303 stainless steel

[Firebird]

Hi

I use quite a bit of stainless steel, mostly the free cutting 303. It's easily available in round and hex bar but I have never been able to find flat or square bar in 303. Is there a reason it's not available

cheers

Rich

[Bluechip]

Hi

I use quite a bit of stainless steel, mostly the free cutting 303. It's easily available in round and hex bar but I have never been able to find flat or square bar in 303. Is there a reason it's not available

cheers

Rich

Had 304 from here:

https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/stainless-steel/square-bar

https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/stainless-steel/flat-bar

Dave.

[jadge]

Stainless steel flats are often sheared from sheet and plate, or are rolled with poorly defined edges. Don't assume that SS flats are like cold drawn low carbon steel in section.

Andrew

[Jasonb]

M-Machine do 303 square section.

http://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/mm_cat_2011.pdf

Though if you have a spin indexer it is often just as easy to mill a square provided you don't need it too long

[crueby]

303 is available from a large number of sources in squares and flats here in the US, is it listed under a different number/name in the UK? Lots of other alloys have different naming on either side of the pond. I prefer 303 for its machining qualities over 304.


Edit: just checked, its also known as 1.4305 there, but as you said most suppliers there only carry round and hex. Odd that flats and square are available here so easily but not there.

[tvoght]

... I prefer 303 for its machining qualities over 304.

The "machinability" rating for 303 is 78% versus 45% percent for 304. This is on a scale where 12L15 (free machining leaded steel) is 193%!

--Tim

[TerryWerm]

There is an old saying about 303 and 304.     "304, she's a w**re, but 303, she's for me."

Then there's the world of 316. I used to work with it all the time. After getting used to machining it, the other ones are a breeze.

[Elam Works]

303 was developed as a free-machining version of 304 for screw machine and automatic lathe work. Hence the prevalence in wire and rod. However the corrosion resistance is not as good as 304, so it has not completely replaced it for all applications.

-Doug


[add corrosion comment. 12Oct19. -Doug]

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies

Cheers

Rich