beryllium copper compression spring needed

I need small beryllium copper compression springs, o.d in the range .125 - .250", in very small quantities.

Internet searches have been fruitless. Can anyone point me in the direction of a U.K. supplier please ? Alternatively, have you any experience of winding such springs yourself, in something like 24 - 26 SWG ?

Thanks,

Ken

Hello Ken,

Try these people in Redditch, I found them listed under a search for Springs UK

www.whrooke.co.uk

Regards Brian

Be aware that beryllium is very poisonous and a splinter of beryllium swarf in a finger can be nasty.

Russell

Try Springmasters in Redditch, **LINK**

Why are you wanting Beryllium springs ?

Edited By JohnF on 18/01/2018 11:27:55

Russell,

I appreciate your caution about beryllium but in BeCu the Be is in solid solution with the copper or in very finely dispersed precipitates.

Here is an excerpt from a H&S sheet on BeCu handling.

The full document can be found here

Rather safer in the home workshop than lead solder, I suggest.

One great advantage of BeCu is that it can be manipulated in the soft state and then heat treated at relatively low temperature to harden the component. It is also, pretty much, corrosion proof.

Rod

Remembering back to my aircraft days the MoD was very cautious and careful with regard to the use and handling of BeCu. So much so those that came into contact with it had the details added to their personal records in case of future claims for industrial related illness.

Same for things like Cadmium and Magnesium Thorium.

Personally I wouldn't have anything to do with it unless you can be sure you can maintain an adequate barrier between it and all points of entry on yourself.

Lofty

Rod,

I was remembering from my days in the Philips Research Laboratories in the 1960s and 1970s. In the electronics labs we were forbidden to work on beryllium copper. Any such work had to be done in the technology labs where they were able to take appropriate precautions. Perhaps the hazards were over stated in those days but I would still be careful if using it at home now?

Microwave transistors incorporating beryllia heatsinks were considered to be very dangerous if broken.

Russell

Edited By Russell Eberhardt on 18/01/2018 16:32:18

I bet we all have dozens of items containing beryllium copper in our workshops.

Neil

Browsing, on my usual Thursday afternoon 'bus journey: I found this **LINK**

https://materion.com/businesses/performance-alloys/about/the-facts-about-copper-beryllium

MichaelG.

Be Cu is commonly used in all sorts of electrical components, usually as a spring contacts. Be Cu is used to make non sparking tools for use in explosives and solvent rich areas. Golf clubs have been made from Be Cu. I think it is important to recognise that the Hazards associated with Be Cu are very different to those associated with Beryllium metal - Beryllium Oxide is particularly troublesome. In my experience even H&S professionals can confused by the difference (or just plain lazy and cover their arses with a blanket statement).

I suggest we need to be careful to consider the facts, as opposed to old wives tales, so that we don't avoid potentially useful materials in the home workshop. Many materials we use are potentially harmful if suitable care is not taken but most of us are happy to use various acids, fluxes, solders and other things with appropriate precautions.

Cheers,

Rod

Beryllium used to be used in spot welding guns but I think it is now not used because of the risk even though small.

Mike

As copper alloy not in a pure form

Edited By Mike Poole on 18/01/2018 17:44:04

In the past I have machined a fair bit of beryllium copper for fast cycle time injection moulds. We had some tests done by a specialist company to assess the risks, they included a kind of vacuum cleaner thing with a big filter on the front. We would turn/mill/grind and spark erode whilst this vacuum would suck up air born contamination for checking in a lab. The results where inconclusive as to personal risk, none of us as operatives where convinced there was not some health hazard. A new safer material came along under the brand name of ampcalloy (spelling/memory?)

If I remember correctly the original beryllium was "Precipitate" heat treated to achieve the required hardness for our use. IMI in Birmingham stopped making breyillium over 50 years ago and I believe it is only made now in south America.

I never new beryllium copper was hazardous I regularly made welding and spot welding parts for Rolls Royce when I was an apprentice, mainly turned parts.

David

You might come to more harm working with copper(non domestic plumbing)that has an arsenic content.

Ian S C

I worked for Mullard in the 1960's and probably read the same instruction as you that was sent out worldwide from Philips Eindhoven, this ordered that all Beryllium metal and compounds other than materials used in specially equipped areas be collected and sent off for safe disposal.

John

John

Your reference to 'safe disposal ' brought a smile to my face in the 70's I worked with induction heating equipment the older models were 'valve sets' one the valves within the machine was the size of a goldfish bowl and contained beryllium copper. When the valve failed I simply purchased a new one the failed one was taken back in part exchange however this practice stopped and I was stuck with a valve I phoned the local council who told me I couldn't dispose of it I would need a specialised company to deal with it's safe disposal and to do that the best quote I had was £1200.00 !!!

H

I think my comments about H&S "professionals" and arse covering applies to that.

Rod

John, It was Mullard Research Labs when I joined and Philips by the time I left. Which Mullard site were you at?

Russell

I won't ask you what you did with it, you never know who's reading these forms, LOL

John