Need some help cutting spring tempered steel!

[William Whitaker]

Use a cutoff wheel in a mototool or die grinder and cool the metal every 4 to 5 seconds in water. The other way is don't worry about the temper and re-heattreat it afterwards.
YMMV, Bob

+1. I have used this method to cut to length some springs that I had bought from Dick Phillips for more than one ULF camera. I was able to do a neat job with little effort. Just use caution throughout. And wear eye protection!

My 12x20 Folmer & Schwing now has a fully independent rear suspension which is a vast improvement over the 100 y-o brass springs I replaced. But I warmed up my skills with a Korona 12x20 and a shop-built 7x17. Worked like a champ in each case.

[Daniel Stone]

If you have not already purchased material for this project, I'd use multiple layers of thinner material(capable of being cut with metal hand shears), and stack as many "layers" as required to get the desired thickness/spring tension you require.

[Tim Meisburger]

I think you could cut it with a cut-off wheel and a garden hose to keep it cool, but I've never tried it. Handsaw blades are a good source of spring steel.

[Vaughn]

Since we are on the subject, I have an old 5x7 camera and the springs have gotten weak. I rebent them by hand and that got them to hold the film holder tighter, but it does not seem like a permanent fix...is there a better way?

[Tim Meisburger]

Since we are on the subject, I have an old 5x7 camera and the springs have gotten weak. I rebent them by hand and that got them to hold the film holder tighter, but it does not seem like a permanent fix...is there a better way?

If you can bend them to shape they need re-tempering. You can do it yourself or ask a blacksmith or knifesmith.

[RichardRitter]

If the springs are brass the way you harden then is by roll forming, hammering or bending this is call work hardening. To anneal heat to red color and quench in water.

For spring steel to harden heat to cherry red and quench in the right liquid water or oil depend on the type of steel used. then anneal to the proper temperature for the given use of the steel this can be done by watching the color change.To anneal spring steel to the soft stage heat to cherry red and pack in a insulating material and let it cool very slowly or use a temperature controlled oven.

Re-bending a spring will help work harden the spring.

Have you ever taken a paper clip and just kept bending it at the same point until it broke. The spot it broke at is the result of work hardening.

Yes cutting spring steel with an abrasive cut off saw will anneal the steel.

I had a camera come in for repair and the spring were made of old hack saw blades.

[Vaughn]

Thanks...they are brass. I'll try hitting them with a hammer -- perhaps I will take them off the camera first...

[RichardRitter]

Vaughn the best thing to do is over bend then with a very nice arc. Keeping the bending point away from the holes. Most leaf spring break at the holes.

[Vaughn]

Vaughn the best thing to do is over bend then with a very nice arc. Keeping the bending point away from the holes. Most leaf spring break at the holes.

Thanks! The springs do have some extra width at the holes -- probably for that reason.

Here is a photo of the camera back and springs -- pretty straight forward set-up. I also have some spare springs (steel) somewhere...hard to know where after a couple of moves, but I had my hands on them relatively recently, so there is hope!.

[john.l.barford]

I use windscreen wiper springs

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