Is RSJ Steel machinable?

Me too!

Was told many bed-frames were rolled from scrap tram-lines lifted between 1930 and 1950 as motor buses replaced them almost everywhere. Makes sense because tram and railways lines are both made from a particularly tough hard-wearing Manganese Steel designed to give many years service, and the tram out, bed frame in, timing is right. Whatever old bed-frames are made from, it's not mild-steel!

Although tough when cold, hot rails are easily re-rolled and hole punched so bed-frames could easily be made from them. However rail metal is a pig to machine, and the lengths of bed angle I have are uncooperative. A few inches of railway line is tough enough to make a decent anvil!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 25/03/2021 10:10:52

Those old tram lines were used for many jobs not far from me the curved edging on a road junction is made from tram lines.

Was talking to a person who installed them when he worked for York Council years ago.

The Council were short of road edging so there blacksmith would bend the disused tram lines to suit the curve required.

You can still make out the markings on them.

Bed rails were probably impact hardened several different ways.

Most bits of rsj I have come across,machines similar to common black iron,ok for brackets,and a good support under a lathe,my myford sits on a length of 7 x 3 channel. and welds ok. As others have said dont cut it up,at least keep a length as you might need a lifting beam in your garage some time in the future,give it a coat of red oxide, As i understand it ,if regulations are complied with steel used in buildings must be new for some time,more recently structural steel in buildings ,has now to comply to an ISO spec and its origins traceable. The thin light angle iron used years ago for bed frames is very strong,Back in the 60s I used some to make trailer,borrowed the works gas welder,the angle spit and spluttered and flakes came off it ,then I found it brazed ok, Hacksaw blades did not last long,no angle grinders in those days. I aquired a supply of more bed angle a while ago and used it to make security bars for shed windows, Going back to machinability of rsjs, i aquired some heavy angle and channel which was galvanised and used by the electricity board for supporting pole mounted tramsformers,now that machine a easily as bright mild steel,there are a nuber of long slots for bolts so perhaps a better steel was specified as they would need an awful lot of steel