At 08:14 AM 7/8/04 -0500, you wrote:
>What grade of steel do you use to build the larger objects of your steamers?
Pete,
I use what sheet metal shops call "black iron" (at least here in the
South.) This is "hot rolled mild steel plate" (or sheet) and it has a dark
gray oxide "skin" on it which is resists rust but is also kind of hard and
also resists scriber points. In any case it is strong, dimensionally
stable, drills, taps, and machines well. It's very cheap and any sheet
metal shop will have it and will probably give you enough cut off material
to do several locomotive frames. However it does NOT solder well (soft
solder or silver solder) because the oxide skin inhibits that, but if you
scrub the skin off it solders like any other mild steel.
>Am I correct to assume that it is not so much a strength issue but more of a
>machinability and/or cost of material? - PeteH
Yes, and I would add one more attribute to that, . . . that it be
conveniently available in a small quantity.
Regards,
Harry
