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Author Topic: Sliding patch box release  (Read 1256 times)

eddillon

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Sliding patch box release
« on: February 28, 2019, 02:42:22 AM »
Bought a spring steel release from TOTW.  Curved too much.  How do I soften to change the curve and then re-"spring" it after curve adjusted.  I was able to removed a little of the curve via Wilton vise method.  Don't want to use that method all the way for fear of breaking it.
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Offline Stophel

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2019, 05:04:08 AM »
heat it till it's just glowing orange-red.  Best to shape it close to what you want when it's hot.  Then set it aside onto a brick or something to cool slowly.  There is so little travel in the catch, a whole lot of springiness isn't even necessary.  I don't think most people even bother to harden and temper them... assuming you even can, as I don't know what they make them out of.
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Offline David R. Pennington

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2019, 05:51:48 AM »
If it is carbon steel here is how to do it. Heat it to red and shape as you desire. You can likely do this with a propane torch. You may need a little more heat to harden. The idea is to get the whole thing heated evenly. Acetylene torch or forge, maybe two propane torches. Heat until a magnet will no longer be attracted to it then plunge it into a tin of light oil. (You can twist a piece of iron wire onto it to handle it with) Move it around in the oil till cool. If it successfully hardened a file will skate off the surface. If it is hard you can temper. Next polish the thing till you can see bright metal. Now heat slowly and evenly in a shallow pan or can lid with  bout a half inch layer of sand in it. You can do this step on your cook stove. Watch it carefully and look for colors on the metal. What you likely need on this is a bright blue. When that color comes quench in oil again.
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Offline Jim Kibler

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2019, 06:03:06 AM »
If they are the spike type that look forged out, they are pretty soft.  Just bend cold.  A spring like this can be made of mild steel.

Jim
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Offline Stophel

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2019, 07:32:34 AM »
A door hinge pin makes a good one... it even has a head on it already.  ;)  It's definitely not spring steel.
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2019, 03:44:30 PM »
Quote from: Stophel on February 28, 2019, 07:32:34 AM
A door hinge pin makes a good one... it even has a head on it already.  ;)  It's definitely not spring steel.

I agree on the hinge pins, I made a couple out of two hinge pins I found in my Misc parts can. They worked with out any heat treatment, plenty of spring in them.
Dennis
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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2019, 04:37:50 PM »
I make mine out of a 16 penny nail. It has plenty springiness. Those that you buy aren't any different, nothing especially springy about them. Put a little curve in it and you've got it.
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Offline David Rase

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Re: Sliding patch box release
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2019, 05:02:42 PM »
Ed,
If you want your spring "dead" soft, find a small bowl, plate etc.   Next place a stack of charcoal briquettes in the vessel, somewhere around a dozen, place the spring on top of the briquettes and light the charcoals.  I use soak the briquettes in charcoal lighter fluid prior to igniting.  Set the whole thing aside and let it burn down to ashes and then cool.  Your spring, or just about any metal object will come out soft and malleable.  This technique works especially good to soften those super hard double set triggers.  Just make sure you do this out of doors as the vapors give off massive amounts of CO and will set off your CO detector, I speak from first hand experience on this, my shop is not as well ventilated as I thought.  lol 
David 
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