Steel Grades what good for a newb

[WillyInBris]

Best grade steel for lathe work.

Guys I am a bit of a newb when it comes to lathe work and have run out of what I have been playing with, can you guys tell me what's the most forgiving cheap to use grade etc or even a good site to read about this, it looks like I am going to have to buy some and have no problems with that just want to get the right steel.

I plan to make plenty more swarf :D.

Sent an email to interlloy link (http://www.interlloy.com.au/our-products/) they can supply nearly everything but if I sound like a noob I am sure the price is going to go up :rolleyes: .

Any help is much appreciated.

oops yep I have a sieg C3 lathe

Willy

If we al ready have a thread on this Mods please feel free to fold this post into it.

[Stustoys]

Hi Willy,
What are you making? How many?
I just use boring old Black M/S for most things. Its cheap and easy to get. It doesnt exactly machine great but for most of what I do that doesnt matter.

Your right about the price going up if you bug them while they are busy. But lots of places can be very heplful if they have time. So depending on the place I tend to stay out of the way until it looks like they arent run off their feet. Sure some wont want to bother with you. Some places have offcut bins. Recyclers can be cheap on small stuff but you have no real idea what it is.

Stuart

[Big Shed]

My local merchant stocks both Black and Bright mild steel, I usually buy the Bright, but I prefer to work with 1214 which is far easier to machine and takes a much better finish.

I get that from Buhler Uddeholm in Bayswater, I found that Interlloy doesn't sell the smaller quantities I need.

I also turn a lot of 304 SS and once you get used to it, it isn't that difficult to machine.

[morrisman]

This may help you Will

http://www.interlloy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Colour-Chart.pdf

SAE steel grades - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AISI_steel_grades#Carbon_Steel_and_Low-Alloy_Steel)

A lot of the suppliers won't sell small bits . There is a good place in Hallam that sells stuff by weight ..it's down the road from MELSTEEL .

I use bright mild steel scavenged from the scrap bins at TAFE .... It's Ok but the finish isn't perfect. You polish it with emery paper and it comes up shiny and smoother. I've never used the proper 12L14 turning steel because it isn't available locally .

MIKE

[WillyInBris]

Hi Willy,
What are you making? How many?
I just use boring old Black M/S for most things. Its cheap and easy to get. It doesnt exactly machine great but for most of what I do that doesnt matter.

Your right about the price going up if you bug them while they are busy. But lots of places can be very heplful if they have time. So depending on the place I tend to stay out of the way until it looks like they arent run off their feet. Sure some wont want to bother with you. Some places have offcut bins. Recyclers can be cheap on small stuff but you have no real idea what it is.

Stuart

What am I making well I have no idea I do have a plan to make some parts for my laser cutter drive axles etc after that I am sure I will find a number of things to do.

I do want to get into model engines etc in the long run when I become good enough but I really need to learn or should I say relearn as its been 24years how to use the lathe.

Actually I really need to write a TO DO list.


My local merchant stocks both Black and Bright mild steel, I usually buy the Bright, but I prefer to work with 1214 which is far easier to machine and takes a much better finish.

I get that from Buhler Uddeholm in Bayswater, I found that Interlloy doesn't sell the smaller quantities I need.

I also turn a lot of 304 SS and once you get used to it, it isn't that difficult to machine.

Yes interlloy has a 6m min length and min $50 order, I did get pricing on 20mm length and it was approx $40 inc GST I think but I will get a quote on the 1214 and see what that comes in at not to worried about the lengths and $$ etc i will just keep what I dont use on the shelf I am sure some SE QLDers may need some in the future.

Unless someone has someone in SEQLD that sells small quantities :p.

The reason for me doing this is for repeatability sake I can come on here and say does this look right then go back and try again makes it easy when your learning.



This may help you Will

http://www.interlloy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Colour-Chart.pdf

SAE steel grades - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AISI_steel_grades#Carbon_Steel_and_Low-Alloy_Steel)

A lot of the suppliers won't sell small bits . There is a good place in Hallam that sells stuff by weight ..it's down the road from MELSTEEL .

I use bright mild steel scavenged from the scrap bins at TAFE .... It's Ok but the finish isn't perfect. You polish it with emery paper and it comes up shiny and smoother. I've never used the proper 12L14 turning steel because it isn't available locally .

MIKE

Yes I didn't see that chart :doh: and the wiki link, thanks for that makes it a lot easier to understand.

If only I lived in Melb :C seems you guys have it all sorted.

[mike rolly]

Hey Will,

Mate, I have been going to the wreckers and buying shock absorbers, the steel rod in them is usually straight and of a decent quality.

What type of steel used is a mystery to me, but it seems to be decent stuff. I grabbed 12 shockies for $15.00!

Mike

[Big Shed]

Love recycling stuff, must have a look at that:2tsup:

[morrisman]

Hey Will,

Mate, I have been going to the wreckers and buying shock absorbers, the steel rod in them is usually straight and of a decent quality.

What type of steel used is a mystery to me, but it seems to be decent stuff. I grabbed 12 shockies for $15.00!

Mike

the wreckers here want $50 each for them......... LOL to you

Another good source of highly accurate bar is the rollers from old dot matrix printers ..they make ideal test bars for checking a lathe's accuracy

[Big Shed]

the wreckers here want $50 each for them......... LOL to you

Another good source of highly accurate bar is the rollers from old dot matrix printers ..they make ideal test bars for checking a lathe's accuracy

Also old scanners, I routinely pick them up at garage sales, usually a $1, the older ones have 2 rods, the newer ones only 1.

Old inkjet printers also have some nice bars in them, again they often go dirt cheap at garage sales (also a good source for nylon gears and such).
I save the bornze bushes from sanners and printers as well.

[mike rolly]

the wreckers here want $50 each for them......... LOL to you

Another good source of highly accurate bar is the rollers from old dot matrix printers ..they make ideal test bars for checking a lathe's accuracy

$50.00 each !! :o

Jeez, as I said, I am paying $15.00 mate. Are you buying them off the shelf at the wreakers? I imaginge you would pay premium for that.

Just find a place that will let you take your tools in with you, I removed the ones I have.

Mike

[Dave J]

As said above mild steel is fine to learn and play around on.
For shocks and things like that go to the suspension place and ask for a few out of the scrap bin, they will probably give them to you when you tell them why you want them. Same as other things like axles etc, the mechanics are usually glad to get rid of the broken bits.
Mild steel is cheap and available from almost any metal supplier.

Dave

[matthew_g]

Another good way to go for nice machining steel is ols car axles. It is really nice to machine.

[morrisman]

Another good way to go for nice machining steel is ols car axles. It is really nice to machine.

You will have the vintage car guys on your back for doing that. I would do it with common Holden and Falcon axles but not to the rare stuff ... I would be shot for ruining good Series 1 Land Rover axles for example . If they are already broken, then go for it :2tsup:

Mike

[azzrock]

sounds like a lot. considering a wreaked car probably only cost a few hundred bucks.
ask for the shagged out shockers



the wreckers here want $50 each for them......... LOL to you

Another good source of highly accurate bar is the rollers from old dot matrix printers ..they make ideal test bars for checking a lathe's accuracy