# Need a flat spring for a project ?



## Billh50 (Feb 20, 2015)

Steel pallet banding is usually 1095 steel, or similar high carbon plain steel. It's fairly thick and makes good springs.

Heat to non-magnetic, quench into 30 wt oil, clean it off, temper at 450-460*F for 30 minutes. It should be a nice purple/royal blue when done. If it's too stiff, re-temper at 460-470*F...and so on and so on. If I remember right, I was using about 510*F the last time I did it with these. This made for a fairly flexible spring that wouldn't take a set easy at all.


----------



## cathead (Feb 20, 2015)

My friend brought me some 1 inch pallet banding.  I'm using it
as is to hold my parallels in the vise just bent to shape.  Does
one get a lot more spring if you heat-quench-temper?  Also 
it is pretty uniform stuff so I can see using it for shims.


----------



## Billh50 (Feb 20, 2015)

I use a strip for the same thing. The heat treat used for banding can be changed to a more spring like temper as I stated above. I have used banding to make springs for firearms with good success.


----------



## w9jbc (Feb 20, 2015)

im wondering if this would work for making a lock spring in and old door latch / lock? I may just have to give this a try, and see


----------



## Billh50 (Feb 20, 2015)

The different tempering temperatures will make the spring lighter or harder. I have only done this by guessing but I would think there would be some info for tempering 1095 steel on the net somewhere.


----------



## Billh50 (Feb 20, 2015)

Found this on a quick search.

Formed Springs Requiring Heat Treatment
AISI - 1095 - SAE
Normal Temp 1550° - 1650° F.
Anneal Temp 1400° - 1500° F.
Hard Temp 1440° - 1475° F.
Oil Quench Rc 66


Rockwell Drawing Temp. *
AISI - 1095 - SAE
400°      F 600°    F 700°    F 800°    F 900°    F 1000°    F 1100°    F 1200° 
Rc 62     Rc 55     Rc 49      Rc 45      Rc 41       Rc 38       Rc 34       Rc 30


Tensile PSI Drawing Temp. *
AISI - 1095 - SAE
  F 400°   F 600°    F 700°     F 800°     F 900°     F 1000°     F 1100°     F 1200°
320,000  270,000   238,000   212,000   189,000    176,000    155,000      138,000
* The proper drawing range and time cycles should be determined by experiment calculated to develop those properties best suited for intended end usage. 

*Special Note* - These temperature ranges and their resultant values are given as information only and not to be followed without experimentation. However, as these steels are held to close uniformity tolerances little difficulty should be experienced.


----------



## iron man (Feb 20, 2015)

Last time I needed a flat spring I ground the teeth off of a bandsaw blade it made an excellent spring without having to heat treat it,, for holes i just used a punch press. Ray


----------



## iron man (Feb 20, 2015)

Last time I needed a flat spring I ground the teeth off of a bandsaw blade it made an excellent spring without having to heat treat it,, for holes i just used a punch press. Ray


----------



## cathead (Feb 20, 2015)

I have done that too.  I save old band saw blades and they eventually
have an alternative use.  I have ground the teeth off hack saw blades
and used them to expend rings on pistons many times.  I have a set
of 3 that I keep just for that purpose.  I have drilled holes in band saw
blades with m42 drill bits.  The cobalt in the m42 drills is really tough and 
one can drill holes in files easily with them.  I highly recommend them.     




iron man said:


> Last time I needed a flat spring I ground the teeth off of a band saw blade it made an excellent spring without having to heat treat it,, for holes i just used a punch press. Ray


----------



## Ulma Doctor (Feb 20, 2015)

great thread Billh!!!


----------



## randyc (Feb 20, 2015)

Nice idea, Bill.  As well as holding parallels in place in a milling vise, they also work well as parallels themselves when holding parts that are too skinny for normal parallels.  The width is very consistent - especially if you shear two pieces that are adjacent in the band.


----------



## RJSakowski (Feb 20, 2015)

It is important to have the same temperature throughout the spring when hardening and tempering.  If you don't have access to an oven, a molten lead bath provides a uniform temperature for the tempering process.  The melting point of lead is just about ideal for springs.  If there is a small amount of solid lead in the pot, it will ensure that you are close to the 621F melting point.  Remember that lead is toxic. Clean up properly after use!


----------

