Tool steels,

[samuel heywoodParticipant @samuelheywood23031]

For those of you with a facscination with yesterdays’ technology, I found the following a worthwhile read~

 

https://tttg.org.au/php/DocView.php?DocId=208

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Where can I get some Uranium tool steel?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

There is a lot of concern about the fine particles of uranium generated by armour-piercing shells which has been implicated in various health effects, for example after the Gulf wars.  You probably wouldn’t want to grind such a tool even if you could get hold of it!

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Bah. We still use thoriated TIG rods, don’t think uranium would be much worse.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I think if you were inside the tank hit by a depleted uranium loaded shell particulates would be the least of your worries.

[JAParticipant @ja]

It looks as if Uranium was a useful alloying metal.

Uranium was also used in glass for high grade drinking vessels etc just like lead (which is still used).

JA

 

[duncan webster 1]

On duncan webster 1 Said:

I think if you were inside the tank hit by a depleted uranium loaded shell particulates would be the least of your worries.

Indeed, but the dust affects other people and civilians after the conflict.  Thorium is much less active I believe.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Actually the particulates will be your biggest worry since they ignite in air and move at high speed. It’s part of why DU rounds are so effective.

But yeah, thorium is far less radioactive than uranium. But neither is very radioactive and both are poisonous heavy metals so I’m unsure how much that really matters.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Thorium is only half the density of uranium, so not as useful for making heavy shells.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

As I understand it uranium has three main advantages:

1: Density/cost. Together with tungsten (same density) they are the only super-dense materials that are cheap enough for projectiles.
2. Self sharpening. During impact a tungsten projectile tends to deform into a “mushroom”, increasing front cross section which limits penetration. Uranium will shear off the deformed section keeping it’s low cross section.
3. Reactivity. Tungsten is pretty darn inert even at red hot while uranium fragments will ignite in air producing a powerful incendiary effect without any additional materials.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

The density is uraniums main attribute, together with the large quantity of 238 left over when enriching which has very few uses. It was used in balance weights on older helicopter blades, the discs were cad plated to reduce the corrosion. Tungsten has lots of uses in addition to carbide form, particularly when sintered with iron, where it can be machined easily for balance weights and radiation shielding.

Over the years, pretty much every combination of metals has been tried out as alloys in the search for useful characteristics, many have short lifespans before they become obsolete. Thorium, for instance was used in early gas turbines alloyed with aluminium to give the metal greater strength at elevated temperatures, modern alloys have left it back in the dark ages.

[JA]

On JA Said:

It looks as if Uranium was a useful alloying metal.

Uranium was also used in glass for high grade drinking vessels etc just like lead (which is still used).

JA

 

There are also a range of older camera lenses using radioactive materials, though I’ve not seen uranium ones

Radioactive Lenses and Everything About Them

Bill

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

No, those contain thorium to increase refractive index. Uranium glass is famous for it’s green color so not a great choice for optics.

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

When grinding any tools, wearing a N95 mask is a good idea. Will help to protect your lungs. We tend to think it won’t take long so many choose to not protect their lungs.  I have not heard of uranium used in hss steel tools before.

[Neil Lickfold]

On Neil Lickfold Said:

… I have not heard of uranium used in hss steel tools before.

Me neither, until I read the article.    It appears the alloy was invented and used a fair bit during WW1, but they stopped making it during the 1920s due to low demand.   Low demand almost certainly means it didn’t work as well as the many alternatives.

Dave

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Uranium seems to show some promise as an alloy for super fine, low temp bainite. Canada sponsored research into it as an alloying element due to lower demand for it elsewhere … in bombs and reactors? So it seems effort has been put into finding a Uranium super steel… but not much found yet 🙁

I would love some WW1 uranium tool steel… but probably hard to come by.

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