Cold rolled steel

[longcruise]

It's my understanding that the typical cold rolled hardware store steel is on the hard side.  Is this correct?

If so, can it be annealed?

[Mark Elliott]

Cold rolled mild steel would be slightly work hardened.   However,  I really don't think it needs to be annealed to cut or file.   Of course,  if it is too hard for you to work, you can anneal it;  but my experience is that you need a heat treat oven in order to cool it slow enough.     

[jerrywh]

 Yes but it is not very hard to start with.

[Clark Badgett]

1018 Cold rolled steel is a very soft steel and can only be truly hardened by case hardening. I work with the stuff on a nearly daily basis and it's about as soft as steel can get.

[flehto]

1018 cold rolled  steel was the steel selected for the vises I made when serving my apprenticeship.....the vises were then sent out for carburizing , hardening and deep freezing. Due to the low carbon content, carburizing was a good method for hardening.

Any cold rolled steel will warp if only one side of the husk is removed...a lot of stress is caused by the cold rolling process. It's a very soft steel and even the husk is soft.

Thought I might show what a toolmaker's vise made in 1956 looks like.....Fred

 




where to upload high resolution photos

[David R. Pennington]

Cold or hot rolled neither have enough carbon to harden but I like hot rolled better for forging, doesn't seem as brittle, if that is the right term.

[Bob Roller]

It's my understanding that the typical cold rolled hardware store steel is on the hard side.  Is this correct?

If so, can it be annealed?

Hardware store?Varies widely in quality from good to junk.
Rarely ever on dimensional specs. I have a piece of "3/16"
that actually is .185 instead of .1875.
Once in a while a piece can be machined with good results
but don't count on it.
Bob Roller

[Clark Badgett]

Bob, most CRS is a couple thousandths under spec.

[Bob Roller]

Bob, most CRS is a couple thousandths under spec.

What little CRS I still have is within .0005 but it is old American and probably
from a long defunct mill.I no long buy from steel supply shops because nobody
knows what it is and some don't know a sharp right angle corner from a radius.
I'll,pay the tariff and get Low Carbon flat stock. Cold rolling steel or anything
else is NOT an indication of quality but only a method of doing a job.
I am doing very few locks and triggers and with the possibility of an ill wife
it will be my method from now on.Also I'll soon be 82 and just barely am
feeling like doing ANY shop work after a bout with severe bronchitis.

Bob Roller

[Jim Kibler]

The internal stresses from cold work can be removed by heating to around 1000-1100F hold for a bit and allow to cool.  No need for a full anneal for stress relief.

Jim

[P.W.Berkuta]

I RARELY buy my steel at the hardware or big box stores. They are not dimensionally as advertised and it is not true cold rolled it is a combination of hot & cold rolled and stamped to approximate size that's why the corners are rounded. Buy your steel from McMaster-Carr or other reputable steel supplier. Hot rolled works good for forging but does have a hard outer scale.

[Brian Jordan]

The hardware store steel is most likely A36. Unless it is specified 1018.

[longcruise]

Thanks for all these replys.  My primary reason for asking was to determine if it could be made softer and easier to work for cold hammering trigger shoes.  I also use it for trigger plates and find it easy enough to make with for that.

Is there a better steel available for cold hammering triggers?

[flehto]

Cold rolled steel has a purpose and was used for drill jigs,  fixtures and other misc tools that didn't require a thickness w/in .001s. It was used for the above because it was cheap.

If a close thickness is req'd, then low carbon flat stock was used.

I use .100 thick cold rolled stamping stock that I found lying on the road and it has made many triggers. For Tplates, 1/8" X 1/2" hot rolled steel is used and was bought at the hardware store. The width is reduced to suit.

Shown below is a BC w/ a cold peened trigger w/ a curl.....Fred

[Clark Badgett]

We use 1018 when the customer requests it, if they don't request 1018 specifically then we use 1045 if they want to keep their cost down, since we do have a lot of it due to an order SNAFU a few years ago. We make lots of fixtures and tie downs from 1018.

Longcruise, 1018 is fine for triggers and trigger plates. While it might be the lowest of steels, it's a touch tougher than the iron used way back when.

[elkhorne]

I need to make some iron/steel ramrod pipes as well as triggers. What is the best numerical steel and thickness I need to order for these projects? I was going to try some cold rolled 1/16 that I got from one of the big box stores  but is that a bad idea. Just looking for some guidance. Thanks.
elkhorne

[longcruise]

I wonder about that too.  I have a 4' X4' sheet of the same steel.

[flehto]

Whether steel or brass, I make RR pipes from .035-.040  sheet stock. 1/16" thick seems too heavy......Fred

[BOB HILL]

For years I've used the hood of an early Ford bronco a friend of mine wrecked when we were much younger. Worked great for thimbles, toe plates and patchboxes. Very malleable. Never had digital calipers to measure it with though.
Bob

[Pennsylvania Dutchman]

If you are buying sheet steel from a steel dealer for the thimbles, ask for pickled and oiled. It will have the black hot rolled scale removed.
Mark