Looking for steel...

[Davek0974]

Trying to find a source of bright steel strip with a section like the picture below, size is about 16mm x 3mm maybe 15mm x 3mm

21007

The rounded sides are critical.

I can get it in hot-rolled but the mill scale makes finishing a ******, this is for scroll-work and the scrolling cracks the scale off randomly.

Pickling would be trick as its 4m lengths :)

Pickling the finished item would not be good as the juice would get in the joints and wreck the powder-coat.

[John S]

You are not going to get that section in bright plus it won't form as well as black and may even crack on sharp bends.

You say it's for scroll work but surely you are not forming a whole 4M length at one go ? So what is the max length you need to work.

If you can cut down to 2m you can get a length of industrial plastic guttering with two end caps masticed on for security and nearly fill it with brick and patio cleaner from Toolstation for £8.00 a pop diluted with water 1:1 and this will fetch all the scale off in about 2 hours.

[Davek0974]

Thanks John, not heard of the patio cleaner, will try that i think.

Yes 2m is ok, max i have used is about 1.6m in one piece so the gutter idea will work i reckon.

I'll get some of that cleaner.

[Davek0974]

This one?

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p29118?searchstr=brick%20and%20patio

[John S]

Yup, that's it.

[JAZZCNC]

That's just weak Hydrochloric acid (5-10%) you'll be able to find 28% hydro acid for similair or less money (I sell 25Ltr for £13.50). Often it's used has brick acid or toilet/drain cleaner so try builders merchant or if got local chemical supplier pay them visit has it's common and cheap.

[thinfourth]

I find running steel strip through a ring roller takes most of the scale off

So make/build a ring roller

Run steel through to make a curve

Turn steel upside down and run through again at a different setting to make it flatish

[Davek0974]

You are not going to get that section in bright plus it won't form as well as black and may even crack on sharp bends.

You say it's for scroll work but surely you are not forming a whole 4M length at one go ? So what is the max length you need to work.


Hi all, just an update - forgot about this thread.

The steel i need IS available in bright - Its called "Half-Hard Round-Edge", another name is "Bending Steel" - its the perfect item and on the shelf at my local stockist. Not much dearer than hot-rolled but time saved is worth much more. :)