Spring Steel

[BroncoSquid]

Someone very nicely abandoned 2 large leaf spring packs from a truck in our work parking lot. Are they worth picking up? I am getting a welder for Christmas and they might make nice practice material. Not to mention the weight would be nice in the back of my truck for my trip home. (snow)

 

[Fixed]

I know they're used by some people to make knives. Unfortunately I don't know anything about their welding properties

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[G-ManBart]

I wouldn't use them for welding....too good for that.

For welding scraps to practice on, find a local steel supplier and ask if they'll sell you "drops" or "randoms" by the pound. Around here one place charges me $.20/lb and they usually round down. For $10 I can walk out with 50lbs+ which is hard to beat. They even let me dig through the scrap bin, and sort through the pile by the brakes.

 

[Iceman32]

Leaf spring steel is tempered your welds would just Crack unless you anneal them first.
As fixed said they do make good stock for knife blades


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[Daveo]

Nice article on making a slapping spoon from a leaf....

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73834

 

[Mike W.]

You can grunt worms with them [emoji14]

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[duwem]

Chances are they will either be rusty or painted, both not good for welding. And being spring steel its not something you would normally weld on in real life.

Take em in for scrap and use the money to buy some clean metal or welding supplies.

 

[BroncoSquid]

Ok, I can't sell them to the wife as welding practice. I have a 94 bronco with some really tired rear leaf springs, I may want to add a leaf or two to the packs. I need the weight in the back of my 2WD Dakota for the 500mi trip home. and I really like the body spoon idea. Not to mention I just moved to a small ranch in NV (hence the need for a welder) I am sure I can use the metal somewhere.... Maybe I will build a small forge in the future...