Help with a ‘beehive’ spring.

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

Wondering if anyone can assist with a difficult (for me) project.

Some springs are required made from stainless half hard music wire 0.032″ (which seems to equate to 20 or 21 SWG). The height of the spring is 13mm, max diameter is 20mm. They should be heat treated and tempered too.

A supplier of the material is eluding me, as I need about 6 springs total.

Does anyone have any info as to the method of making them, any useful books, or any supplier who could make them for a reasonable sum.

Pictures below.

TIA, Pete

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Hi Spurry,

Try Spring Masters in Redittch–just google them, they do a large range of springs and some 35 years ago when in industry we used to get small batches of specials at modest prices but 6 off may be a little to small ?

There is also a book in My Hobbystore relating to spring making

John

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

Thanks John

 

I will give them a call on Monday….and look for the book.

 

I did manage to get one quote from another company. £74 for 1 off. Reducing to £6.80 each for 50off. Added to part of tooling cost of £53. No doubt VAT would be added too.

 

Hence my reason for looking for alternatives.

 

Pete

[JonParticipant @jon]

I used to be a spring maker but not in the term commonly associated.

 

Music wire is a bitch to work with, we/i only used it for jobs where no quality was required.

 

Beter off if you can obtain decent spring steel annealed, make a mandrel up and wind it on leaving extra for tangs etc.

The problem is new spring steel isnt as good as old stuff even though supposedly share a similar spec or the old EN grade.

Its trial and error with the hardening try a few test pieces first. May have to harden and drop in cold water to get the strengh/hardness and temper by burning whale oil off or to straw after. hardening, really is trial and error.

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

Pete,

 

Anything on here of any use – made sense to me!

 

Andy

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

Thanks to Jon & Andy for info.

 

Pete

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