Tool steel for hammer screw

[John D.]

What the heck is Met 101¿ I mean Met 101?

So much to learn, so little time..?

Best to ya', Francis!

John

[John Truitt]

Mr. Dwyer,

Call me and check your PMs

John Truitt

[Old and Reliable]

[quote=John Dunkle;43460]What the heck is Met 101¿ I mean Met 101?

So much to learn, so little time..?

Best to ya', Francis!-- If you live in New York City, and are a National League Fan- could mean the hapless Mets (sorta like the Cubbies, but not in Chi-Town, but the Big Apple-- If you were the late Maria Callas, or my favorite- Beverly Sills (aka- Bubbles, einen zaftig Frau, Ja!!)- the NY Metropolitan Opera- but for us lads who learned to spark test metals and went into the fabrication/repair/pressure code areas of welding- Met 101 is the basic of metallurgy, identifying ferrous metals, the difference between surface hardness and through hardness, Air, Oil and Water hardening alloyed tool steels- goes with the old adage- 95% of a good weld joint is in the preparation and knowledge of the parent metals and filler rods/wire and processes to be used-

Then there is the "down-to-earth" get it fixed and back into the field ASAP welding I help my farmer friends with- have a Lincoln 250 AC-DC portable welder/generator (Onan engine, battery start) on a trailer-- also a Senco gas engine dual tank air compressor, torch set (propane- heat and cut only, no brazing)- extra long leads, and my basic rods for quick repair of farm machinery, where rust, paint, grease, mud and cow poop are part of the program- 1/8" and 5/32" Lincoln 6011- run on AC (no magnetic arc blow- most welds are run "out of position"-- If any PGCA members who do similar work are reading, be advised- FYI- Acetylene has tripled in price since the big Union Carbide plant in TX blew up-and many welding supply distributors who handle cylinder gases are on an "allotment" -- I do 95% of my metal cutting with either a Lincoln Plasma torch (uses air pressure- 120 PSI) or with abrasive wheel cut-off or in-shop band saws-

I was fortunate, in that my boss at the Boiler Shop- as a "reward" for passing API and ASTM code tests with SMAW (stick rod welding) and TIG (aka- Heli-Arc) enrolled us in the AWS- so we got the monthly news letters/magazines, plus the Lincoln welding journals- there was good method in his doing this- the knowledge was there for the reading, and we got quarterly bonus checks for the jobs we ran that passed first time in and came in on time or ahead of estimate-

I thank my maternal grandfather and my father for instilling in me a deep desire to learn-something new every day-

[todd allen]

I had to replace a firing pin a few years back, and the gunsmith recommended a type of steel called" S-5, I think. Supposed to be very good at withstanding trauma. Anyone heard of it?

[Autumn Daze]

Todd, S-5 is a tool steel alloy used for making punches,chisels etc. It has the ability to withstand repeated blows without failure. Very good for the firing pin application.

[Smoothebore]

David,

I make the offset firing pins for early underlifters from "fatigue proof" steel rods I purchase from Brownells. In their catalog it is listed as "superior quality, high density, very machineable and tough, without brittleness, due to a high ratio of manganese to carbon. Does not require heat treating like low density mild steel-perfect for spring guides, screws, firing pins, any parts that will be subject to shock or repeated stress."

I just purchased a small thread cutting lathe and am still in the process of setting up a workshop. I'm not a trained machinist, but as I started making offset firing pins to keep my underlifters in the field, I'd like to try making hammer screws also, for the same reason. It's just going to take a while to get up to speed.

Dave

[C grade]

John
Sorry-move it where you feel it belongs.
David