Making a Spring

[PreserveFreedom]

I will be building a lock this winter and I need to know how to make a spring. Please be specific...what material and process is involved? A picture is worth 1,000 words. I don't want to resort to having to use a coil spring unless I have to.

 

Check with Track of da Wolf, look for the spring making booklet by Kit Ravensheer. It has everything you need to learn step by step. Think it's less than $10.

Bill

 

[Swtodd]

Brownells catalog #64 page 387 has a written discription. No pictures.

steve

 

[BigDeutscher]

Kits Book is easy
all you will ever need
Track of the wolf
Dont delay get it today!
Deutsch

 

[chichi]

The quickest way is to follow Kit R's book. It uses purchased stock and is pretty straightforward.
If you want to forge a spring,I have done several including about 8 hours ago. I will spare the details until I hear what you prefer.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have had good results using Dixie gun works spring stock, I heat it cherry red to form it. Then heat it until a magnet doesn't stick, quench in used motor oil, then wrap it in aluminum foil and let it set in my lead pot pushed under the lead at just melting temp for an hour then air cooled. :hmm:

 

[Erzulis boat]

Just got done making a 1600's safety spring today, on top of many in the last 10 years......

I use 1095 in the annealed state for starters, as it is very tough and very forgiving IMO.

I machined a Snaphaunce safety spring, bent it to desired shape using MAPP gas, then went through a simple process.

I bent the initial shape by getting it just getting to "Light Orange" without any sparkle and just progressively getting it to the desired form.

I then sanded with a fine file and 220 grit to get a blank canvas so to speak, then took it to just a bright orange right past cherry- 1095 can handle (and likes IMO) a water quench (motor/linseed etc.)is not "fast" enough and cools too slowly. Certain alloys like an oil quench, but 1095 works great with water. I then hit with 220, and bring it to a blue/gray, and let the gray color just sneak up on the blue before I stop the heat and let it air cool.
1095 is extremely forgiving, and super tough when done right.
This is just the tip of the iceberg here!