Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: Ohio Joe on December 31, 2018, 08:30:28 PM

Title: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: Ohio Joe on December 31, 2018, 08:30:28 PM
I actually found this on youtube and thought some of you might be interested.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Rendezvous+Muzzleloading++shooting+youtube&&view=detail&mid=FF47F110E307977932F5FF47F110E307977932F5&&FORM=VDRVRV
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: rollingb on January 01, 2019, 12:42:13 AM
That's a great video Joe,.... thanks! :hairy :hairy
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: LRB on January 02, 2019, 02:05:28 PM
  Lets start with the steel. All saws are not the same steel. Better to buy or obtain true spring steel so you know what you have. 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084. You can also use 1095, but it is a finicky steel to work with. Once forged and formed the spring should be annealed, then heat cycled from about 1600°, then 1500°, then just above non-magnetic. These 3 cycles consist of bringing to the temp, holding a few seconds, then air cooling until you can handle it bare handed. The cycling is what controls and reduces grain size, giving more strength. Then you can harden it. You never take steel to a yellow heat unless you are forging or forge welding. Yellow heat will produce a grain size so large as to see the individual grains. In hardening, no hotter than red-orange, and no less either. Quench in warmed canola oil, and have enough of it to cool fast. Not a tiny container like shown in that video. Springs need a temper heat of 725° to 750°. Don't ask why his spring worked, because there are too many unknowns and variables to give a proper answer, but I can tell you, that is no way to heat treat a spring. The guy knows how to shape one, but it all ends right there. Ok. I went back and he is using Celsius not Fahrenheit, so that is about 630/633° F in his temper, and that is too low for common spring steel. May work for a while, but risky if you got full hardness in quench, which I doubt he did considering the small amount of oil used and quenching at a yellow heat. That is one those variables I mentioned. A final word. When properly heat treated, a springs power is dependent on thickness and not temper. Temper controls it's breaking or set bending, while thickness controls power.
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: rollingb on January 02, 2019, 03:12:40 PM
Thank you LRB,.... that is very good/useful information.  :hairy :bow
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: Ohio Joe on January 02, 2019, 04:53:48 PM
Good info LRB!  :bl th up

I'm not a metal smith, but I did wonder about the use of the saw blade... I was hoping someone with knowledge in this area would come along and either confirm or set us straight on this.  :toast
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: Uncle Russ on January 02, 2019, 05:52:13 PM
Thank you LRB,.... that is very good/useful information.  :hairy :bow

Unfortunately, I may never have the opportunity to use this information, but it sure as heck made for some good reading.
Thanks a bunch for sharing it. There are those among us that will get a world of good from that post, and even put it to use.

Thank you LRB!  :bow

Russ...
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: LRB on January 03, 2019, 07:10:25 AM
  There are some saw blades that might make a good spring, but it is very disappointing to put a lot of time and effort into a project, then have it fail from a poor choice of material, or lack of knowledge of it's particular requirements. Whenever possible, it is best to know what steel or material you have, and what it takes to bring the best out of it.
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: rollingb on January 03, 2019, 11:39:03 AM
Question for you LRB,.... where's a good place to order some 1070, 1075, 1080, 1084 spring steel for making springs?
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: LRB on January 03, 2019, 03:11:55 PM
Brownell's Inc. is good, and http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/    knife making suppliers, steel suppliers , ect. The  NJ Steel Baron is quality steel, and good service, and will help with questions on heat treating his steels.
Title: Re: Making a Main Spring for your lock
Post by: rollingb on January 03, 2019, 03:34:58 PM
Brownell's Inc. is good, and http://newjerseysteelbaron.com/    knife making suppliers, steel suppliers , ect. The  NJ Steel Baron is quality steel, and good service, and will help with questions on heat treating his steels.

Thanks LRB,... I bookmarked your link.  :hairy