Good Steel From Car Parts?

Judging by the blue heat stains and the sharp points I for one would not spin that too fast or loose on the floor myself.
I see shrapnel and stitches in it's future.
***********Just Saying***********G*************
 
That's not blue heat stains. That's the light of the blue sky through the window (somewhere around 8000 degrees Kelvin) whereas the overall photo has been tuned to the warm artificial light inside (2700 degrees Kelvin).
 
I'd pick up all the scrap you are allowed, brake drums and discs for example

They are all homengnous material and need no ripping apart and cleaning.

Get a load together and sell it to the scrap yard, they buy known material, either new or scrap yard.
 
I would absolutely do that, but they already have arrangements there. I just have permission to pull out what interests me "within reason".
 
Something to think about:

In the area of Aluminum.... I was looking into sand casting case parts for a reduction gear drive...
Talked to a couple of engineer friends...

They said the alloys used for aluminum heads are more than strong enough for basic case castings... as long as one does not skimp on thickness and practices good casting principles.

Just a thought... the alloy quality of Aluminum heads is probably stronger than things like alternator and AC compressor mounting brackets.
 
Absolutely. Pistons and heads are excellent aluminum. Wheels are pretty good, too. But this thread was about steel parts. ;) :)

I think the only "poor" alloy I've used from vehicle parts is pure 6061 Alcoa tubing (still had the wording printed the side) of an aluminum driveshaft. Guy must have used it to locate boulders or something because there was a section in the middle that had been flattened by a very rough object. The end caps were heavy, cast aluminum, but the body was just thin wall 6061. I kept the sections that were still round, though I have no idea what I'll do with a couple 24" long pieces of thin wall 5" soft aluminum tubing. So far I'm just thinking they'll hold other stock.
 
The Mcpherson struts I have cut are very hard. A carbide tool couldn't scratch it. The hard outside layer is thicker than plating and had to be ground away before carbide would bite into it. The finish is not chrome, my 4 jaw can't get a hold it is so hard. I managed to make a centre with one but had to grind a circlip groove to stop it from slipping into the chuck.
 
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mattthemuppet said:
that's a beautiful boring head (among other things!) - do you
have any pictures of your build as that looks just like something I'd like to make one day :)
Click to expand...

Sorry Matt, the boring head was an eBay bargain... from back when there were bargains on eBay ;-)

John
 
Not steel but I wasn't sure where to put this and I didn't want to make another thread for it.

This is a heavy chunk of aluminum. Other than melting it or selling it for scrap, can you think of something useful to for the shop to make out of this unique shape?

8b0813dce8947398cce1463633a66b4e.jpg

Banana for scale. :)
 
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