DIY - material to make spring ?

[User]

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Chicken wire and papier-mâché?

 

[Venod]

Drill holes opposite the end of the U shaped legs, fit 2 screws as long as possible without fouling the mortice, source 2 round coil springs to fit over the screws, last another hundred years.

 

[cheys03]

I'm a big fan of repairing stuff like this, good on you.
Photo of the original spring? Is it steel (magnet check)?
Perhaps a large hacksaw blade chopped to size will do it.

 

[Andy_R]

Piece of mild steel formed to shape. Heat it with a propane torch until it's nearly orange (don't get it too hot or it will be too brittle). Quench in old engine oil. Reheat until it's almost red and quench again.

 

[accountantpete]

The only thing I can think of is an old bike clip - straightened out and then folded.

 

[numbnuts]

To do a proper job use spring steel you can buy small lengths on ebay

 

[Andy_R]

I'm a big fan of repairing stuff like this, good on you.
Photo of the original spring? Is it steel (magnet check)?
Perhaps a large hacksaw blade chopped to size will do it.

The problem with that is that the hacksaw blade is already hardened and tempered. You would have to grind off all the teeth as they form stress points, before you could even think about trying to bend it. All the heat would do is change the tempering of the metal. Start with a soft metal like @accountantpete suggested, then harden and temper it yourself.

 

[Venod]

[QUOTE 3936934, member: 9609"]this was my initial thought, but finding a spring of the correct size...[/QUOTE]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/L-amp-Engineers-Compression-Springs/dp/B0051OE5LU

 

[midlife]

Drill holes opposite the end of the U shaped legs, fit 2 screws as long as possible without fouling the mortice, source 2 round coil springs to fit over the screws, last another hundred years.

I'd do the same thing but drill into the brass mortice and use 2 self tappers and some coil spring

Shaun

 

[Piemaster]

[QUOTE 3936967, member: 9609"]I take it you're thinking of case hardening it with the old engine oil - would that improve springieness and memory ?
if I use a bit of hacksaw blade and bend it with heat, could I not heat treat that as you have suggested ?[/QUOTE]
Case hardening is a bit different, basically involving adding a very thin layer of carbon to the outer surface by heating then dipping in, well, carbon. Heating till red then dipping in oil, water or sand is fully hardening. The quenching medium controls how hard it will be - the quicker it's cooled, the harder and more brittle it will be. Brittle is not a good thing for a spring. Glass is hard and brittle.
After hardening it can be tempered, which will restore some toughness. Again involves heating but to a lower temperature than needed for hardening and the skill involved comes in getting the temperature just right - somewhere between the metal being straw to a dark blue colour. Thats the bit I usually get wrong when trying to get a decent point on metalworking chisels.
Cheap hacksaw blades will be all the same material but with the just the teeth cleverly hardened during manufacturing. I don't buy cheap hacksaw blades as they either seem to remove the teeth in the first few strokes or alternatively be so hard they shatter.
The spring? Just go buy one.

 

[vernon]

Blackgates Engineering, a model engineers supplier sells lengths of spring steel in various widthe for £1 a length.

Have a look at there catalogue downloadable from here http://www.blackgates.co.uk/

 

[slowmotion]

Could you cobble something out of some cut up Terry clips?

 

[Piemaster]

Left field suggestion (based on what is sat on the desk in front of me) would a nailclipper fit in there?

 

[Over The Hill]

My toaster is still fine on a paperclip spring I made about 5 years ago.
With yours I would try an old junior hacksaw blade. They will usually bend without snapping if you ease them round and are very springy to give about the right amount of push.
OR
The spring bit out of a clothes peg.