Overheard a welder at the Tractor Supply in Decatur say he anneals his steel with a propane torch before bending

I was grabbing some 5160 leaf spring stock last weekend and some old timer next to me said he always hits his bends with a torch first to avoid stress cracks. I've been cold bending my spring steel for 3 years and wondered why I kept snapping pieces. Tried it on a set of hooks last night and it worked way better. Anyone else do this or is there a better temp to aim for?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela8901d ago

Tried it on a set of hooks last night and it worked way better." That's all you need. I do the same with my propane torch. Cherry red and let it cool slow.

avery_stone951d ago

Grab a cheap temp gun from harbor freight next time you're out, @angela890. It'll save you the guessing game of whether you're actually hitting cherry red or just barely glowing. I learned that the hard way after warping a few hooks by getting them too hot too fast. The slow cool is key but so is knowing where you're starting from. Different alloys have different sweet spots for that color change.