blade) by heating to 1500F,
2. Cool slowly in wood ash,
3. Reheat to red - reshape,
4. Reheat to critical, (is that 1500F ? Is this critical temp? Is this non magnetic state?),
5. Quench in warm oil (150F mixture of 5W30 and transmission oil), now is hardened?
6. Tempering by lead bath immersion,
7. Let it cool aside.

Am I on the right path?


SIGP2101
 
sigp2101 said:
Thanks so much for your reply. Here is what I come up as home made possible procedure. Looking for corrections.
I will be using propane torch only I think it should be sufficient for small parts. I know it is not highly controllable heat but that is all i have for now.

1. Anneal old spring (saw blade) by heating to 1500F,
2. Cool slowly in wood ash,
3. Reheat to red - reshape,
4. Reheat to critical, (is that 1500F ? Is this critical temp? Is this non magnetic state?),
5. Quench in warm oil (150F mixture of 5W30 and transmission oil), now is hardened?
6. Tempering by lead bath immersion,
7. Let it cool aside.

Am I on the right path?


SIGP2101
Click to expand...
You will have difficulty obtaining a uniform high temperature with a propane torch. Purchase a MAPP gas cylinder; you will get a hotter flame. If you can, make a little oven by stacking some firebricks to make a boxlike enclosure. This will allow you to obtain a higher temperature and more uniform heating. Ordinary bricks will work in a pinch.
1. Yes
2.Yes
3. Yes
4.Different steel formulations have different hardening temperatures, It is generally accepted that when the steel no longer attracts a magnet, it is at the proper temperature for hardening. You can go a little higher than that but shouldn't overheat as that can change the structure.
5. Yes
6. Yes
7. Once tempered, the spring can be cooled by quenching or you can just let it cool in air.

A final note; Before you make your spring for the Remington, make a simple spring and test it for its elasticity, brittleness, etc. to verify your process. Once you are satisfied that you can make a good spring, make your part.
 
Another note. If you are forging the spring rather than machining, only work the steel at a red heat. Resist the temptation to work cold metal as it can cause stress cracks which will result in premature failure of the spring.
 
The material is rather thin. Abandon the torch as you will get hot spots that become brittle. Lay your finished and highly polished (polish laterally, not across the spring) on the burner of your stove or hot plate until a magnet won't pick it up and then quench it in oil. As a word of caution, the better the finish, the closer to a mirror finish, the better the spring.
 
I do not advise making your spring out of "mystery metal",such as old circular saw blades. You might find that you have put your effort into it only to have the spring break.

Why not spend a few dollars and order some annealed spring steel stock from Dixie Gun Works,or Brownell's Gunsmith Supplies? It usually comes 1/8" thick X 1" wide,and is 1080 carbon steel. 1080 is a good steel for springs since it is not too high in carbon content. Gun springs are more critical than things like clock springs because they bend more,and are a LOT stiffer and thicker for their length. So,a less high carbon steel is better.

I HAVE made some springs from 01 tool steel,and have had some work,but also have had some blow up violently,which is dangerous to your eyes. 01 has more than 1% of carbon. Too much for reliable spring making.

I know a gunsmith who thought it was cool to try to make something out of nothing. He wasted a lot of time making some fancy flintlock springs out of leaf springs he got for nearly nothing somewhere. They all blew up. Later on,someone explained to him that those leaf springs were made of air hardening steel. This guy is a great craftsman,but had no training in steel types,which was a serious gap in his education!! Wasted effort to save a few dollars. Or,in his case to try getting by with as little as possible,just to show off,in his case. He thought it was macho,somehow.
 
Thanks! all extremely valid points. But first I would like to practice a lot before I make real and fully functional spring.
 
George Wilson gave you the same answer I would have. Have not made many coil springs but have filed and shaped my share of flat ones. Quite a few for old Iver Johnsons and H&R's. I try to explain the guns true value but it was Grandpa's and usually after a cylinder full it is put away again. Brownell's annealed spring material is really easy to file and simple to harden and draw.

Good luck.
 
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