On Monday, January 28, 2013 3:01:26 PM UTC-5, Stanley Schaefer wrote:
On Jan 28, 10:44*am, Searcher7 wrote: I'm about to undertake a project and was considering using spring steel as a backing where flexibility is needed. The spring steel will first have to be cut into strips and then shaped, and I was looking for experiences from anyone who has worked with this material. Is it difficult to cut? And how difficult is is to bend into needed shapes? I'm open to better material recommendations if there is a different alloy that maintains it's shape better after stress is removed. Thanks. Darren Harris Staten Island, New York. If you get the unhardened stuff, it's easy to shear/punch/drill/file/ bend/whatever. You can shave the unhardened stuff with a good knife. Of course, then you have to harden and temper. If this is a production job(10s-1000s), farm that part out to a heat-treater. Onesies can be handled with a propane torch, a firebrick, a can of oil and a good eye. Make several to get one, you'll need to gain experience. One source of stock I use for flat and V gun springs is Brownell's, search their website. Get a good book on spring-making from the library, there are formulas to cover the various sorts of springs. Or you can eyeball it and make a bunch of different ones until you get it right. Just depends on whether you want to do springs or get your project finished. Alternative spring material is phosphor bronze, hard(hammered) brass would be another. Just depends on how much force you actually need. Both would be adequate for switch detents and contact springs, not so hot for car suspensions. See book recommendation above.. Stan

I'd never bother attempting to make conventional compressions springs unless I really had to.

I basically just need no more than 45° bends/curves in flat strips.

I'll have to look up how to anneal and re-harden this material.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.