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  1. #1
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    Default Steel Grade - any ideas what I have?

    Gday All.
    I'm continuing cleaning and sorting my shed out and I have a lump of round bar (that used to be bright).
    Its a bar end and the end is painted white ( I know that doesn't mean much)
    On the end it has "38.10 B/S" Which I thought might have been a grade at first. Until I measured it at 38.10mm So now I think this means the dia and Bright Shaft (or steel)
    Anyway, it also has some writing on the side in the good old yellow paint pen. I can't make out the first bit but there is a string of numbers which I reckon is 61660.
    Ive just spent an hour on the net using a variety of search engines and I can't find anything that relates this number to a grade of steel.
    Its not really that important to me but I'm curious what it is. For all I know that number might be totally unrelated to the grade.
    So does anyone who knows more about steel than I have any ideas suggestions? I've had this bit for at least 20 years so it might also be an old number that is no longer used.
    Thanks in advance.
    Peter

  2. #2
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    Hi Peter, Found a Product Colour Code Chart from Atlas steel and it looks like it could be 8620H a case hardening steel.
    The number you quoted, could be anything from an Invoice number to a stock or job number.
    Have attached a link to the page for you and others.
    http://www.atlassteels.com.au/docume...v_Dec_2003.pdf
    Hopefully it will help, IF I'm reading it right
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
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    Thanks Kryn.
    Might be. I cant even remember where or when I got this.
    peter

  4. #4
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    If you really want to know what it is I can Xray a slice when I get back to work

  5. #5
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    I found that once you start delving into steel colour codes you find that steel supplier/maker colour codes do not always agree, so now I slice off a thin section 2-3mm thick heat to cherry red and quench, if a files slides over the top then I figure it is some sort of flame hardening tool steel silver steel/drill rod/4140 etc and mark it accordingly for future. The Xray thing sounds nice though - is there a hobby version available ?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by familyguy View Post
    The Xray thing sounds nice though - is there a hobby version available ?
    I wish! https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Olympus-...frcectupt=true

  7. #7
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    I have found this very useful when trying to figure out what grade a piece of steel is.


    DSC08003.jpgDSC08004.jpg

    Tony

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by NedsHead View Post
    If you really want to know what it is I can Xray a slice when I get back to work
    Thanks for that kind offer but its not that important.
    peter

  9. #9
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    There's a full metallurgy lab at work but they haven't had enough people wanting to do the course so they haven't offered it for several years. Now the only teacher they had qualified to teach it has retired.

    They are still doing NDT but even that has dwindling numbers.

    About 20 years ago I was in a different position to what I am doing now and part of my job was machining tensile samples and impact (Sharpie) samples. I'd be presented with two bits of 20 - 25 mm plate that had been welded together so the size was about 300mm square.
    I'd then have to slice it up using 8"X 1/8" slitting saw on a big old Metal Export mill into Sharpie samples. Several each from the weld root, the middle and top of the weld. Once cut they had to be surface ground and then notched. Had to be very careful not to loose the orientation.
    One of the those jobs that I can remember clearly and have no desire to ever do again. lol
    peter

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by bollie7 View Post
    There's a full metallurgy lab at work but they haven't had enough people wanting to do the course so they haven't offered it for several years. Now the only teacher they had qualified to teach it has retired.

    They are still doing NDT but even that has dwindling numbers.

    About 20 years ago I was in a different position to what I am doing now and part of my job was machining tensile samples and impact (Sharpie) samples. I'd be presented with two bits of 20 - 25 mm plate that had been welded together so the size was about 300mm square.
    I'd then have to slice it up using 8"X 1/8" slitting saw on a big old Metal Export mill into Sharpie samples. Several each from the weld root, the middle and top of the weld. Once cut they had to be surface ground and then notched. Had to be very careful not to loose the orientation.
    One of the those jobs that I can remember clearly and have no desire to ever do again. lol
    peter

    Some forty + years ago part of my training was to take the same samples you would have made, stretch, bend and generally brake them to see how they stood up. Others had to be polished to a mirror finish, etched then thrown under a high powered microscope or an electron microscope and checked.
    I didn`t mind braking bits but the endless polishing was a pain I have not missed since those days.

    Tony

  11. #11
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    Worth trying a spark test? There is a set of good spark test photos here:

    https://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/241...sting-metals-2

    Frank.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by bts View Post
    Some forty + years ago part of my training was to take the same samples you would have made, stretch, bend and generally brake them to see how they stood up. Others had to be polished to a mirror finish, etched then thrown under a high powered microscope or an electron microscope and checked.
    I didn`t mind braking bits but the endless polishing was a pain I have not missed since those days.

    Tony
    Tony. I was lucky that I didn't have to do any polishing. That task went to the Technical Officer in the Metallurgy dept. I did refurbish a couple of polishing machines (basically a belt sander with a high price tag) though.
    peter

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Worth trying a spark test? There is a set of good spark test photos here:

    https://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/241...sting-metals-2

    Frank.
    Thanks for that Frank.
    peter

  14. #14
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    G/day Bollie, i think that famillyguys idea of seeing if it will harden is a good one.
    I recently was given this length of silver steel to make some parts and the paint on the end looks like it may have been white once upon a time.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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