Metal supply problems!

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  • The Artful Bodger
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2009
    • 8321

    Metal supply problems!

    I tried to buy some bright flat today and find that there is no one selling bright mild steel flats in this town and probably not in the nearest city either. This is for a project where I would like to mill shapes in steel plates, for example 6mm x 80 x 200.

    So what to do? There is plenty of mild steel available but it all has the black mill scale and I dont like putting milling cutters near that. Small pieces are not too much of a problem as my little shaper can clean up the black steel if I am prepared to wait long enough!
    Ashburton, New Zealand
  • mike4
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2010
    • 1761

    #2
    I just buy the normal black steel either grind the scale off or blast it off if its a large piece.

    Maybe there isnt much call for bright bar anymore from the large customers .

    Michael

    Comment

    • Willy
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2005
      • 8989

      #3
      I sometimes do as mike4 suggested or I'll use a small cheap 20 dollar sand blaster for small pieces of about the size you describe.
      Also I find what we call cold rolled (bright mild steel) tends to change shape much more after machining than hot rolled mild steel. Not sure if this will be an issue for your purpose.
      Home, down in the valley behind the Red Angus
      Bad Decisions Make Good Stories​

      Location: British Columbia

      Comment

      • Black_Moons
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 9096

        #4
        Knotted wire wheel on an angle grinder will remove all that scale so quickly your main problem will be wearing a nice filter mask so you don't breath it all in.
        Play Brutal Nature, Black Moons free to play highly realistic voxel sandbox game.

        Comment

        • Gazz
          Senior Member
          • Feb 2011
          • 274

          #5
          Soak the pieces of hot rolled in muriatic acid for few hours. Comes out a nice even grey. You can neutralize with baking soda if you want.

          Comment

          • lakeside53
            Senior Member
            • Nov 2007
            • 10511

            #6
            As above but degrease it all first (I like a water based degreaser - one of the purple varieties).. Some of the oil coatings can do a pretty good job of blocking the muriatic.

            I mill the black scale all the time. No issues with carbide.

            Comment

            • Duffy
              Senior Member
              • Jul 2007
              • 1784

              #7
              Also, electrolytic derusting works equally well on mill scale. After all, it IS a form of rust, (oxide.)
              Duffy, Gatineau, Quebec

              Comment

              • loose nut
                Senior Member
                • Sep 2006
                • 6465

                #8
                Better off using hot rolled anyway, the bright steel is usually cold rolled and will pull out of shape when milled.
                The shortest distance between two points is a circle of infinite diameter.

                Bluewater Model Engineering Society at https://sites.google.com/site/bluewatermes/

                Southwestern Ontario. Canada

                Comment

                • The Artful Bodger
                  Senior Member
                  • Apr 2009
                  • 8321

                  #9
                  OK, hot rolled it is then!

                  Thanks everyone.
                  Ashburton, New Zealand

                  Comment

                  • Yow Ling
                    Senior Member
                    • Nov 2006
                    • 450

                    #10
                    Hi John, did you try Tata Steel in Churchur ?
                    My neighbours diary says I have boundary issues

                    Comment

                    • The Artful Bodger
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 2009
                      • 8321

                      #11
                      Hi, no, I have never heard of them... John


                      [later] I gave them a call and they didnt exactly say no but they were not enthusiastic either about short lengths of bright flat.

                      John
                      Last edited by The Artful Bodger; 05-29-2014, 08:02 PM.
                      Ashburton, New Zealand

                      Comment

                      • Black_Moons
                        Senior Member
                        • Aug 2009
                        • 9096

                        #12
                        Originally posted by lakeside53 View Post
                        I mill the black scale all the time. No issues with carbide.
                        Agreed, black scale is one of the few times I bust out my cheapo insert facemills. Cheap hard inserts do wonders at ripping it off, Very good life too if you get under the scale in a single pass. Just kinda messy around the mill.
                        Play Brutal Nature, Black Moons free to play highly realistic voxel sandbox game.

                        Comment

                        • Frank K
                          Senior Member
                          • Feb 2007
                          • 300

                          #13
                          Toss it in a plastic bucket overnight with a couple of gallons of the cheapest white vinegar you can buy. Comes out nice and bright in the morning.

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