Source for largish compression springs?

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #1

Trying to find some good sized coil compression springs

4.25" OD
11" free length
.200" wire diam

Anybody know a supplier of such? All the usual suspects run out at about 2" OD.

 

M

magneticanomaly

Titanium

Joined

Mar 22, 2007

Location

On Elk Mountain, West Virginia, USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #2

junkyard small auto coil springs?

clamp-on over-the-axle coil helper springs from JC Whitney?

Industrial roll-up door springs?

 

T

Tony Wells

Banned

Joined

Dec 31, 2010

Location

Tyler, Texas USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #3

You might try these guys. Good selection, and they are manufacturers.

Stock Springs | Die Springs | Compression Springs | Extension Springs | Torsion Springs | Diamond Wire Spring

I have no affiliation with the company mentioned in this post.

 

S

S_W_Bausch

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2010

Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #4

For me, being the dead of winter, I would fly out to L.A. and visit Century Spring.

Or, you could call, or email.

But a personal visit indicates you are serious.

Or just tired of winter.

You didn't supply spring rate, did you?

And is this a protoype, or replacement?

So many things have compression springs. Coil-over shocks were mentioned, motorcycles have them, punch press dies have them for stripping, paint shakers have them etc.

Take a look at this page, see what details they will ask:

http://www.centuryspring.com/Centur...earch.jsp&fieldName=SOLIDHEIGHT&selection=All

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #5

mag, this is for a little machine I have been tasked with rebuilding that could turn into some fairly steady side work for the home shop.

Tony and SW, already tried google and hit Century and Diamond. They kick me out on the 4.25" OD. As I said, they run out at about 2" OD. I never get to the point of determining rate, so there's no point even mentioning it yet. Was hoping to find a stock supply of this, but it may have to be custom. Afraid the quantity will not justify the cost in that case.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #6

Wind 'em yourself? 0.200 will be a bit dangerous but then you can have whatever you want. Hopefully not leading to a post to the shop accidents thread.

 

S

S_W_Bausch

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2010

Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #7

If you are obligated to wind them, DIY tutorials are available, such as:

How to Make Springs


Or, buy his book:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/how-to-make-springs/1339673

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #8

If all else fails, that 13rpm bottom speed and meat of the old L&S may pay for itself again. Just have to weigh my time figuring it out and being able to make the number needed against custom work.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #9

It goes really fast once you get dialed in. It's the setup that'll kill ya.

How many do you need and how far apart is each turn and what's the finish detail on the ends?

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #10

Each of these things has three springs. Two dozen would be a couple years supply. About 2" apart on the turns and just a closed end, no grinding or such. I'm guessing 100-150lbs, full compression.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #11

Heck, then. Kiss off a saturday and make a pile of 'em.

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #12

Might have to "spearmint" with it. I'll see what the wire runs.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #13

Just BE CAREFUL. I worked next to a winding machine back in the day. That wire really wants to be straight. If you have room to work let it straighten off the spool and cut it to rough length first, then feed to the lathe. That way you've got a lot less chance of a big bad.

 

T

Tony Wells

Banned

Joined

Dec 31, 2010

Location

Tyler, Texas USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #14

Might try these guys:

Spring Manufacturer | Custom Compression & Torsion Springs | Spring Washers | Spring Houston

My experience is that most of these spring outfits are pretty good to work with, and might surprise you on the cost. Can't hurt to get a quote, anyway. I've been in the Diamond place here, and seen their operation. Shouldn't be too hard to wind a few, but the end dress might be tricky. Like said....be careful, .200 is pretty stout if it's spring wire. Wouldn't want to get tangled up in it.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #15

Seems like about time to throw this thread off-topic. So...

Speaking of getting tangled up in the spring wire - Google "German time bomb clock" The sucker has a spring you wind once per YEAR that can make a mess of you and your shop if it gets loose. Apparently they've been known to come apart spontaneously. And more than one person has been hurt unsuspectingly taking it apart ...

 

K

kuromaku

Plastic

Joined

Jan 4, 2011

Location

Northern California, USA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #16

Does the wire diameter have to be 0.200"? 4.25" O.D. and 11" free length should be well within the parameters of small cars or tractors. For example, I'm fairly certain SN95 Ford Mustangs had 4.25" O.D. springs.

 

M

Mike C.

Diamond

Joined

Nov 25, 2004

Location

Birmingham, AL

• Jan 24, 2011

• #17

Yeah, this is a spring loaded ram that has to be drawn back by hand. An automotive suspension spring is way too stout.

kurc, the American version of that is the Briggs and Stratton recoil starter. No telling how many of those clocks I have seen in homes and businesses! They were very popular.

 

K

kurcules

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 24, 2008

Location

Pasadena, CA

• Jan 24, 2011

• #18

If they're cycled by hand then probably cycle count isn't a big deal? So you could probably go with less than premium wire and save some bucks.

 

JRIowa

Diamond

Joined

May 27, 2003

Location

Marshalltown, Iowa, USA

• Jan 25, 2011

• #19

Large...we've got stuff in the 1 1/4" wire range, about 8" OD. 0.200" wire is down right tiny in my world. Ever see a 1" wire spring in Inconel?

The best place that we've found for custom springs is Draco in Houston.
Draco Springs
JR

 

9100

Diamond

Joined

Nov 1, 2004

Location

Webster Groves, MO

• Jan 25, 2011

• #20

I looked at How to Make Springs. They have a table for stress relieving, but nothing in it comes up on my monitor. Anyway, if you do make your own, stress relieving is necessary. I made some springs similar to yours that were both extended and compressed in service. They would take a set both ways so the rest position depended on which way they had been last. I pushed and pulled on them until I got them back to the proper free length, then baked them. After that, they performed exactly to the specs in the ASTME Tool Engineer's Handbook. Thinking about it afterward, I should have realized that when you wind a spring, much of the wire is stressed past the yield point. If it wasn't, the wire would stay straight. Any deflection afterward will push some of it past yield some more and it will take a new set.

My springs were close to the size of yours and I wound them on 14 1/2" South Bend lathe running in backgear. Once I learned to make the starts and ends and got the diameter right, it was simple.

Bill