Small quantities of medium carbon steel...

[Wal]

Hi all,

Thought I'd ask the hive mind in case anyone has a quick answer.

I'm after a small quantity of thin medium carbon steel in sheet (0.5/0.7mm) that I'd like to press form and harden/temper for a bit of spring. Trouble is I only need a bit (let's say 20 pieces 80x85) - short of getting lucky with offcuts, anyone know where I can source small quantities of CS70 / EN8 etc?

31788

Many thanks!

Wal.

[Muzzer]

Are you sure you want EN8? Sheet spring steel tends to be a different material. Something like this perhaps? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314119617109?var=612777033877&hash=item4922fcfa55:g:0OEAAOSwy85hARpZ&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4CPuCRUrEKJpYGNYo8rgLjLfDfhZr 8vxJFV8e18XSp6cOW0gHMtHUrXGX4g1uanKZ6WffGYASOHkqte no9fdoNSN7yCCtK5R3d9HhzxH76PD0m5J9ieNNS9hyZLYuvqND u2BoR898z%2BlkJYQs7IRm37la9MHQD5RpKOy9yP6s4YD3lzMb bGgpQ2HyEMtR9ze%2FUjacR6aJLrDVvRoIW7Q0FRohYz5cTWxv zdsTpm%2FU4p%2FvZez4rQOs1h9khzOW26V%2BEz3FIAbycR4t 5bSYEpSguwuj1zbDX9YICPvNyC7xilN%7Ctkp%3ABFBMpIf4ie Vh

[Wal]

Hi Muzzer,

Hey - I'm not sure what I want..!

Yep, I understand that EN8 is a mild steel, but it has a 0.4% carbon content (making it suitable for heat treatment), is machinable and reasonably ductile so it ticks the boxes.

The link that you provided - in its quenched state, is that not going to be a bit of a nightmare to work with - both machining and forming? Would it not need annealing prior to working?

Wal.

[Muzzer]

Sorry I didn't notice that. Ideally it would be tempered or annealed presumably, so that you can work it.

Disclaimer - my only experience of springs has been with materials that were developed for use in springs but they were almost exclusively helical and made from wire.

[Wal]

Had a dig through one of my drawers and found some old 0.5mm shim-stock (304 stainless). It's pretty springy and looks like it might do the job without the need for any heat treatment - provided I can cut it and that it responds well to the hand-tools I've made to form it.

This is how the clip looks fully formed - the secondary ops to bend the arms don't need much force, just hoping that the big bowl in the middle forms as well as it has in the generic 1mm thick CR4 used for the tests.

31790

Wal.