People bear a pre-conceived notion of not being able to weld spring steel. But is it just a myth, or can you weld spring steel? If you are scratching through the internet to find the answer, you are standing before the moment of truth.
In this article, I will not only bust the myth but also will tell which welding method would suit spring steel best.
So, let’s not waste any time and dive into the video.
Is it Possible to Weld Spring Steel?
Yes, it is possible to weld spring steel under some conditions. Without preheating spring steel, the resultant welding will have stress cracks. Not just that, the tensile strength will be lower, and the welded portion will be prone to breakage.
The success of an ideally welded spring steel depends on how you perform the heat treatment process and the percentage of carbon in the spring steel alloy.
After welding spring steel, you would have to cool down the metal after a certain period. Otherwise, an early cooling would result in a soft product, and a late cooling would result in a brittle product.
Which Welding Method to Weld Spring Steel?
Spot welding is the best method to weld spring steel. You can do MIG welding, but the result won’t be the same again as spot welding.
First, welding spring steel is as technical as climbing a steep ridge. It may seem impossible at first thought, but it is achievable. But why is welding spring steel possible?
Spring steel has a high percentage of carbon. And welded spring steel is either too soft (if cooled slowly) or too brittle (if cooled too late). There requires a specialization to do perfect spring steel welding.
And Spot welding does this job more perfectly than any other welding. While doing spot welding, a shot is directed at the hole of spring steel. As the heat will break the steel down unnecessarily, there needs a quick action to perform spring steel welding.
So, there cannot be a better way to weld spring steel other than spring steel.
Can you Weld Coil Spring?
Yes, you can weld coil springs. You must preheat the steel, weld it with pre-selected filler metal, and then the cooling process. You can use a 309 stainless steel as a filler metal. Try to set the temperature at 405 degrees Fahrenheit.
Truth be told, springs tend to get snapped with heat. So, it is not easy at all to weld any sort of spring, let alone a coil spring.
But, if you heat over a larger spring area, it would be more feasible to weld. Without heating over a larger area, your coil spring would get bent. And once it is bent, there is no way around to work with that spring again.
Is the Welding Spring Strong?
No, the welding spring is not strong concerning the tensile strength. Spring is very allergic to welding, first of all. Then, even if it can be welded, the result is abysmal compared to the expected result.
Heat is one of the fiercest enemies of springs. With improper heating, springs would get snapped and warped easily.
But with proper pre-heating, the right choice of filler metal, and the post-heating process can open the path of welding spring.
But the thing is, if you follow all the ideal steps, the spring won’t be as strong as expected.
How to Repair Spring Steel?
Spring may be elastic in nature, but it also has a neck-breaking point.
Once the heat reaches its neck-breaking point, the spring steel will reach out of its elastic limit. Yes, nominal knowledge won’t be enough to get you out of this situation.
Don’t worry. I will share my first-hand experience with you repairing spring steel.
Step 01: Tack the Pieces
The first thing to do while repairing spring steel is tacking the broken/warped steel pieces. It’s crucial to align the pieces; otherwise, you may have to break the whole weld to redo the process once again.
Step 02: Join the Pieces
Once you have tacked the pieces, perform MIG welding at one side. Alternatively, you can do TIG wedding, but the result won’t be the same as MIG welding.
Step 03: Use a Grinding Machine
After joining the pieces, now you should take the help of a grinding machine. Take your samples to a grinding machine, and with the help, create a gap to weld the other side.
Step 04: Make the Final Blow
So, you have done grinding. Now it’s time to give the finishing touch to repair it. Use an E7018 electrode to weld the gap created by the grinding machine. After welding, cool down the metal.
And, ta-da! You have repaired your broken spring steel.
Can you Braze Spring Steel?
Yes, you can braze spring steel without any difficulty. Use an emery paper to clean the spring steel, and use baker’s fluid as the flux. After brazing, don’t forget to wipe the surface with a cotton rag.
It’s better to use copper wire to do brazing. Some would refer to using silver wire, but it would absolutely be overkill and harmful. A silver wire would temper the steel as well.
I prefer copper wire due to its high susceptibility to creating flux. Copper doesn’t have any potential to self flux. Use a brass shim instead if you fail to manage copper wire.
Silver wire produces 4% more tensile strength than regular copper wire. But let me ask you, is 4% enough to make you choose a 4-5x more expensive silver wire?
Copper wire is regarded as the go-to wire for brazing spring steel.
Check
FAQs
1. Can you weld spring steel trailer leaf?
You can weld spring steel trailer leaf, but you shouldn’t. Because welded steel trailer leaf is very brittle and tends to be damaged with the slightest damage.
2. Can you weld spring steel to mild steel?
No, you cannot weld spring steel to mild steel. The reason is spring steel has a high percentage of carbon. And, it is horrendously difficult to weld spring steel to mild steel.
Last Words
Due to the extensive amount of carbon in spring steel, it is hypothetically impossible to perform welding on this metal. But as the proverb goes, if there is a will, there is a way. And in this case, spot welding is the way.
Has this article helped you? If so, I would feel fulfilled. Let me know if there is any confusion or any other questions.
Related article
Source: