On 4/14/2013 9:56 AM, Doug White wrote:
Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote in
:

snip
The flexing -- that is, the spring rate without taking a set -- is
the same for all grades on steel, within a couple of percent. More
correctly, they all have about the same Young's Modulus, and it
doesn't matter how they're heat treated or work-hardened. The modulus
will be the same.

That is, except for stainless, which is a little springier (lower
Young's Modulus).

My cousin told me that, I was hoping he was wrong. I could make it
out of Ti and/or go from 5/8" to 3/4" or a scooch more.

I'm a little rusty on this stuff, but for a simple rectangular bar, I
believe the stiffness goes up as the cube of the dimension. You
shouldn't have to add much to make it significantly stiffer. 5/8" to
3/4" would almost double the stiffness (halve the deflection). Adding a
rib could do a lot, if there is room.

Doug White


Room for another 1/8", 5/8" to 3/4". Thanks!