Steel for making hardware

Rickoo

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What type of steel was used for South Bend hardware? Like in screws and bolts? Appears to be stainless, but is it?
 
I don't know specifically what steel South Bend used. Whenever I have to make a screw or bolt, I reach for a piece of drill rod. W1 is easy to machine and heat treat. Not sure if that the best material for your application but it usually works for me and I have plenty of it on hand.
 
Thanks. I want to replace my saddle hold down bolt and was wondering the best steel to use.
 
I'd be very surprised if SB used anything besides low to medium carbon steel for fasteners. Certainly not stainless.
 
^^I agree there. Stainless fasteners wouldn't have been used except for 'unusual' materials or conditions.^^

With my industrial background, I would use a Grade 5 (3 ticks) for just about everything. Or an American made 'socket head' (Allen) cap screw. I'm not sure of the grade, but it's higher than a Grade 5. At the local Home Depot, ungraded capscrews (Gr 2 or 3, unmarked) are on display up front, Grade 5 and 7 are in a drawer at much higher cost. If there are any concerns about strength, the cap screws can be 'LockTighted' or 'anti siezed', depending on the situation.

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All the original SB hardware I have seen was soft. If I were making replacement hardware I would use 1144 for machinability.
 
Generally, South Bend obtained common hardware commercially. Your hold down bolt was probably made in house and, as said, of fairly low carbon steel, or even a grade of leaded steel (because it machines nicely). I would just use some O1 drill rod and heat treat it.
 
12L14 was generally used in screw machines. I believe many of their screws to be that.
Some were blued, so maybe A36, or 1018... Not high grade stuff.

Some of it is nickel plated after.
 
Generally, South Bend obtained common hardware commercially. Your hold down bolt was probably made in house and, as said, of fairly low carbon steel, or even a grade of leaded steel (because it machines nicely). I would just use some O1 drill rod and heat treat it.

How do you heat treat yours?
 
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