by Raymond » 28 Oct 2007 23:05
Try to use pieces of spring steel for your turning tools. Windshield wiper reinforcements (no heat), street sweeper blades (no heat), ground down allen wrenches (rigid-no heat ), feeler gauges, and many other items make good tool material.
Even the best spring steel and even rigid turning tools can be bent if you put sufficient torque on it. But, if you have heated it to make the bends, then you have probably removed all of the spring temper.
When I asked for similar info Kaotik provided this on retempering:
"Some bends can be done cold (depending on how aggressive the curvature is made). The sharper the curve is when fracture and breaking can occur.
If bending while using heat, heat the desired area to a red glow then bend while the metal is stilll hot, (if you let it cool slowly then it would annealing it) reheat and bend until the desired curve is achieved.
When tempering is needed, sand the material to get a shiny somewhat reflective finish and heat the metal (area that was bent and a little more on each side of the area) to approx. 450-650 degrees F, or untill a pale-straw colored yellow (light blue is about the limit) is present, then cool radiply in cold water or cold-room temperature oil.
You will get the strength back but, because the lack of proper heating environment and processes it will not be as if it was never heated. So the piece will have lost some of it's springy properties. "
Good luck
Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool. Wisdom is not just in determining how to do something, but also includes determining whether it should be done at all.
