Inexpensive/easily found tool steel.

Redmech

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What are some good high carbon tool steels available? Or maybe something not too expensive on eBay.

I’d like to make a set of 1-2-3 blocks, and a few other projects. 1” thick type items.

Thicker spring steel is one that comes to mind. Of course old files,

I’m open to ideas.

Thanks ahead of time.
 
Files? You're going to forge them? or cast them? If you can find springs 1 1/4 or so thick, that could work. Remember when you heat treat them to keep them at temp for an hour per inch of thickness, ditto annealing them. I annealed mine in a seal-peal pot over night.
 
Consider using 4140 or 4145 and heat treat to RC 58. FYI: Many of the reference books I have classify the 414x series of metals as medium grade tool steel. If you look at the various application charts for tool steel, you'll see that 414x is somewhere between the A and S series tool steels.

Technically speaking, 414x is a tool steel but, it's so common, nobody thinks of it that way.

To make something out of tool steel, first you machine to size taking warpage into consideration. Once it's hardened, you grind it to final size. Be careful with some tool steels because their heat-treat (austentizing) temperature is upward of 1800 to 2200 F. Many ovens cannot reach those temperatures. Mine only goes up to 1700. FYI: 414x only requires 1525F.

Ray
 
Thank you Ray C. That’s good info. I’m for sure just looking for something that I can make a bit harder than mild steel, not wanting stuff to make cutting tools out of, just stuff to make 1-2-3 blocks, angle blocks, v blocks, maybe small grinding vises, or sine plates or bars.

This afternoon I’ve been playing around with my surface plate and my import 1-2-3 blocks, and they are very very parallel, within a tenth to maybe the worse sport two tenths, I don’t have a surface grinder, but I’d still like to get some decent metal to make a few shop made tools out of.
 
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If you only need limited quantities one of the few sources that will supply cut lengths with published pricing is McMaster-Carr, expect to pay a good deal more then the length price. If you buy a great deal of material on a regular basis from one supplier they will often cut to size for you.
Alro is a good example, http://www.alro.com/divsteel/metals_comp.aspx?comp=TS&n=TOOL STEEL&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq7X2xMSK2QIV3ISzCh2aYwX5EAAYBCAAEgJcAfD_BwE

Alro smokes on some steels if you buy a lot, but my local metal vendor does better on other stuff and is always better on single bar pieces of alloys they stock on hand locally.
 
Any steel that hardens nicely, and grinds nice will make blocks. Even chromolly.
 
Thank you Ray C. That’s good info. I’m for sure just looking for something that I can make a bit harder than mild steel, not wanting stuff to make cutting tools out of, just stuff to make 1-2-3 blocks, angle blocks, v blocks, maybe small grinding vises, or sine plates or bars.

This afternoon I’ve been playing around with my surface plate and my import 1-2-3 blocks, and they are very very parallel, within a tenth to maybe the worse sport two tenths, I don’t have a surface grinder, but I’d still like to get some decent metal to make a few shop made tools out of.

First, You're welcome...

Couple things to consider:

Any kind of medium alloy (like 4140) or high alloy (tool steel like M2 etc) in it's normal "soft" state (aka annealed state) will not be noticeably harder than say 1030 or 1045 in it's annealed state. The only way those kinds of steels get hardness, increased strength, impact resistance, scratch resistance etc, is when they are hardened to their maximum state then, tempered down to some lower hardness so it won't fracture easily. Working on really hard metal presents a lot of challenges.

If you want to make some useful tool, I think you would love to try some 1040 or 1045 and make some adjustable indicator holders and bases. As-is, that metal is fine for most simple shop tools, shafts, general fixtures etc. It's great stuff. For the indicator holders, don't try to turn the shafts on a lathe but rather, go on eBay and get some TGP (turned, ground, polished) rod stock in 3/8 or 5/16 (or whatever your indicator adapters call for). You can get it in 303 stainless and other materials as well. Those are great projects to learn and you'll have tools to be proud of.


Ray
 
I agree with Ray. Without a surface grinder, you're not going to be making any precision, hardened tools. V-blocks, 1-2-3 blocks etc. require greater precision than can be accomplished with a mill, and unhardened tools will not be precision for long.
 
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