Mandrel Question

[firegrl]

Hi
K I was just at my welding store where I get my rods for mandrels and the ones I have been buying are steel not stainless steel. I had thought along that my mandrels were SS. (steel ones are magnetic and SS are not) Does it make a difference? Which ones are best?

Thanks
Cathy

[BillBrach]

Actually, certain grades of SS are magnetic. But, the better grades of SS are not magnetic.

If they were steel, I don't think that they'd last very long in the flame.

[loco]

I use TIG 308 or 316. Might be a L after the numbers, I just know where they are in the welding store I go to! :)

[firegrl]

Thanks

Not last long, figures...
The ones I got are 048 or 098 and there is no L after them. K back to the welding store. lol
I really do appreciate this!!
Cathy




Cathy

[firegrl]

yeah I made three beautiful beads on my steel madrels...the bead release cooked on the madrels ( really cooked on was wrenching with pliers and it did not come off) and the beeds were on there for good. I even reefed so hard I bent the madrels. Well I soaked them in hydrogen peroxide for the night and not can wrench them off. First thing I did this morning was head to the welding store. So now I have a bunch of wire for hat pins. lol

Cathy

[Kalera]

A word of warning; I bought a bunch of 1/16" 312 stainless for mandrels on the advice of my welding shop guy and the stuff is CRAP. It bends when you introduce it to the flame. I had them for sale for a while before I figured it out, so if anyone bought any bendy mandrels from me (like, they literally bend while you're making a bead) please let me know so I can replace them. I don't actually know if I sold any before I caught it, but just in case I did...

[starlia]

A word of warning; I bought a bunch of 1/16" 312 stainless for mandrels on the advice of my welding shop guy and the stuff is CRAP. It bends when you introduce it to the flame. I had them for sale for a while before I figured it out, so if anyone bought any bendy mandrels from me (like, they literally bend while you're making a bead) please let me know so I can replace them. I don't actually know if I sold any before I caught it, but just in case I did...
Is the problem that they were 312 instead of 308, 309, or 316? Weird.

[BillBrach]

No, it isn't the particular alloy that causes this. Wire, like mandrels, is drawn hot through dies to size it.

I would suspect that the bending when heated is because the drawing process caused uneven stress in the wire. When heated, this stress causes it to bend slightly.

The die might have had a rough spot in it, which caused extra friction there, changing the stress.

A funny story about mandrels. I ordered about ten 48" long 1/16" ones from my distributor. When the order came in, I noticed that there was no way the box was 48" long, so I wondered if they had cut them. To my surprise, they had bent them severely to get them in the box :mad:

Also, the 316 alloy is the best.

[firegrl]

316 cool now where are those darn cut off ends
:grin: :grin: :grin: X cheesey

Cathy

[Curly Irish Girl]

When starting with SS welding rods - make sure you grind for the rounded point - makes it a lot safer when you reach into that drawer as well as getting rid of those nasty barbs from snipping the rod! Also make sure you are wearing safety glasses when cutting the metal (or glass rods for that fact).

[Lizabeads]

No, it isn't the particular alloy that causes this. Wire, like mandrels, is drawn hot through dies to size it.

I would suspect that the bending when heated is because the drawing process caused uneven stress in the wire. When heated, this stress causes it to bend slightly.

The die might have had a rough spot in it, which caused extra friction there, changing the stress.

A funny story about mandrels. I ordered about ten 48" long 1/16" ones from my distributor. When the order came in, I noticed that there was no way the box was 48" long, so I wondered if they had cut them. To my surprise, they had bent them severely to get them in the box :mad:

Also, the 316 alloy is the best.

I was told 316L tig welding was the best.. but I am also having a problem with bending after using a few times... what is the difference because I have 10 lbs of this and I can trade the rest of it if I want...

[dla]

Bumping this up. My son made me a bead display, minus the steel rods,(he didn't know where to get them) to put the beads on and I need to get some of those rods, cut them and put them on the display. So, need to know, what's the best here as I will also make some to use in the flame.
Thanks,
Debbie A.

[Mr. Smiley]

316L will out last any other. The L stands for low carbon and it does make a difference. If you can find 320L, let me know... it's really good stuff, but not available at my sources.

[dla]

Thank-you kindly Brent ! I'll tell hubby to ask the welder about the 320L and will let you know ! He's going over there tomorrow (I hope !).
Thx,
Debbie A.