Metal

[bernie weishapl]

I have another question for all you metal workers out there. I have some A2 steel, 1018 steel, stainless steel, and some O1 steel. Which would be better for making a couple of cutters, reamers, spade drill bits, etc? I have found some places I would like to have a little smaller cutter for my bushing machine and make my own bushings. Especially when they have to be put in near the edge of the plate. Thanks.

[Bob Tascione]

Hi Bernie,
1018 is a mild low carbon steel so not a candidate for hardening. A2 or O1 are both excellent tool steel candidates for normal clock and watch tools. A2 needs a longer pre-heat time when normalizing is a concern as well as a higher hardening temp than 01. Not that 01 is a better choice than A2 it’s just a bit easier (for me) to deal with than air hardening steels. Another decent and very easy to work with steel is the water hardening steels like W1. W2 is also excellent but a bit harder to find in the sizes that I usually need. For cutters that may be subjected to high temps. then HSS like M2 would be a much better choice. Stainless steels are in a world of there own. They are excellent and interesting steels. There are so many varieties though that it can get pretty confusing figuring out what to use when. Kind of like trying to figure out which watch oil to use where when working on a new caliber wrist watch movement with complications!
Hope this helps,
Bob

[bernie weishapl]

Thanks Bob. I threw the SS in there because I had it given to me. I did make a couple of posts for a clock (modern) out of the SS. Someone had messed up the threads on the ones in mounted to the movement. Pretty easy to make and thread. Actually they came out pretty well. Shined up right nicely. I was thinking that A2 would probably work pretty well for what I was needing.

[david pierce]

Bernie,
For cutters I would go with the oil hardening tool steel. We used to call C1018 “coat hanger metal” but in all fairness it is a good general purpose steel. Air hardening steels are fantastic for certain applications that require good dimensional stability after heat treatment but it is expensive. The oil hardening steels are used a lot in appliacations that require grinding after heat treatment. Air hardening steels require a temperature of 1700-1800 degrees F while O2 requires 1400-1475 degrees F to harden. After tempering, the hardness of both metals is the same Rc57-Rc62. The tempering range of A2 is 350 F to 1000 F and is cooled with air. The tempering range of O2 is 350 F – 500 F and is cooled in oil.
david

[bernie weishapl]

Thanks David. I understand what you are saying and appreciate the info. I have lots of time so may try both the A2 and the O1 just for giggles.

[chris mabbott]

Bernie- I for one would be very interested to know how you fare with your tests and would appreciate an update on your results please.

[bernie weishapl]

I will let you know Chris. I will post a pic’s when I get them done. I am going to post a picture of a repivot I did on a wheel just before they told me I couldn’t go to the shop. Whenever I repivot I like to make sure you can’t tell it has been done.

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