Warning: Longish Thread! Many questions
So I needed some silver steel in Dublin. Found one supplier who had imperial stock. Drove over and asked for 4 lengths: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, and 3/8. had checked already they had these in stock. Off he goes and comes back with 4 2 metre lengths of each! No 13" lengths then says I. Long story short; Bought the 3/8 for very good price.
So back to shop and cut off 4" to make the transfer punch that I needed.
Now its bad enough to have one workshop but luckily I also have a second place of work at the rugby club. This is where my trusty SIP bandsaw lives.
So fast forward 3 weeks and I need the bar to make some filing buttons.
Can I find it at home? NO
Is it in the club shed? Yes 3/8" bar. Great thinks I
Back home, Reduce to 6 mm. drill 4 mm part off a few buttons. Heat to red heat, quench and bring indooors.
File test: Soft
Wtf? Gets magnet, NOOOO! its 3/8 304 stainless so where is the Silver Steel?
Hunt the home shop (aka garage) no sign off a nearly 2M length of SS
Thinks: Must me up with the bandsaw! So off to club shed: No sign of it (Ok found the 3/8 304)
Couple of relaxers in club bar at tea time and back home.
Into garage and there right in front of my storage draws is the length of SS.
Effin gremlins now have two workshops to play with.
Now the real point of all this rambling is:
Colour Codes for metal stock
A long long time ago when I worked in Chadderton for Avros (ok HSA) I found a 14 page document of all the colour codes they used for their metal stock: Steel, Ally, Magnessium, Brass, Bronze etc. Just whish I could find it now!
Very useful when skip diving! And my God they had skips to die for!
In this day and age of EU regulation ( ISO, DIN etc) is there a standard colour code for metal stock?
Various research today shows that some manufacturers still use their own colour codes! What! This is like the 1900's when there was no standardisation for electric wires!
I would like to code my bits and bobs like wot Avros did.
What is the colour for silver steel (oh and btw; what is Silver Steel?)
I believe its made to BS 1407 and is aka EN 1.2210
Final Rant:
Why do I have to buy a copy of BS 1407 to read it?