28 February 2003, 16:03
kalbrechtHelp with springs
I purchased a spring assortment kit from Brownells and I am having a difficult time finishing the coil spring after cutting it to length. No matter what I do to the ends with a pliers I cannot get the spring to look like a "factory" spring. Can someone let me in on the secret? Thanks - Kurt
28 February 2003, 16:36
kalbrechtI'm not trying to be a jerk, but could you be a little more explicit.
28 February 2003, 17:19
<G.Malmborg>Kurt,
Take a pair of needle nose pliers and grind the bottom of one of the jaws just thin enough so that it can slip between the coils. Squeeze the end coils together and quickly play the end over the flame of a propane torch until you feel it collapse and then quickly douse it into a can of oil. Next, take it to the disc sander and then flatten and finish the end like that of the factory. Once you've perfected the technique, very few people will ever spot the work... Good luck.
Malm
28 February 2003, 17:49
<JBelk>kalbrecht--
Use a bench grinder to grind off the last coil. Grind fast and hot. Don't let the blue color climb more than one coil before you quench.
You have it right when you can form the last three quarters of the coil into whatever you want using needle-nosed pliers.
01 March 2003, 03:31
kalbrechtThank you all for the help, I knew there had to be some way to remove the temper from that last coil so it could be formed, but I couldn't figure it out. Thanks again. - Kurt