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1144 Round Rod

todd1

Plastic
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Location
las vegas
Recently purchased for the first time 2 1/2 inch round rod of 1144. Saw on various threads about its machine ability. Using my old and small King 10x24 lathe, to my surprise went through two carbide tipped machining tool bits. I have a couple tool holders that use separate inserts, did not work that good. Little by little hot things to the size I needed using lots of cutting fluid. Came time to cut off, and could not use my hss T cut off blade, would instantly bind. Took the piece over to the old Boyer Schultz, and over about an hour proceeded to go through two .060 reinforced cut off wheels, but finally got it cut off. So question is what kind of cutters do I use to machine 1144 the best, and best way to cut off? Tried c2, c6 and k21 (I think) all worked with very small cuts each time. I have two holders that use inserts, what kind of insert might be recommended?
Thanks Todd
 
Something sounds off - have you machined an equal size bar of 1045? If so how did that compare?
Regarding the abrasive cutoff wheel - 1144 is not much different from 1045 when abrasively cutting. The sulfur addition makes little difference when you melting the bar away one drop at a time.
 
I doubt what you have is really 1144. I machine 1144 with simple HSS tools. It machines like a dream and give a wonderful surface finish.

In the past when I lived in L.A. just went to a couple stock steel suppliers, and was always just asked do you want something machinable? Always worked, here in Vegas there really is no large suppler so I ordered this online. Yes they could have sent me anything, not sure. I can try to order from different supplier, what hurts is the postage, it is more for postage than the steel. The stock looks a bit darker than usual, maybe, but is shinny if that helps.
 
I also think you got the wrong steel. I worked at a shop where we made millions of air craft fittings out of 1137 which is closely related. Recently we made lots of part here in my own shop out of Fatigue Proof, which is a heat treated version of 1144. We got the wonderful finish, accurate sizes and long tool life that is typical of this family of steels.
If your supplier sent you the wrong material they should pay the return shipping as well as ship the replacement material at their expense.
Check the hardness of the bar on hand with a file, if a file skips across it without cutting or just barely cuts, it is not 1144. If you think you can spark test, I can send you a bar end of known 1137 to compare, it will have a slightly smaller carbon star burst but the color will be the same.
 
Anything will cut 1144. I don't have any inserts that won't plow through it. I normally use coated TPG inserts because they are cheap and I save the better inserts for tougher material.

I like to take .250"-.500" off the diameter when roughing. No trouble even on an old 3 hp lathe. Chips break beautifully.

Just ran some 1144 shafts the other day:

IMG_6636.jpg

1144 Stress Proof from Alro:

IMG_6641.jpgIMG_6645.jpg

Bill
 
Anything will cut 1144. I don't have any inserts that won't plow through it. I normally use coated TPG inserts because they are cheap and I save the better inserts for tougher material.

I like to take .250"-.500" off the diameter when roughing. No trouble even on an old 3 hp lathe. Chips break beautifully.

Just ran some 1144 shafts the other day:

View attachment 209989

1144 Stress Proof from Alro:

View attachment 209990View attachment 209991

Bill

I will do the file test tomorrow, if you picture is representative of the color it should be, what I got is definitely not nearly as dark, and far shinier. It looks to me like I got some sort of hardened tool steel? If you want to send me a sample piece just let me know, will pay postage, or whatever you need. Me email is [email protected] if it does not show here. Thanks to all so far for taking the time to respond.
 
Could it have been heat treated (a.k.a. "pre-hard") stock? I haven't done much turning of 1144, but the little I have was quite enjoyable.

I'm making the assumption your experience level with machining is low, so check that your speeds and feeds are reasonable for the HSS tools you're using.

Whatever alloy it was, if they cut a chunk off at the store with a band saw, you can almost certainly machine it with HSS.
 
1144 in the "stressproof" version (not sure there really is another version) is already somewhat hardened by the processing. It is usually a medium brown on the outside and reasonably shiny.

About all I can think of other than the wrong material is that you ran high speed and small cuts, due to the small machine. That can cause added hardening, but I have never tried to see what 1144 does when one has work hardening speed-feed conditions.

Have you ever run any 4140? because even 4140 pre-hard is not quite like what you describe. It cuts with HSS, but often wears the edge off fairly fast if you are getting blue or brown chips. Carbide handles it fine.
 
Please, a picture of your piece of bar. Stressproof is wonderfully machinable and so is plain 1144. Many times I have parted to the center of a 3" bar with HSS.

Steels starting with "11" are not supplied in a hardened condition, that would be self-defeating. We once got some 4140 from a new supplier when it was supposed to be Stressproof. We missed it and burned up some tools because we weren't familiar with their color code. If it doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.
 
What were the speeds and feeds you were running???

Running 230 rpm, and feed of 104 per inch. To face on the 2 1/2 rod took about three minutes or more to center. Will take picture tomorrow. Again also never had cut off wheels torn up like this before, to finally cut off the rod took about two hours because each pass took off a tiny bit more.
I am an amateur, been doing this for about thirty years, but purely as a hobby. In my restoration of old cars, jukeboxes, etc., try to keep everything original so would need to make bolts, medallion holders, carburetor parts, plastic handles, brass you name it, where I only had to make a few for myself and possibly a few friends. Never bothered much with numbers on the steel, when I would go to the metals supply house that had been in business for thirty years or longer, they would ask a few questions and tell me what I needed. I am open to any steel that is machinable and can stand up to some stress, wear, usage.
 
Todd1, maybe you should go back if you can, and put a more descriptive title on this thread before it gets locked.
The guys are giving you some good advice, would be a shame for it to stop.
Dave
 
Sounds to me like you got the wrong material. Just this morning I made a part out of 1144 Stressproof using a graver & a watchmakers lathe powered by a handwheel. Cuts great, even with what might be politely described as "not the world's sharpest graver"

1144 is, I believe, medium carbon so that even at Max hardness it's not really very hard?
 
Sounds to me like you got the wrong material. Just this morning I made a part out of 1144 Stressproof using a graver & a watchmakers lathe powered by a handwheel. Cuts great, even with what might be politely described as "not the world's sharpest graver"

1144 is, I believe, medium carbon so that even at Max hardness it's not really very hard?

What might be a more descriptive title? Thanks
 
And where do I put the title. Been monitoring this site for years, but I think only posted once before about ten years ago or more.
 
There seems to be only one metals supplier here in Vegas. They only stock one type of steel. I called them a few weeks ago about getting one foot of 1144 and they wanted 108.00 to bring it in.
 








 
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