how do i know if i have en8

[BrokenBiker]

I made some handles for my smoker in work earlier from a bit of 5x13 flat I found in the scrap bin.

it bent easily and cut easily with a hacksaw, but I have now realised the scrap bin I took it from is mainly filled with either d2 or en8. there is mild and some en32 in there too.

how can I tell if what I have is en8 or en32 etc? and will it be a problem to weld with mild steel wire? only gonna need 2 good sized tacks on each side

 

[Paul.]

Impossible to tell easily, but for a smoker handle there shouldn't a problem welding it,

 

[Spark plug]

If it is en8/32 the chases are it will crack or snap if bent cold and be difficult to bend.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have noticed it is a greyish colour if that makes a difference. it has 2 90 degree bends in both pieces and no cracks or anything. will assume it is mild and see what happens when I weld it on the weekend. the handles are only for the ash tray and the door so nothing critical

 

[doubleboost]

I made some handles for my smoker in work earlier from a bit of 5x13 flat I found in the scrap bin.

it bent easily and cut easily with a hacksaw, but I have now realised the scrap bin I took it from is mainly filled with either d2 or en8. there is mild and some en32 in there too.

how can I tell if what I have is en8 or en32 etc? and will it be a problem to weld with mild steel wire? only gonna need 2 good sized tacks on each side

If it was D2 you would know all about it lol

 

[BrokenBiker]

yeah, I know its definitely not d2 lol. used that a fair bit when I was an apprentice

 

[Rocketman]

Well what we used was a hand held digital hardness tester but probably not a very practical purchase cost wise for the average person. Obviously you know the approx hardness ranch of a give steel so you could make a educated guess from that. The only time you came unstuck was with stuff like P20s and P20 as they were roughly the same but P20s was no good for mirror finish.

Though saying that one toolroom director I worked for said he could taste the difference if he licked different steels, and yes I'm serious.

 

[MattF]

Though saying that one toolroom director I worked for said he could taste the difference if he licked different steels, and yes I'm serious.

Yeah but, did you test him on that and could he?

 

[Rocketman]

Yeah but, did you test him on that and could he?

Yeah I had seen him do it a few times. He is dead now so I hope it had nothing to do with it

The actual answer to this is to keep a system of stock with different shelves areas with each type of steel marked up. Easy to say I know once the horse has bolted.

BTW the hardness tester was mainly to check the steel/aluminium was up to scratch - especially aluminium just because it says it's 7075 t6 / alumec 79/89 sometimes the hardness was duff (or perhaps not the plate it was supposed to be ). Not to mention a certain non-ferrous supplier was notorious for sending out soft rubbish

 

[MattF]

Yeah I had seen him do it a few times.

Makes a change from window lickers.

 

[TechnicAl]

En32 should be softer than En8...........unless its been case hardened

Both should weld OK...........unless its 32M (free machining grade)

as mentioned earlier D2 is a different proposition altogether

 

[BrokenBiker]

well I got curious and welded a bit of scrap mild to the scrap mystery bar and it looks ok. think it should hold up for what I plan on doing with it