Garbage Steel

[thestelster]

The other day, while walking the dog on the morning of garbage day, someone had put out a half-shaft for collection.

Well, me, being of sound mind, I collected it. Now, I think, those parts are usually made of heat treated 4140, 4340. I removed the one end, and cut off the other. 28mm in diameter at the thickest part, and a little over an inch at the thinnest; 16" in length. A file will bite, but wants to skate, so I would guess maybe around 40-45Rc.

 

[DavidR8]

Nice score!

 

[Susquatch]

Well, me, being of sound mind, I collected it.

I can never walk or drive past shafts of any kind. Even bent ones can be rescued.

 

[Upnorth]

Interesting. I have one sitting in my shop from a recent repair. I was going to toss it but now I think I will keep it.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that does stuff like this. Nice find.

 

[6.5 Fan]

Pretty much anybody that repairs stuff will pick up any metal object they find for future use.

 

[historicalarms]

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "half shaft"??
Same here for metal salvage, it has to be a pretty inconsequential corner cut-off or just a chunk of slag to get thrown out of my shop. I probably have several tons of scrap metal out back of the shop in a pile that my old man started saving 60 yrs ago (we have been the custodians of this property since 1959) from old cat parts/frameworks to more recent farm equipment savings. Every once in a while I still root around in the overgrown grass and find something I can re-purpose.

 

[Darren]

a couple tempering cycles in the woodstove softens them up enough to make them and the bells very machineable. I posted about it on here before.

 

[thestelster]

but what is a "half shaft"??

They are the drive axels going from the transmission to the wheels in a front wheel drive car; or the drive axels going from the differential to the wheels on a rear wheel drive car that has independent rear suspension.

 

[thestelster]

a couple tempering cycles in the woodstove softens them up enough to make them and the bells very machineable. I posted about it on here before.

But, why bother tempering? Use carbide cutters. Even HSS will work fine, but way slower. You end up having a beautiful finish and long lasting tool. From what I understand, many manufacturers are steering away from the hardening then grinding process by going to prehardened tool steels. I know that Sandvik uses prehardened steel when making many of their turning and rotating tools.

 

[slow-poke]

I have wheeled and carried home a plethora of good things from neighbours on garbage day. Scored a 5000W generator (barely used) that just needed a carb cleaning. They see heavy junk we see easily fixable stuff and raw materials.

 

[Darren]

But, why bother tempering? Use carbide cutters. Even HSS will work fine, but way slower. You end up having a beautiful finish and long lasting tool. From what I understand, many manufacturers are steering away from the hardening then grinding process by going to prehardened tool steels. I know that Sandvik uses prehardened steel when making many of their turning and rotating tools.

the ones I tried were just too hard to machine nice, even with carbide. HSS wouldn't touch it. It would have been ok with a coolant setup. After tempering they machine very nice but are still fairly hard. They could always be rehardened.

 

[cuslog]

Sure, I've picked up a few scrap pieces -- bit it did "cost me" once -- it was some kind of pre-hard, put it in the bandsaw to cut it -- killed a blade. More than once; being the "thrifty fellow" I am, I've bought hot rolled rather than pay the extra cost of cold rolled for a piece I was going to machine something from -- then promptly killed a carbide insert(s) milling off the mill scale (not to mention the mess).

 

[thestelster]

Sure, I've picked up a few scrap pieces -- bit it did "cost me" once -- it was some kind of pre-hard, put it in the bandsaw to cut it -- killed a blade. More than once; being the "thrifty fellow" I am, I've bought hot rolled rather than pay the extra cost of cold rolled for a piece I was going to machine something from -- then promptly killed a carbide insert(s) milling off the mill scale (not to mention the mess).

Yeah, I won't cut anything on the bandsaw unless it's soft: non-ferrous, or annealed steel. (Angle grinder for the hard stuff. One day I'll get a chop saw.) I've killed a good Starrett blade!!

I don't like machining cold rolled. Hot rolled with cheapest,damaged, cutters to get that layer off, and then get to business.

 

[historicalarms]

the ones I tried were just too hard to machine nice,

Now I know what your refering too , I agree with Darren. I used a piece of a broken axle for a draw pin on my "big tractor" for years on thousands of pulling hours and never so much as marked the sides on that pin...but the hitch holes in the tractor & implements all wore very oblong . Not sure if all axles are that hard but that one sure was.

 

[Janger]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that does stuff like this. Nice find.

I get accused of being a hoarder when I do that. Not too seriously… she thought it was ok when I found some nice 60s style iron railings. They’re installed on the front steps now.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I get accused of being a hoarder when I do that. Not too seriously… she thought it was ok when I found some nice 60s style iron railings. They’re installed on the front steps now.

I always make a habit of telling the wife when I use some hoarded or repurposed junk I pick up. She loves it (not really) lol.

 

[Everett]

I have to admit I'm like a rat at a carnival when I see some good (s)crap in a metal bin. Got a few buddies with bins I can "shop" at, and pick up occasional interesting lots of "Misc Scrap Metal" from auctions. Only got about 7000 lb of steel bits in bins in my garage, thankfully the wife puts up with my habits, lol
I like CV shafts too for some things too, but definitely need to use the better quality carbide bits on them. The cheaper ones I have found to be "less effective," as it were.
Bin material is one good reason to have a set of the Tsubosan hardness files, saves on bandsaw blades.

 

[slow-poke]

Quite some time ago, my wife and I were in an antique shop near the cottage, she spotted a floor lamp that was nicely restored and she thought it would be perfect for reading at night. Asking price was $300. I mentioned that we have an identical one in the cottage basement it just looks really rough. Picked up some sandpaper and a can of spray paint on the way home, and she went at it "I'm doing this hands off" She loves that lamp.

Fast forward my wife is scanning around on Etsy and finds a round marble coffee table sized table top that happens to match the black with white veins of the marble surrounding our fireplace, IIRC it was $30 shipped. Searches Kijiji and finds an old dilapidated coffee table with a nice metal base. I made the round intermediate wood piece to join the two and she painted the base. If you could find something like this in one of those fancy Toronto furniture shops they would sure to be asking a G note for it;-)

I find imagining something (often neglected or discarded when you first spot it) that you then either repurpose or restore really satisfying. It's all about realizing that vague picture in your mind, obviously I'm in good company here.

 

[jannickz]

It is indeed possible that the half-shaft you found is made of heat treated 4140 or 4340 steel. These are both chromium-molybdenum steels that are commonly used for automotive components, such as half-shafts, axles, and bearings. They are known for their high strength, toughness, and wear resistance.

The hardness of the half-shaft can be estimated based on the file test you performed. A file with a hardness of 40-45 Rc would be able to bite into the steel, but it would also tend to skate across the surface. This suggests that the hardness of the half-shaft is also in the range of 40-45 Rc.