Author Topic: Vintage Steel Specification  (Read 8340 times)

Offline Anzaniste

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Vintage Steel Specification
« on: April 05, 2012, 04:41:14 AM »
I have an Alford and Adler (British) swivel pin drawing from 1924 which in the material specification box it shows “ubas” (the “u” could possibly be an “a”).
In the main body of the drawing it says “Case harden to usual C.H.S. specification”
I have a good idea what steel to use for the application but I would love to know what “ubas” actually stands for.

Has anybody out there got the answer?
Scrooby, 1 mile south of Gods own County.

Offline David Jupp

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2012, 07:53:41 AM »
Google revealed a couple of refernces to ubas steel in products - apparently produced by Acid Open Hearth, with low levels of 'metalloids' to avoid shortness/piping.

My guess is it was a brand name used by a particular steel maker, probably didn't actually stand for anything.

Offline Lew_Merrick_PE

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2012, 10:23:53 AM »
Anzaniste --  I don't remember the details (not having run across the ubas designation in many years), but I believe that David is right about it being a currently sexy process designation from many years ago.

Low carbon (i.e. < .30% carbon or lighter carbon content than 1X30 such as 1030) steel is what is normally case hardened.  Unless the part is under either repeated impact loading or an abrasive slide loading you can probably just use a tool steel (silver steel on your side of the pond) pin that you heat treated directly.  The main advantage of case hardening a part is that you get a very hard surface without the brittleness associated with full-hard, fully-hardened parts.

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2012, 07:48:56 AM »
I have an odd note which might be relevant. It comes from the drawing for L.H.Sparey's Collet set described in his Amateurs Lathe book.

'Make collets from collet steel or Nickel Steel, such as from Old Car Back Axles'  Somewhere( but where) he uses lorry half shafts.

My own cherished possession is a prize bar made by my father from a Swedish windypick blade.
Pre-WW2, of course.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2012, 09:51:51 AM by Fergus OMore »

Offline doubleboost

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2012, 06:37:11 PM »
I have an odd note which might be relevant. It comes from the drawing for L.H.Sparey's Collet set described in his Amateurs Lathe book.

'Make collets from collet steel or Nickel Steel, such as from Old Car Back Axles'  Somewhere( but where) he uses lorry half shafts.

My own cherished possession is a prize bar made by my father from a Swedish windypick blade.
Pre-WW2, of course.
I have a 5 foot bar that was once a hard rock drill it is hexy with a hole through the centre
Has served me well for a good few years
John

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2012, 03:27:12 AM »
Of course John hasn't mentioned that just across the hill( pun not intended), there were German sword makers.The stuff was so good that the swords could be coiled and carried in a gentleman's top hat. The stamp  was the 'Fuchs' or Fox.

I was in France a couple of years ago and the local blacksmith made custom built knives from old vehicle coiled springs.

Having said that, an old engineer from just around the corner from Rob made his boring tools from cycle spokes and lathe tools from worn out 'Allen' keys.

We are certainly missing a lot of information about metal-- and the skills to use it.

Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2012, 12:27:25 PM »
My own cherished possession is a prize bar made by my father from a Swedish windypick blade.
Pre-WW2, of course.
I have a 5 foot bar that was once a hard rock drill it is hexy with a hole through the centre
Has served me well for a good few years
John

We didn't manufacture drifter rods. But, we supplied them, along with our hammers and rock bits.

It was amazing how many were diverted to workshop duties, over the years.

Mine retired, a week before I did, and now lives in my workshop........  :thumbup:

David D
David.

Still drilling holes... Sometimes, in the right place!

Still modifying bits of metal... Occasionally, making an improvement!

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2012, 01:59:00 PM »
Mine retired, a week before I did, and now lives in my workshop........  :thumbup:

David D

Mine is easily identified with the intials 'SCC' stamped with a crescent tool. SCC stood for Stella Coal Company which ceased to exist on the 1st January 1947 upon nationalisation. There is also a claw hammer which my father made and my son now has and mine - a little Boy Scout axe/hammer was forged for me in 1941. It lives with my my wife's Mickey Mouse gas mask and my father in law's Auxiliary Fire Service gas mask and tin hat- used before he went with my RAF Squadron to Burma.

Somehow, I think that my old prize bar is getting on in years.

Offline dicklee

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Re: Vintage Steel Specification
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2012, 08:40:58 AM »
FWIW, camshafts for the early Norton Model 7 "Dominator" twin cylinder motorcycle were made from 60 ton Ubas, later ones were nitrided (or not in one batch during Commando production) :doh: