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Thread: railway track for straight edge?
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22nd Aug 2012, 06:51 PM #1Most Valued Member
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railway track for straight edge?
Hi guys,
I have a 700mm piece of rail track. If i faced the base of the flange and handscraped it, could it be turned into a precision straight edge?
Cheers,
Simon
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22nd Aug 2012, 07:20 PM #2Most Valued Member
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I suppose you could,you wouldnt need to hold it with anything.
You would want to be careful what you put it on.
You would get good at grinding your scraper.
I reckon if your got nothing better to do for a few weeks go for it.
While at it your could attack the head and have a bloody big and heavy parallel.
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22nd Aug 2012, 09:24 PM #3Most Valued Member
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Yep. Thanks pipeclay. It's not something I would spend all day/every day on but if it was to yeild a useable straight edge then I don't mind the effort if it was a bit at a time. I was more questioning whether the shape would lend itself to a reliable flat reference. You would hate to go the effort only to find that because of the shape and design it's thermally instable and only useable at a narrow temperature range, or something like that anyway.....
Simon
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22nd Aug 2012, 10:33 PM #4
Not only would you have a straightedge but you would get damn strong too! What size track is it? As far as i know it is not MS either, so as Peter said, you would get good at sharpening. The top of the track get VERY work hardened to, right b!@#h of a stuff to machine.
1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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22nd Aug 2012, 11:15 PM #5
Most rail track is austenitc maganese steel alloy.
The bottom flange will be indeed softer as the top flange work hardens from the load. It comes in different weights per metre for different applications.
I have welded the top flanges with low hydrogen electrodes and then face milled to make an anvil, so it will machine Ok.
I have no idea at all about scraping it though.
Grahame
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23rd Aug 2012, 09:59 AM #6Golden Member
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A piece from here might have made a good starting point................
Frank.
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23rd Aug 2012, 10:21 AM #7Senior Member
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Steel is not that much of a pleasure to scrape. HSS works better than carbide.
I don't think I would use it as an straight edge.
But I'd keept it and use it as something to bang onto. Something anvil-ish that lacks the right shape.
Nick
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24th Aug 2012, 04:07 PM #8Most Valued Member
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24th Aug 2012, 10:59 PM #9New Member
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I have a piece of railway track about 300mm long, and I sure would not like to be using it in any role that involved moving it about! I had the top ground flat, and use it as an anvil. I have been bashing the carp out of it for 40 years, and there is not a mark on it. It is very very hard indeed!