spring steel for sculpture?

[brewdexta]

An artist friend wants to buy some springy steel for a sculpture, the way she describes it is like withies but more robust/durable. The sculpture has a mobile part to it that she wants to move and she doesn't want the steel to bend, but spring.

She has looked at spring steel but she is not entirely sure what to ask for. So it will probably be steel rod, circa 5mm diameter, but what grade?

She's pretty savvy at this, she's been making costumes for festivals for years including Notting hill and all sorts of community art, but I believe the guy who used to buy this type of stuff for her circle of friends is no longer around....

@chunkolini you probably have previous experience

Regards
Andy

 

[Screwdriver]

Depends how long and how springy but she can get piano wire or "music wire" up to 4.75mm. It can be tricky to manipulate and care is needed while welding to keep any softened area from bending with careful design or fixturing. You may also need some "offset rollers" to make it dead straight.

 

[chunkolini]

Nope, not a clue about this one.
thinking cap on.
Where it's welded down it will bend, how about running it through a welded fitting so the are of flex is not affected by heat?

 

[brewdexta]

I don't think any welding is involved, at least she hasn't asked yet

 

[Shox Dr]

Try coil spring manufacturers. They use Cro-mo steel bar.

 

[outofthefire]

Piano wire from model shops they also sell fibreglass and carbon fibre rods that might also work, the piano wire tends to only come in shortish lengths a metre or so long.

 

[Seadog]

It is possible to buy it in longer lengths. My neighbour found me some 13g for a spring, about 4 years ago, and bought about 6 metres. I still haven't made the spring though.