Hi, found your forum and it looks like you would be able to help. I'm
interested in making some skewers for kabobs as gifts and I'm looking for
some input on the best type of stainless, and info on how heat treating to
bend and twist it would affect the anti-corrosive properties. Basically,
I'm thinking some 3/16" square bar stock and heating it with either a
mapp/oxy torch or oxy-acet if needed. I'd like to put some twists over
the length of it and then bend the end in a circle of sorts to act as a
handle. Looking over the stainless options, I was thinking 304 but not
too sure that would be my best bet. I was also wondering how the heat
would affect the stainless when it comes to corrosion or even just
discoloring. I was reading a bit about passivating pastes as a way to
clean it up after the heat treating, but not sure if it's necessary.
Should be a fun project, and I'm sure there is a learning curve for making
them but they'll be pretty cool if I can get them to turn out right!

Any thoughts and ideas on the project as a whole would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Evan

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replying to Mickyfinn, Ed Huntress (FAB Shop Magazine Direct) wrote:
Mickyfinn wrote:

Hi, found your forum and it looks like you would be able to help. I'm
interested in making some skewers for kabobs as gifts and I'm looking for
some
input on the best type of stainless, and info on how heat treating to bend
and
twist it would affect the anti-corrosive properties. Basically, I'm
thinking
some 3/16" square bar stock and heating it with either a mapp/oxy torch or
oxy-acet if needed. I'd like to put some twists over the length of it and
then
bend the end in a circle of sorts to act as a handle. Looking over the
stainless options, I was thinking 304 but not too sure that would be my
best
bet. I was also wondering how the heat would affect the stainless when it
comes
to corrosion or even just discoloring. I was reading a bit about
passivating
pastes as a way to clean it up after the heat treating, but not sure if
it's
necessary. Should be a fun project, and I'm sure there is a learning curve
for
making them but they'll be pretty cool if I can get them to turn out right!
Any thoughts and ideas on the project as a whole would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Evan



Hello Micky,

That should be easier than you may think. Grab one end of your 3/16" bar
in a sturdy vise and the other end with a good pair of vise-grip pliers.
You can twist 3/16" 304 cold. The same goes for bending the loop handle.

304 would be a good choice; austenitic, it is ductile but it will be
work-hardened pretty well from producing (rolling) the bar. Heating it
with a torch is asking for trouble. Yes, it can reduce its corrosion
resistance. It also will soften it and you can't re-harden it; austenitic
grades of stainless cannot be hardened from heat-treatment, only from
work-hardening, and there's no practical way to do that.

As for passivating -- hydrofluoric acid is exceedingly nasty stuff. Avoid
using it unless it's absolutely necessary. There will be no need for it on
this job, of course, if you don't heat the bar.

'Hope all goes well. It should make a nice gift.

--
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http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...el-596414-.htm
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rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

replying to Ed Huntress (FAB Shop Magazine Direct), mickyfinn wrote:
Ed Huntress (FAB Shop Magazine Direct) wrote:

some
and
then
comes
for
Hello Micky,
That should be easier than you may think. Grab one end of your 3/16" bar
in a
sturdy vise and the other end with a good pair of vise-grip pliers. You can
twist 3/16" 304 cold. The same goes for bending the loop handle.
304 would be a good choice; austenitic, it is ductile but it will be
work-hardened pretty well from producing (rolling) the bar. Heating it
with a
torch is asking for trouble. Yes, it can reduce its corrosion resistance.
It
also will soften it and you can't re-harden it; austenitic grades of
stainless
cannot be hardened from heat-treatment, only from work-hardening, and
there's no
practical way to do that.
As for passivating -- hydrofluoric acid is exceedingly nasty stuff. Avoid
using
it unless it's absolutely necessary. There will be no need for it on this
job,
of course, if you don't heat the bar.
'Hope all goes well. It should make a nice gift.



