Where to get 301 / 1.4310 Stainless Steel Shim - 5 thou thick?

Discussion in 'Open Forum' started by JonD, Oct 27, 2020.

  1. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    I have been looking to obtain a small quantity of the above.

    Maybe something like a 100 x 100mm sheet though even smaller would still be useful. Strip wider than 8mm or so would be OK.

    It can be bought online from stockists who will talk to you about supplying meters of it in widths of 300mm or more with MOQs running to ~£100. That knocks the wheels right off my project since it's more than I will ever need. When I say that they suddenly stop replying to Email...

    I want to machine some replacement switch contacts. That is why the material is specific = 301 / 1.4310 and 0.005" or 0.127mm thick. To the best of my knowledge that is the stainless spring steel that was originally used. I would like to find some if at all possible.

    There is a sheet of unspecified stainless steel, in the right thickness but with no other info, on Ebay for a BIN price of only £10. Maybe I should try it.

    Has anyone any experience or other suggestion before I try that please?
    Here is an attempt using Razor Blade steel. The machining went fine. They broke when bending to final shape. Much too brittle.

    There are many experienced mech people here - what do you think?
    contacts.jpg

    broken.jpg

    milling.jpg

    0M4mm_cutter.jpg

    contact.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2020
  2. Fireexit1 United Kingdom

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    I think razors are harder than springs. In any case bending a spring requires tempering to soften, then bend, then re-heat and quench to hardern then temper again to the correct temperature/colour get springiness without fracture.
     
  3. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    @Fireexit1 yes thanks. I have tried tempering a second razor blade and it's better but I suspect it's still basically the wrong steel.
    Also it's only 3thou thick, but anyway, it was a good test of the machining abilities.
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2020
  4. podbros

    podbros United Kingdom Subscriber

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    Hi Jon!

    I would try a local model engineering club?.. I have found they are usually very helpful:thumbup:
     
  5. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    @podbros You raise a very good point.

    Once upon a time there was Hawker Siddeley in Hatfield only about 3 miles from me. They made Tridents and Blue Streak and later the HS146 etc.
    This would have been very small beer for them.

    They are long gone now but they did leave behind a bunch of guys who build live steam models just for fun...it's a thought!
     
  6. podbros

    podbros United Kingdom Subscriber

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    Perhaps if they can't help, they might know someone who can??
     
  7. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    You might try McMaster Carr. McMaster-Carr

    They have a huge range of metal products and do sell small quantities. I have not bought from them for a while and you do need a friend in the US because they don't ship to Europe or at least they didn't.

    Incidentally they do wire mesh in brass and you can specify the wire gauge and the hole size down to less than the jet size for lamps which makes a very useful filter in generators. ::Neil::
     
  8. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    @Mackburner that's exactly the right page for what I need - thank you!
    I suspect the barriers to trade across the pond just now (will they deal, the US Postal Service, Tariffs +++ blah) will be too high but it's all great information.
     
  9. Fireexit1 United Kingdom

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    A cheap/second hand set of feeler guages ?
     
  10. paparazi

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    I second feeler gauges, a new set can be picked up for under £4.00..
     
  11. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    Thanks for the ideas all. I have decided that the £10 sheet of unknown stuff on the bay of evil is cheap enough that I might as well try it. It's ordered.
    It's 300x160mm so there will be plenty of it for making a few mistakes.

    Wrecking a set of feeler gauges feels wrong and there will only be one blade which is 5 thou, also it's impossible to say what the steel would be.
    In this application it is important it should not rust or tarnish.

    Hopefully what comes will have enough spring quality to work. Annealing and hardening experiments might be required. Does anyone have an idea of the temperatures required please?
     
  12. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    Red/Orange hot and quench to harden. Polish and then about 290C to temper. Heat a dish of sand on a stove, push the steel through the sand and watch the colours until it reaches violet/dark blue then quench again. Google "steel temper color chart" ::Neil::
     
  13. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    Thank you Neil @Mackburner , there is much to read on that subject!

    It reminded me that when I burned in a brand new Korean vapouriser, a replacement for the 606, it formed those beautiful colours on the first run.

    I took a picture with the idea that it might give some info about how hot it was running at different levels below the burner.

    The trouble is - now I have lost it. It is not impossible I posted it back then. I always thought it could start an interesting discussion on the subject.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2020
  14. JonD

    JonD Subscriber

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    The sheet of 0.005" stainless arrived today. Now it's just to find the time to do some more machining.
    Can't go out from tomorrow so there might be a chance.

    5thou_SS.jpg
     

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