Author Topic: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?  (Read 3271 times)

Offline Jo

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Re: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?
« Reply #15 on: June 13, 2018, 01:04:02 PM »
That was just an example. Normally castings are much cheaper in the US than in over taxed UK :facepalm:

Jo
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Online bent

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Re: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?
« Reply #16 on: June 13, 2018, 07:17:03 PM »
I'm tending to agree with derek, any powder-metal part is going to have strength and brittleness issues, unless some time in a sintering furnace with impregnation/infiltration materials (copper, nickel) is done.  Furnace time is not cheap, nor are the infiltration metals.  I'd be willing to bet the caster is just grey iron, so for $10 why not try it.

Another minor problem, that caster likely has a fairly large i.d. bore to hold a pressed-in wheel bearing.  Not a big deal if you are ready to machine and press a tight fitting steel plug and remachine to your desired bore size.

I've been pondering buying a decent ladle to melt pewter (or zamak?) and cast my own flywheels.  Lead would work too, but I don't like poisoning myself.  Or making built-up spoked wheels from pipe, of which I have access to a lot of.


I have a couple of engine projects to work on, but I've been too tired lately, having to do a lot of real work (sorry for the curse word).  We're doing R+D on a large cast iron valve, requiring a number of build/rebuilds) which means moving heavy parts around and big wrenches and bolts and impact tools.  Then one of the hoist rings got a buggered screw from a poorly tapped hole in the casting, and needed a new bolt with a machined e-clip groove.  No biggy, grab a bolt from the bin and turn the groove on the lathe...until a stray chip came over the top of my reading glasses and into/onto my eye.  No  lasting damage done, but it gave me pause.  I need to find some decent safety glasses with about a 1.5 diopter lens on them...or buy or make myself some leather side and top shields to fit a pair of readers.

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2018, 10:26:36 AM »
The retail engineering supp[y shop in Christchurch that I normally use has safety glasses in a number of magnifications to at lest 2.5, tinted and untinted, with side shields. You shouldn't have any problem finding some specs.

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2018, 03:27:50 PM »
Lowes carries safety readers also

Cletus

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Re: Can I machine sintered iron similar to cast?
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2018, 04:27:14 PM »
Yeah, yeah.  You know the problem, though - I'll have to have a pair for work, a pair for home, and a spare pair in the car and another spare in the other car, then I'll lose track of all of them and buy another pair, only to find the missing ones atop my head....you know, just like regular glasses.
 :Lol:

Seriously, thanks Cletus, I'll have a look in the local hardware store today, I've been "getting away with it" with my regular readers for too long.


 

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