Thanks Ed! That's perfect! Appreciate the heads up, I'll pick up some
304 and see what I can do with it!
--


--
posted from
http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...el-596414-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
wrote:

replying to Mickyfinn, Ed Huntress (FAB Shop Magazine Direct) wrote:
Mickyfinn wrote:

Hi, found your forum and it looks like you would be able to help. I'm
interested in making some skewers for kabobs as gifts and I'm looking for
some
input on the best type of stainless, and info on how heat treating to bend
and
twist it would affect the anti-corrosive properties. Basically, I'm
thinking
some 3/16" square bar stock and heating it with either a mapp/oxy torch or
oxy-acet if needed. I'd like to put some twists over the length of it and
then
bend the end in a circle of sorts to act as a handle. Looking over the
stainless options, I was thinking 304 but not too sure that would be my
best
bet. I was also wondering how the heat would affect the stainless when it
comes
to corrosion or even just discoloring. I was reading a bit about
passivating
pastes as a way to clean it up after the heat treating, but not sure if
it's
necessary. Should be a fun project, and I'm sure there is a learning curve
for
making them but they'll be pretty cool if I can get them to turn out right!
Any thoughts and ideas on the project as a whole would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Evan



Hello Micky,

That should be easier than you may think. Grab one end of your 3/16" bar
in a sturdy vise and the other end with a good pair of vise-grip pliers.
You can twist 3/16" 304 cold. The same goes for bending the loop handle.

304 would be a good choice; austenitic, it is ductile but it will be
work-hardened pretty well from producing (rolling) the bar. Heating it
with a torch is asking for trouble. Yes, it can reduce its corrosion
resistance. It also will soften it and you can't re-harden it; austenitic
grades of stainless cannot be hardened from heat-treatment, only from
work-hardening, and there's no practical way to do that.

As for passivating -- hydrofluoric acid is exceedingly nasty stuff. Avoid
using it unless it's absolutely necessary. There will be no need for it on
this job, of course, if you don't heat the bar.

'Hope all goes well. It should make a nice gift.

So that's where you have been lurking.

Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".

The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.

Joe Gwinn

replying to Joe Gwinn , Mickyfinn wrote:
joegwinn wrote:

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
So that's where you have been lurking.
Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".
The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.
Joe Gwinn




Ha! Guess I should have searched harder first! Thanks for the heads up
Joe. I ordered a few pieces of 304 yesterday to play around with, and
also some 1018 steel that I was originally thinking of doing them in and
oil seasoning them like a cast iron pan. Depending how these turn out,
I'll try the 316 next time! I'll try and throw up a pic or two of the
finished product!

Thanks again!
Evan

--
posted from
http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...el-596414-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

replying to Joe Gwinn , Ed Huntress wrote:
joegwinn wrote:

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
So that's where you have been lurking.
Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".
The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.
Joe Gwinn



Hi Joe,

Actually, I haven't been lurking anywhere. FAB Shop magazine has been
keeping me busy full-time. I was searching for something else, found
something on Pulytechforum, and then I saw Micky's post, which I thought I
could answer for him. Apparently posts here link to RCM. Good God.

316 is even better, but I doubt if any 300-Series grade of stainless would
be a rusting problem, just from the heat of cooking with it. Put a torch
on it and get it up to transition temperature, and that could be a
different matter.

My wife and I have some stainless skewers, plain flat ones made
commercially from rectangular-section stock, and they're as clean as new.
We got them as a wedding present which would make them 40 years old.
They're probably just some "18-8" junk austenitic stainless. 304 or 316 is
going high-class.

Anyway, good to hear from you. Stop around to fsmdirect.com some time and
take a look. I ran an article in the Nov./Dec. issue on folding sheet and
plate by hand that may give you some ideas.

Regards,
Ed Huntress

--
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http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...el-596414-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

On Thu, 08 May 2014 15:18:02 +0000, Mickyfinn
wrote:

replying to Joe Gwinn , Mickyfinn wrote:
joegwinn wrote:

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
So that's where you have been lurking.
Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".
The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.
Joe Gwinn




Ha! Guess I should have searched harder first! Thanks for the heads up
Joe. I ordered a few pieces of 304 yesterday to play around with, and
also some 1018 steel that I was originally thinking of doing them in and
oil seasoning them like a cast iron pan. Depending how these turn out,
I'll try the 316 next time! I'll try and throw up a pic or two of the
finished product!

