drill rod?

[Aydelott]

I read somewhere to use drill rod for my piston an valve rods so I was looking them up an I guess there is two different types water and oil hardened I guess that's the way there quenched but witch type should I get an if its hardened will I still be able to run a die down the ends to cut the threads thank you for your help.

 

[chucketn]

You are right in that oil hardening quenches in oil and water hardening in water. I would do all required machining before hardening.

Chuck

edited to correct typo

 

[Aydelott]

if i buy this drill rod its already hardened so i was just wondering if you could run a die hardened metal. Or anywhere get rod not hardened?

 

[chucketn]

Drill rod is not hardened when you buy it. You machine it to your requirements and then harden and temper as required.

Chuck

 

[Aydelott]

o ok well i look in to it more thats what i understood thank you!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

It seems unusual to me to be making a piston from drill rod. Valves, yes, but a piston??? what kind of engine is it.

 

[rkepler]

I read somewhere to use drill rod for my piston an valve rods so I was looking them up an I guess there is two different types water and oil hardened I guess that's the way there quenched but witch type should I get an if its hardened will I still be able to run a die down the ends to cut the threads thank you for your help.

A valve face can use the hardness available in drill rod but I can't see it being necessary in a piston. If you hadn't mentioned valve rods I'd think that the point was the roundness of drill rod but that's available in other more easily worked and lower cost materials.

So along with the mention of threading I think you're looking for material for some other application than a piston?

 

[Aydelott]

No I was told to use it because of its roundness its for the piston Rods the pistons are brass I tried to make the rods but I kept having a .002 taper over 6in IM open to other material if you have any opinions!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Sorry, I misunderstood. It does make a bit more sense if its being used for a piston ROD as the rod passes thru a "gland" with packing in it to seal any escaping steam or air. Although I have always used just standard cold rolled steel rod for piston rods and seemed to get away with it.

 

[MarioM]

Checking an engine plan from Philip Duclos, it asks for a valve push rod made of CRS N. 5D x 1 3/4" finish nail. Does anybody knows what it means??

Mario

 

[Aydelott]

CRS is cold rolled steel i dont know what the rest means

 

[Aydelott]

The reason I want to use drill rod is every tolerance on my engine is under .001 an I would like to get it perfect but when I Google drill rod its all hardened tool steel where can I get it that's not hardened

 

[MachineTom]

A 5D is the size of a carpenters NAIL, so a 5D Finishing nail is used for moulding and the like. IMO it means any old piece of steel will work.

 

[Aydelott]

crs is cold rolled steel i dont know what the rest means sorry The reason I want to use drill rod is every part on my engine is under .001 an I would like to get it perfect but when I Google drill rod its all hardened tool steel where can I get it that's not hardened

 

[d-m]

I would go to speedy metals or on line metals you can buy it by the foot in the sizes you require it will come Not Hardened. I always try to get some extra stuff as the shipping won't change that much if you add say some Hex rod or leaded alloy. I Just got some hex rod for a small job when I checked out the shipping for just what I needed was just under $20 bucks. I added 3 more sticks one 1/2 drill rod and 2 different sizes of leaded alloy and the shipping was only about 3$ more .
Dave

 

[Tin Falcon]

CRS Common abbreviation for cold rolled steel. 5D abbreviation for 5 penny nail. somewhat antiquated term originality the price of a hundred nails.
nails size chart here

finish is the head style of the nail.


I think what tom said sums it up . If the material is a nail any similar size piece of steel will work.

Tin

 

[Aydelott]

The reason I want to use drill rod is every tolerance on my engine is under .001 an I would like to get it perfect but when I Google drill rod its all hardened tool steel where can I get it that's not hardened

 

[rkepler]

The reason I want to use drill rod is every tolerance on my engine is under .001 an I would like to get it perfect but when I Google drill rod its all hardened tool steel where can I get it that's not hardened

All of the drill rod I've bought has been fully annealed, about the only source of hardened drill rod would be a drill or reamer blanks and even then I'm not sure that it would be fully hard.

From experience if you make an engine to that sort of tolerance it will be very difficult to run. If you're a little over in the rod size and a little under on the bore they just won't fit. If the sizes are dead on and the bore is a little crooked same problem. If a rod is a little bent (as metal is supplied) it'll jam at one end or the other.

A steam engine which is loose at most spots and tight at only a few will run like a watch. Too loose everywhere and it'll run, but noisily. Too tight all over and you'll have trouble turning it over with a wrench. The real art here is knowing where it should be loose and where it should be tight.

 

[kvom]

I use drill rod for engine rods, pins, etc., without doing any hardening. It's not hardened when delivered, and in fact is relatively easy to machine. Just order what you need from Enco.

 

[kuhncw]

Here is a link specific to finish nails. http://www.sizes.com/tools/nails_finish.htm

A 5D nail is 12 1/2 gage which is 0.099 inches shank diameter. Ref: http://www.sizes.com/tools/nails_wire_gauge.htm

Number 39 drill rod is 0.099 inches dia. McMaster-Carr and others sell number size drill rod. Even though it is called "Water Hardened", as others have said, the rod is not hardened when you buy it.

Regards,

Chuck