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Small cast iron bar supplier?

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Ivy02/03/2012 17:04:24
77 forum posts
1 photos

Does anyone know where I can get a small "meehanite" cast iron bar from, the finished size will be 220mm long, 28mm wide and 10mm thick. So a little over these dimensions would be ideal.

This is to make a sliding dovetail, a bit like a big gib strip, so if anyone can suggest an alternative material that will slide and wear well against an iron surface I'm all ears.

I have tried College Engineering and they can't help.

Thanks Ivy.

Peter G. Shaw03/03/2012 19:14:26
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1531 forum posts
44 photos

Hi Ivy,

Sounds like a replacement gib for your 220!

Anyway, I tried typing "Cast Iron Suppliers" into Google which then came up with a list of suppliers. I can only suggest that you trawl around these sites.

Actually, I'm very surprised that CES couldn't help as their website indicates that they can supply up to 300mm x 200mm x 1m - unless it's the cutting of it that is the problem.

Another thought is that perhaps a jobbing foundry might be able to make one.

Good luck with your quest.

Peter G. Shaw

Clive Farrar03/03/2012 20:53:09
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125 forum posts
41 photos

M-Machine at Darlington.

Cast iron bar certainly whether it is true Meehanite I could not say.

regards Clive

Springbok04/03/2012 15:38:26
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879 forum posts
34 photos

Try Blackgates

Bob

JasonB04/03/2012 16:05:22
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25215 forum posts
3105 photos
1 articles

You either need to find someone who can cut it off the a bit of CI plate or just get a bit of 30mm round and machine it out of that which is likely to be the easier oprion.

College usually have 25x50 CI bar, I've certainly bought it off them in the past and thats about the smallest stock section.

J

Engine Builder04/03/2012 16:33:50
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267 forum posts

You could buy a round bar and mill away to make the section you reqiure.

Ivy05/03/2012 07:45:30
77 forum posts
1 photos

Thanks for the advice to every one.

I will get a piece over size 30mm x 30mm from CES and spend a tedious day reducing it to size. There is no real alternative.

KWIL05/03/2012 09:26:49
3681 forum posts
70 photos

What is tedious about running it through a vertical bandsaw to get near to your 10mm thickness? You might even be able to sell on the spare strip!

Steambuff05/03/2012 10:51:17
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544 forum posts
8 photos

Ivy,

Have you phoned/emailed M-Machines?

They sell Cast Iron and say that <quote> "We can cut square and rectangles to your requirements, a small cutting charge will apply. Please enquire" <endquote>

They can sometimes supply material that is not listed in their catalogue.

They have cut custom sizes of Steel and Brass for me in the past ... and the cutting charge ammounted to pence rather than pounds.

No connection with them, just a very happy customer.

Dave

Ivy05/03/2012 18:50:34
77 forum posts
1 photos

I did look up M-Machines on the web and only saw a Mini car specialists, but then I looked again today and noticed their metals store link. I telephoned and they will cut a piece or find an off-cut for me so it's all sorted. Thanks to Clive and Steambuff for that .

KWIL: I don't have a bandsaw but I do have more time than money, anyway I am all sorted now.

Thanks again for all the help, this forum is a great resource for me and any other very amateur model engineers, or more accurately tinkerers that like to just have a go with no real engineering knowledge.

Ivy.

Howard Proffitt18/04/2013 10:00:11
1 forum posts

Ivy,

We have noted your reference for cast iron bar we have noted you say College Engineering Supply are unable to supply I don't know where you get this idea from as we supply simmilar sizes to your requirements all the time and cut blocks and round bar to size, please see our web site. We supply continiously cast iron to BS1452 Gd 250 (17 ton/sq in) which is a close grade meehenite quality. Meehenite is an old trade name for this quality bar. We see that members suggested we can supply and they are correct.

Howard Proffitt

College Engineering Supply

Ian S C20/04/2013 14:10:52
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7468 forum posts
230 photos

On behalf of the forum, thank you for your reply Howard, I'm sure this will be of help. Ian S C

mechman4820/04/2013 15:08:19
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2947 forum posts
468 photos

For future ref; local scrappies tend to have CI in the form of sash window weights,I think these are roughly 25mm x 300 long, as for being true Meehenite...?? but would hazard a guess that they quite close in composition, last time I was at my local scrappie I saw a bundle layed over in one corner but was more interested in getting some brass & ally so didn't pick a piece up, maybe should have on the offchance, probably won't be any there next time I go over indecision

George

Swarf, Mostly!20/04/2013 15:50:05
753 forum posts
80 photos

Hi there, all,

As has been said on other threads, scrap metal dealers nowadays seem reluctant to let us 'browse' through their yards.

Slightly off-topic: Some years ago, my next door neighbours inherited a player piano but couldn't find anyone to take their old upright piano (to play). So I volunteered to 'constructively dismantle' it. It had a cast iron frame on a wooden sub-frame. The cast iron machines beautifully and I still have a few pieces in-stock. (Its cross section would lend itself to being made into an engineer's level.) The board with the tuning pegs was beech and now forms the front apron on my carpentry bench and the front jaw of the carpentry vice. The wooden sub-frame was 4" x 3" white pine with not a knot anywhere; I managed to keep that out of the rain for 30-odd years (and three house moves) but recently gave it away to an acquaintance who makes guitars.

Now for a question - I have a substantial block of cast iron (60 mm x 60 mm x 90 mm) that I need to reduce and 'rough-out' before I start to machine it. The only bandsaw to which I have access is an old Burgess. What do members here think of my chances that the Burgess will cope with such a job and what sort of blade should I be looking for?

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

 

Edited By Swarf, Mostly! on 20/04/2013 15:50:54

JasonB20/04/2013 16:19:04
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25215 forum posts
3105 photos
1 articles

Whats wrong with a hacksaw if your bandsaw won't cope. I quite often take a slice off 80mm dia iron bar cuts quite easily. If you do it while you are working on something else you can cut say 1/2" do a bit of machining then come back and saw another 1/2".

J

Clive Farrar21/04/2013 09:30:27
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125 forum posts
41 photos

The Burgess will do it but it will need to be VERY slow feed.

You nee to true up your blade guides and have a close fit to mimimise the inevitble wandering at this depth of cut.

For me it would have to be a Bimetallic blade 30 -42 tpi.

 

Regards Clive

Edited By Clive Farrar on 21/04/2013 09:31:07

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