Thread: 0.475" ROD
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Jim Wilkins[_2_] Jim Wilkins[_2_] is offline
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Default 0.475" ROD

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 24 Jan 2020 08:45:26 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

On 1/23/2020 1:18 PM, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Thu, 23 Jan 2020 10:09:50 -0700, Bob La Londe
wrote:

On 1/23/2020 5:44 AM, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:38:11 -0700, Bob La Londe

wrote:

Somewhere along the way I acquired a little bit of stainless
rod. I
think it was an Ebay purchase a very long time ago. Its some
of the
first metal I purchased specifically for getting into
machining. Before
I even had a mill. Just the little Chinese Harbor Freight mini
lathe.

I still have two pieces a couple feet long. The rest has been
used up
and turned into chips many years past. One piece is the rod I
use to
raise and lower the coolant manifold on the side of the Hurco
Mill head.
The other for several years was being used as the mount for
the length
stop on my little horizontal bandsaw. I decided I wanted a
separated
rod on the other side of the head on the Hurco mill for the air
blast
setup. I'd already made an adjustable and aimable mount to go
on the
rod with the coolant manifold, but I quickly realized I wanted
them each
on their own mounting rod. The piece in the saw was the only
piece left
I could find that was the size for the mount I had already made
for the
air blast saw its getting used for that.

I was just going to order some rod, or use some I already had.
I have
several pieces of stainless rod on hand now. I keep some
variety of
stock for various purposes. The problem is its an odd size (I
think).
It measures exactly 0.475 inches. Not 0.472" like 12mm rod. I
have
some 12mm linear round rail on hand and I checked against that.
Except
where its dinged up from years of use it measures exactly 0.475
everywhere. Well every where I measured it. It doesn't matter
really.
I have a piece for my project, and I can stick something else
in the
little bandsaw if I really need a length stop on it again. (I
have a
bigger horizontal bandsaw now.) I am just curious. What would
be the
standard size of 0.475" stainless rod have been from? Is it
just 0.475"
rod? What was it from originally?

These are the weird questions that keep me up at night.

Bob..that is indeed 12mm rod.

Most of this rod is used in screw machines of various types and
as
such..are usually sold a few thousands bigger so any surface
scuffing/scratches can be machined out to get it exactly to 12
mm as a
finished part.. If you have rod that is dead nuts to a given
common
size..its because its been pre ground to that dimension. What
you have
is the extruded raw rod. I have probably 500-800 lbs of such
rod, from
.050-3" in diameter, some of it in pieces only a few inches long
to
others at least 8' long. Flat stock is also commonly found
just a
few thou bigger, though its less common..most of it is pretty
close to
dimension.
As a side note...stainless has become the de facto material in
most
turning shops, with the exception of the 4000 series steels. I
see so
little "common" steels as to raise an eyebrow when I encounter
it.

More importantly is knowing what type of stainless it is. Is it
303/316/416 etc etc?






I think I was told it was 416, but that was a very long time ago.
I
recall it was easily machined on the 7x10 and doesn't have the
grainy
finish typical of 303.

If you have 416...might want to offer it up to the boat guys for
pins
and whatnot. You can triple your metal pile..or more by simply
trading it for different types of stainless. 416 is THE marine
stainless. It will NOT corrode, while most of the common stainless
steels will in salt water.



That doesn't make any sense. From my sources 416 is the cheaper
stainless. I buy 303 for best machinability, 416 for machinable and
high strength and price, and 304 if I have to have it today because
that's all the local yards stock. Occasionally I'll buy 316 for
special
applications.


Hummm...let me check on this. Ive read a number of studies that
claimed..claimed 416 was superior to strength and corrosion
resistance
in sal****er. So Ive been using just about all 416 to machine parts
for the sailboats I restore. I think I had Better check on this...

Gunner


https://www.beststainless.com/416-stainless-steel.html

They suggest 416 for pump shafts, valve components and boat shafts so
maybe it's acceptable in fresh water.