Here is a great method to always ensure a "well tempered" mainspring (or frizzen spring). Spring Tempering
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The best way to temper a mainspring
- Thread starter hirocker
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Well HighRocker, that thar shor is a neat little heat treatin oven. I jus get um red hot in the coals at the draft of my wood stove, then dunk um in water. After makin plenty sure they're dry, I then dunk um in my lead pot at high temp and swish um around fer a while. Seem ta work, ain't never broke one. :m2c:
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heat it until a magnet is not attracted to it; then dunk either in oil or brine water depending on your steel or try a piece if you making you own. polish the spring so you can see color and heat to a blue and dunk again
remember guys that not all spring steel is the same, and some must be quenched in oil, for others of less carbon, water is no problem. Tempering temperatures will vary as well. I'd rather go too far when tempering and have it "take a set" than to hear that "pink" sound of a spring breaking. I really like the soaking in molten lead as a tempering method because it is so uniform and allows the whole spring to come to the same temp and hold. But that sand idea is great, just requires the thermocouple for temperature. I generally am using old agricultural machinery spring steel which is 1080 or so and needs to be oil quenched and tempered almost to gray.
Bill Bounds
40 Cal.
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Hi Highrocker:
Have you tried this? It looks like it would work, but take some time to heat up evenly. I just about finished making my first lock and the whole deal was...well a learning experience.
The lead pot works but the temp rises and falls a few tens of degrees as the thermostat kicks in to keep the lead melted. I have a Hi temp thermometer and even with that it took me five tries to get the main spring right. I'm a slow learner.
Bill
It still isn't right, dang it.On to annealing and some reshaping.
Have you tried this? It looks like it would work, but take some time to heat up evenly. I just about finished making my first lock and the whole deal was...well a learning experience.
The lead pot works but the temp rises and falls a few tens of degrees as the thermostat kicks in to keep the lead melted. I have a Hi temp thermometer and even with that it took me five tries to get the main spring right. I'm a slow learner.
Bill
It still isn't right, dang it.On to annealing and some reshaping.
Yes, I have acutally tested it with both large and small springs. Before this, I have never been able to successfully temper thin springs without breaking at least one, but this solved the problem.
Although I have not used a lead bath, if I were to do so, I would overheat at least 5# of lead, unplug the pot and add the spring when the thermometer showed the temperature has dropped to the right point. The large mass of the lead will keep the temperature from dropping much unless you are tempering a large part.
Although I have not used a lead bath, if I were to do so, I would overheat at least 5# of lead, unplug the pot and add the spring when the thermometer showed the temperature has dropped to the right point. The large mass of the lead will keep the temperature from dropping much unless you are tempering a large part.
