What type of steel would you use for a filler on the 1917 bird bath?

Also for making a bolt handle?

All would be blued when complete.

I use 1018, or 1020, Nothing exotic, they are hard to blue and hard to weld if you get too much carbon or chromium. You aren't looking for any strength.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I use 1018, or 1020, Nothing exotic, they are hard to blue and hard to weld if you get too much carbon or chromium. You aren't looking for any strength.

Thank you Sir!

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I didn't know you did birdbaths dpcd !

OK. I'll shut-the-fawk-up now. he he

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I use 1018, or 1020, Nothing exotic, they are hard to blue and hard to weld if you get too much carbon or chromium. You aren't looking for any strength.

IMO there is nothing wrong with these carbon steels. I think sometimes everyone gets wrapped around the axel on all sorts of alloy steels. Interestingly, aircraft frames were built from some of these very same steels before they started flying in excess of 200 mph.

1018 ?? That's so yesterday ! 4140 has been called gun steel and also called aircraft steel ! Ruger even uses 4130 or 4140.
Give us metallurgists a break ! I tried to explain to a woman earlier today ..but she just said "what's a metallurgist ?? "

I agree, for any gun part that needs to be hardened, or tough. 4140 is not needed for bolt handles, and some will say, not the easiest to weld. You gain nothing by making bolt handles out of anything but the simplest, low carbon steel. Ruger makes bolt handles out of 4140 because they are cast integral with the bolt body. If you want a really tough bolt handle with no weld issues, get 8620; low carbon, but high alloy of chrome, nickel, moly, and other good stuff I forgot. . But it is not needed at all.
Birdbath? Right now they are frozen solid. Birds too.

I turn bolt handles from 1018 all the time. I also make all of my non stainless brakes from 1018. Quite frankly, they color nicer in a potassium bath which is mostly why I use it. Over the years I have noticed that a lot of other makers will manufacture brakes out of some sort of wonder steel and heat treat them to 30 or 40C which I have never quite wrapped my head around. It's not like they have a lot of wear surfaces or have to support a lot of weight. I've finally resigned myself on the fact that people are kind of stupid and left it at that.

Winter is the best time to weld birdbaths. The waters all stiff !

My wife won't let me have a bird bath, nor any bird feeders; she hates birds. Bird hater.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
My wife won't let me have a bird bath, nor any bird feeders; she hates birds. Bird hater.

If she hates birds, maybe she will let you buy a very expensive shotgun? Don't fear the dark my friend. The dark often hides the greatest treasures ! he he