How do I get this widget made (a small rectangular bit of 1.6mm mild steel)

[HankMcSpank]

It's now looking like I'll need to source some of these in number, not even sure what it would be called (presently I refer to it as 'a small bit of rectangular 1.6mm thick steel'! - not that catchy - would there be a more appropriate name as used int he industry?)...



If I know how it would be made, then I know who to approach.

Spec is ....1.6mm thick mild steel, about 33mm(ish) x 4mm (I'll also need some about 20mm x 4mm)

From what I can gather....laser cutting is out (deformation?), water jet cutting is a possibility but would probably need tabs...else the part falls into the water tank below! (which means a bit of a hassle tarting up the de-tabbed part) ....could something like this be stamped/pressed out of 1.6mm sheet? (sorry if this is a naive question....but this is all a brave new world to me!)

Ideas on the back of a postcard please!

[John S]

laser cutting is not out, in 1.6 there would be no problem

[HankMcSpank]

cool...so it wouldn't deform? (from hazy recollection, I was told some time ago by a laser cutting firm, that it's the 4mm dimension that's the problem - not the 1.6mm thickness) how much effort do you reckon would be needed on the laser cut part to make it look presentable? I need one of the sides in particular to look visually decent (as looking down on the part if it were standing up - not on its side as photographed). I can tell you from making the one photographed with a hacksaw & file, these are not nice bits to work with - way too piddly - so looking for a way of manufacturing that won't take me ages to clean up once received.

Also how thin can you go with steel sheet before deformation from the laser cutting becomes a problem?

[martin54]

What is it ? A key of some sort like a woodruff key?

Could you not do them easy enough with a jigsaw? Use a guide & cut longish lengths, clean up the edges then cut them to correct lengths.

[HankMcSpank]

It's a 'blade' for the inside (pole piece) of a guitar blade pickup, I found this on google images to give you an idea....


But these will be very low profile....& I really need the accuracy that I'd not be able to attain with a jigsaw (each long thin edge needs to be nice & flat...the top visible edge must look good, the bottom nice & flat so the magnets attach well) ...also, I'm not talking a few - probably at least one thousand pcs initially (& that'll get old very quick with 'me and a jigsaw!)!)

[Swarfing]

Hank if it was me i would be tempted to buy 4mm flat bar and rip down the length at your 1.6mm thickness on a bandsaw. You could then stack and cut multiples to the length you need? I'm sure you bog standard metal supplier could do that for you rather than going to fabricators and such like?

[oscar]

Get a length of 4mm thick ground flat stock, 1"1/2 wide. Mill the width down to 33mm (if you can get away with a width of 31.75mm, just get 1"1/4 and no milling involved). Then take it to a local wire EDM place and get them to slice it down into 1.6mm pieces. Quick rub of all faces on some wet and dry placed on a flat surface, jobs a goodun.

[Robin Hewitt]

I have a notion that you need soft iron if you want to do magnetic stuff. I could be wrong but hot rolled sounds a lot more appropriate than gauge plate. Sure cuts easier.

[spluppit]

If you need this job looking at its pretty straight forward. Lots of very elaborate and overkill ways have been suggested to make this part and its really very simple and is not a job that warrants fancy machining methods to produce at a cost, A lot that have been suggested will cost you a small fortune. It's some 1/16 cold rolled sheet stripped up and machined to a size............... that's all it is really. If you need a super finish on the visible edge then there are methods that are available to achieve that finish without fancy and expensive grinding.

If I can be of any help please feel free to contact me.


Kind regards,


Scott

[HankMcSpank]

As it transpires, since my initial post, I've now established that I probably need the part to be something like 430fr stainless (on account it has higher electrical resistivity, therefore less eddy currents - and eddy current heat seems to be more of a problem than I first realised - especially at higher frequencies) ....430fr also resists corrosion (which was something else that was troubling me)...so right now, I'm on another quest to find a 430fr supplier that won't want me to buy 0.5 tons as a minimum order! (& the early indications are that it's likely to end in a cul-de-sac, because 430fr seems to be mainly supplied in rod form ...& in large quantities - it's a wonder anything new gets to market made by the small guy!)

Thanks to all who contributed ...& Scott, I'll definitely be in touch when I need such work done.