Thread: Does anyone need any spring steel shim?

I bought a pack of blue tempered spring steel shim stock to make up some replacement springs for a dividing head and rotary table (those C shaped things that are never available as a spare part). I've never seen it in OZ - this lot came from the US.
I had to buy a pack of 6 pieces each 6"x12" and have used a piece of around 2"x4" from the 25thou piece. Thicknesses in thou are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 32
If anyone has a need for some, send me a PM. I don't want to send bits out for members to have on a "just in case" basis. This is for those in need (chances are there will be some left if ever that "just in case" time arrives).
I should warn prospective spring requesters that this stuff is tough and hard. I was cutting it with my bench shears and shaping with a bench grinder, belt sander & linisher. Holes were punched. If you plan on drilling it I'd suggest new drills and clamp it down firmly (I guy I worked with cut tendons in his hand when a strip of this sort of stuff grabbed in the drill and it was not clamped - a very nasty accident . It took months before he knew whether he'd get the use of his hand back).

Michael

Nice offer Michael, lots of things are no longer available here which is sad.

I was just thinking the other day about someone in Australia making new lathes, I know they would be far more expensive than the Chinese/Taiwanese imports but there are a lot of people that would pay for quality, especially businesses, though probably not enough to make it worthwhile.

Dave

I bought a pack of blue tempered spring steel shim stock to make up some replacement springs for a dividing head and rotary table (those C shaped things that are never available as a spare part)

Hi Michael, the springs that you were after, are they an E clip as used on lawn mower wheels etc? As they should be available from any good engineer supply or bearing place.
Kryn

These are like an E clip but with a bore around 28mm. I have some of those in smaller sizes. They also spring in the axial plain.

It's the C shaped thing in this picture.

200.jpg
I've made up the sectors, a detent and a spring. Now I just have to mount the detent on an arm (bought the plates second hand)

Michael

Michael you may be my savior i have an indexing head with one of the sectors arms broken and i was wondering how i could fix it this may be the answer
Ive just gotten home from work sat night so ill wait till daylight to see what i need to make a new sector arm ( there's still one remaining )
john

John
while working out how to do this I did make extra, so depending on exactly what it is you need I might be able to give you a pair of half finished sector arms.

Michael

thanks Michael this is what i have its .060 thich but i guess smaller wont matter
cheers john

Hi Michael,

That's 1095, the stuff I've used in the past to make handsaw blades, the 20 thou is good for dovetail saws. you could use 15 thou if the plate's not too deep.

Thicker than 20 thou, makes good woodwork scrapers.

You can punch the thinner sizes, but the thicker stuff needs a carbide drill.

Or you can try the nail trick. You put a nail in the drill press and force it down onto the plate until it glows red hot, to remove the temper where you want to drill, and then let it cool and use a normal HSS drill.

If you've got any 20 thou left over, you should make a few saws.

Regards
Ray