What type of strength of steel is this?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Say you have a 1/4 inch thick plate of steel, a foot square. You want to pound on the 1/4 inch edge dimension with as much transfer of force through the plate and as little deformation as possible of the 1/4 inch surface.

What type of strength should I been looking at?

Tensile, yield, compressive, shear?

If steel is omni-directionally strong, is the strength of the flat plate the same as the strength of the 1/4 inch edge?

[javadog]

Be more specific with regards to what you’re using it for, and how, and we might be able to help.

[island911]

Is this a social experiment on how cryptic questions are responded to?

[javadog]

It's more likely that he's just unaware of basic engineering concepts, so doesn't know the right question to ask. No big deal, he's excused.

We need a sketch and a detailed description of what he wants to do.

The strength isn't likely going to be an issue. If he's putting a substantial force through the plate as described, it will buckle before the strength is an issue. Any steel would probably do, especially if he's pushing on it. If he's actually banging on it with a hammer, other things might come into play.

Frankly, I can't imagine what he's up to.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Hope this helps. Scrap steel plate pictured.

2.5 lb sledge hammering, very, very, very hard, on 1/4" edge of steel plate, positioned vertically, resting on other steel plate. The second steel plate is inconsequential. The steel plate being hammered on, that's all I care about. It needs to be able to withstand the hammer blows. Obviously it will deform/compress over time, I just want it to last as long as possible. My machine shop asked me to spec the steel.

[javadog]

Can you weld a piece of steel perpendicular to the other one, to spread the impact load from the hammer?

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

It almost seems like you want it to be a 1/4” wide anvil so I can’t imagine what for. Are you using the steel plate to form something else?


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[Jeff Higgins]

Shaun, I would spec out 4340 for this application. Have it heat treated to a Rockwell "C" scale value of somewhere from 38-42. This is what as known as a "through hardening" alloy, as opposed to a "surface hardening" alloy. This is a very common material, readily available, and not all that expensive. Hopefully your machine shop can heat treat it, of knows of someone who can.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Shaun, I would spec out 4340 for this application. Have it heat treated to a Rockwell "C" scale value of somewhere from 38-42. This is what as known as a "through hardening" alloy, as opposed to a "surface hardening" alloy. This is a very common material, readily available, and not all that expensive. Hopefully your machine shop can heat treat it, of knows of someone who can.

Thanks Jeff, appreciate it! I'll talk with my machine shop tomorrow about it and hopefully they can heat treat. If not, I am think my anodizer might be able to (they do more than aluminum and heat treated some Ferrari suspension parts I had done).

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by wilnj

It almost seems like you want it to be a 1/4” wide anvil so I can’t imagine what for. Are you using the steel plate to form something else?


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Yes and no, the plate is a male form and I'm using it similarly to how I straighten grille ribs.

Restoring a 3-bar grille

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by javadog

Can you weld a piece of steel perpendicular to the other one, to spread the impact load from the hammer?

That is a good idea but I can't. I have talked with the shop about a 1" square rod with a slot cut into it to fit over the plate and then hammer on that. My concern is the transfer of energy from the hammer to the rod to the plate. One solution is to lock it down with through-bolts. Energy transfer is a major concern. I have used "soft" steel (machine shop claims it was cold rolled but it was as soft) and it doesn't work even with substantial blows.

[island911]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Yes and no, the plate is a male form and I'm using it similarly to how I straighten grille ribs.

Restoring a 3-bar grille

You could have led with that.

What you need is a matched die in a press. Much better force control than with a hammer.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

No, that doesn't work.

[island911]

Yeah? Why's that?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

because it doesn't for both grille ribs and for my new project.

[cabmandone]

I'd look for a piece of hard tool steel. If you were closer I'd drop a piece off. Buy me enough good beer when I get there and I still might! If you're using it as an anvil, it looks like you're using cold roll which will deform as you strike it. If the steel you're forming is soft you should still be able to use what you have a few times.

Edit: Now that I see what you're doing I don't see why what you have wouldn't work. It's not like you're trying to bend thick steel with it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

You are always welcome, for many good beers, Nick! I was supposed to come out to OH this summer to see you and Pete and Patrick but my muffler project is now 2 months in and at least 2 more weeks. Never start projects in May thinking middle of June you'll be done.

[cabmandone]

What are you building there? Looks interesting. And who is doing the welding? Those welds are SWEET!

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by cabmando

I'd look for a piece of hard tool steel. If you were closer I'd drop a piece off. Buy me enough good beer when I get there and I still might! If you're using it as an anvil, it looks like you're using cold roll which will deform as you strike it. If the steel you're forming is soft you should still be able to use what you have a few times.

Edit: Now that I see what you're doing I don't see why what you have wouldn't work. It's not like you're trying to bend thick steel with it.

S5 or S7 grade "tool steel" both have high impact resistance and might be a good choice as well. These are a little more specialized and therefor harder to get than common 4340, but do represent the "ultimate" in impact resistance. S5 is a bit more resistant to impact than S7, but either will work. They can be hardened to Rockwell "C" of 60 or so without getting too brittle to hammer on. I don't think Shaun needs anything that tough, so I wouldn't go too far out of my way to find some, but if you have it on hand it will definitely meet his needs. But so will 4340, which most machine shops probably have just lying around.

[cabmandone]

Jeff,
You're talking above my pay grade on this stuff. I'm just lucky enough to have a relative that runs a tool and die shop. I go in and say "give me a piece of really hard steel" and BAM! It appears.