Thanks again!
Evan

316 is overkill. 304 is more corrosion resistant than the stainless
that you'll find in your cutlery drawer. Depending on how sharply you
deform it, the 1018 (assuming its cold drawn) may crack unless you
heat it.

--
Ned Simmons

In article .com,
Mickyfinn wrote:

replying to Joe Gwinn , Mickyfinn wrote:
joegwinn wrote:

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
So that's where you have been lurking.
Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".
The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.
Joe Gwinn




Ha! Guess I should have searched harder first! Thanks for the heads up
Joe. I ordered a few pieces of 304 yesterday to play around with, and
also some 1018 steel that I was originally thinking of doing them in and
oil seasoning them like a cast iron pan. Depending how these turn out,
I'll try the 316 next time! I'll try and throw up a pic or two of the
finished product!

It's 316L, the L meaning low carbon.

While various posters have commented correctly that type 303 or 304 are
probably OK for things that don't get red hot, I went for 316L so that
even if they were overheated in the grill, nothing bad would happen.
In small quantities, there isn't much price difference, and 316 is
somewhat stronger as well.

The hairpin design is to prevent food rotation. A 5/16 or 3/8 square
works reasonably well.

Joe Gwinn

In article .com, Ed
Huntress wrote:

replying to Joe Gwinn , Ed Huntress wrote:
joegwinn wrote:

In article .com, FAB
Shop Magazine Direct
So that's where you have been lurking.
Anyway, I went through this a few years ago, and came to the conclusion
that type 316L was the answer, because heating would not reduce rust
resistance. The tread was in September 2010, titled "Making
double-prong skewers".
The skewers I made (big hairpins made of 1/8 inch rod, bent cold) work
just fine, and there is no corrosion, even when left in water or
cleaned in the dishwasher.
Joe Gwinn



Hi Joe,

Actually, I haven't been lurking anywhere. FAB Shop magazine has been
keeping me busy full-time. I was searching for something else, found
something on Pulytechforum, and then I saw Micky's post, which I thought I
could answer for him. Apparently posts here link to RCM. Good God.

It's a tangled web for sure, but nobody weaved it.


316 is even better, but I doubt if any 300-Series grade of stainless would
be a rusting problem, just from the heat of cooking with it. Put a torch
on it and get it up to transition temperature, and that could be a
different matter.

As I said in another posting, the price difference in small quantities
(especially with shipping) isn't enough to cause me to use anything
less.


My wife and I have some stainless skewers, plain flat ones made
commercially from rectangular-section stock, and they're as clean as new.
We got them as a wedding present which would make them 40 years old.
They're probably just some "18-8" junk austenitic stainless. 304 or 316 is
going high-class.

Yes, but we at RCM are high class, are we not?


Anyway, good to hear from you. Stop around to fsmdirect.com some time and
take a look. I ran an article in the Nov./Dec. issue on folding sheet and
plate by hand that may give you some ideas.

I'll drop by and look.


Joe Gwinn

On Thursday, May 8, 2014 11:19:02 AM UTC-4, Ed Huntress wrote:

Actually, I haven't been lurking anywhere. FAB Shop magazine has been
keeping me busy full-time. I was searching for something else, found
something on Pulytechforum, and then I saw Micky's post, which I thought I
could answer for him. Apparently posts here link to RCM. Good God.

You can run, but you can't hide ;-) Glad to see that you're still among the living outside of rcm.

replying to rangerssuck , Ed Huntress wrote:
rangerssuck wrote:

You can run, but you can't hide ;-) Glad to see that you're still among the
living outside of rcm.



Hey, Ranger. 'Still hanging around RCM, I see. Or maybe you replied on the
Polytech forum? I can't tell, the way they handle the cross-links.

Yes, I'm still among the living. It amazes me every day. I think that
60-hour weeks are good for me. d8-)

'Good to hear from you.

Ed Huntress




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