Home Made Tooling??

[EdH]

I was wondering if anyone tried to make thier own tooling using say automotive valves? I forge other things but I was wondering if anyone tried to build thier own tooling? What sort of steel are the valves?

[TwinOaks]

Hi Ed,

to Leatherworker.net!!!! Da best place on the 'net.

Yes, many people make or modify tools. They range from high grade stainless steel, to polymers, to reshaped bolts, carved pieces of wood, old kitchen utensils, wife's new kitchen utensils, etc. There are a couple of members here that also create Maker's Stamps (do a search on that topic).

I hadn't thought of using automotive valves, but then I don't really have any that aren't being used.......

Some of the tool makers have really nice hand formed SS, and then some have mild steel (at best) that's been mass produced by unskilled labor and chromed. Back to the question, yes, there are some members who make their own.

[BearMan]

Hi Ed,

I make alot, if not most of my own stamping, & other tools. I would not use automotive valves, as alot of them are made with Sodium inside. I've made that mistake before, Sodium valves will explode. There are alot of valves out there that are made out of hardened steel, or stainless steel. But, figuring out which ones are Sodium, can be difficult. The best bet, is if You get some used valves from an engine that was made before about 1975.

I make most of mine out of either: 1/4"-5/16" Grade 8 bolts about 5 1/2" long, or Large Non coated nails. After making the tool, I take it thru a hardening process. So far, after about 20 years for some of my tools, I haven't wore one out yet.

Ed

[WVTriker]

What a great idea! Ed, how do you go about hardening them?

I am in the process of experimenting with using some key chain fobs to stamp logos of a certain brand that I'd like on a thing or two. I don't know how legal (or illegal) it is since I plan on using them for myself and not selling them. So far, after one try, I've little success but experimenting is part of the fun, to see what works and what doesn't.

[BearMan]

Here is the linc to where I explained it before: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ost&p=63226

Hi Ed,

I make alot, if not most of my own stamping, & other tools. I would not use automotive valves, as alot of them are made with Sodium inside. I've made that mistake before, Sodium valves will explode. There are alot of valves out there that are made out of hardened steel, or stainless steel. But, figuring out which ones are Sodium, can be difficult. The best bet, is if You get some used valves from an engine that was made before about 1975.

I make most of mine out of either: 1/4"-5/16" Grade 8 bolts about 5 1/2" long, or Large Non coated nails. After making the tool, I take it thru a hardening process. So far, after about 20 years for some of my tools, I haven't wore one out yet.

Ed

[EdH]

Hey thanks guys, my thinking was this; I attended Quad State at the SOFA convention this weeekend and there was a guy there trying to sell automotive valves. Well not one to be out BS'ed I wanted to know just what you could do with these things and they guy told me that you can make punches for metal with them since they were designed to be hammered on in high temperatures at least on the exhaust side and not deform or break. Well since I blacksmith as a hobby and even make knives (not well but I am trying but I need to make sheaths so I am here) I was thinking if I upset the edges of the valve, I would have a fair piece of metal that I could have to work with. I have never heard the warning that there was soduim in the valves and can't for the life of me even come up with a reason why they would encapulate sodium in steel for a valve, but that would bear some research, thanks. I wonder if the auto manufactures would share what material is inside thier valves???? I would have to guess that the valves as they come out of the car would most likely be of the H series steel since it is so hot in the exhaust line and they don't deform. I will have to keep cruising to find out just what sort of steel is used and any safety precautions that should be taken when forging. Once if I find out what sort of steel is used (At SOFA there was a demonstrator that said that the manufactureer wouldn't tell him what short of steel was used in air hammer chisle blanks ie tapered .401 tools other than to say they are oil hardening).

[rickeyfro]

Some racing exhaust valves are filled with sodium because it helped in quicker dissipation of heat, these arent very common anymore and very seldom used in production cars.

[ENT]

How ironic, I spent 16 years involved in the manufacture of engine valves...

At least in the US, most engine valves are not sodium or sodium-potassium filled. These are typically for air cooled piston aircraft engine valves, and certain high performance engine valves (think very pricy). If you know the engine the valve was intended for, or have the part number (might be etched into the stem), you can probably get the information by checking the aftermarket listings for replacement parts.

Typical passenger car intake valves are one piece hardened alloy steel. Truck intake valves often are hardened alloy steel, but it depends on the engine and operating conditions. Sometimes they are two piece construction, with an austenitic steel head welded to a hardned alloy steel stem or tip. Exhaust valves generally are an austenitic stainless steel or superalloy welded to a hardened alloy steel stem or tip. On some valves where seat wear is an issue in the application, there will be a weld hardfacing in the over Rockwell C 50 range.

I would think a one piece intake valve would be usable to make tools from. You could reharden and temper it after fabricating your pattern.

[WVTriker]

Here is the linc to where I explained it before: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ost&p=63226

Thanks for the link.

[EdH]

ENT I was wondering if you could help me out and tell me just what sort of steel in particular is used in these valves so I know what steps to take to anneal and harden.

[ENT]

Ha ha, it depends on the engine. Most of the US passenger car intake valves are low to moderate alloy content martensitic steels hardenable at 1550F for 15 minutes followed by oil quench (air cooling won't harden fully and plain water will likely crack the part, but if you have access to PAG quenchant at the proper concentration, that will work). Tempering temperature will depend on what final hardness you want, but generally 1 hour at 300F -500F will temper without much loss of hardness.

If you are going to harden this using a torch, you want to get to a medium reddish-orange color with just a hint of speckling (oxide forming and popping off the surface look like black speckling flecks)

Edited October 2, 2008 by ENT