weight of different types of steel
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From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
weight of different types of steel
I'm researching the differenty metals available for fab-ing things like roll cages, exhausts, etc. and I'd like to know the weights and benefits/downfalls of using the different types of steel.
What I've "read" so far:
1) aluminized steel - has an aluminum coating over it that protects from corrison. I've also heard that is rusts easily.
2) stainless steel - doesn't rust, is polishable, its also more expensive
3) mild steel - I've "heard" that this is the same as aluminized: is this true?
4) cromoly steel - Its been said to weigh the same as stainless, but its a lot stronger (which is why you can use a smaller tube than mild in the NHRA rulebook to build a rollbar/cage)
Can anyone please confirm or deny this stuff I've posted? Also, I would like to know the weight differences between the different types (i.e., if you have pipes with identical dimensions made of the different materials, what are the weight differences between them?) Anything you can add about weights, strengths and benefits/weaknesses of the different types, ease of use, etc. would be appreciated.
What I've "read" so far:
1) aluminized steel - has an aluminum coating over it that protects from corrison. I've also heard that is rusts easily.
2) stainless steel - doesn't rust, is polishable, its also more expensive
3) mild steel - I've "heard" that this is the same as aluminized: is this true?
4) cromoly steel - Its been said to weigh the same as stainless, but its a lot stronger (which is why you can use a smaller tube than mild in the NHRA rulebook to build a rollbar/cage)
Can anyone please confirm or deny this stuff I've posted? Also, I would like to know the weight differences between the different types (i.e., if you have pipes with identical dimensions made of the different materials, what are the weight differences between them?) Anything you can add about weights, strengths and benefits/weaknesses of the different types, ease of use, etc. would be appreciated.
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From: Pine Mountain, GA, USA
Re: weight of different types of steel (servion)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by servion »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">1) aluminized steel - has an aluminum coating over it that protects from corrison. I've also heard that is rusts easily.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Only rusts where the aluminum coating has been removed or destroyed, i.e. Welds. Is usually a mild or 409 steel.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by servion »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2) stainless steel - doesn't rust, is polishable, its also more expensive</TD></TR></TABLE>
304/316 SS will not rust, but is suceptable to other types of corrosion, like all metals. 409 SS is a Chromium-Ferrite mix, and therefore, can and will develop iron pockets that WILL rust. This is usually do to dirty "tooling" when forged.
409 is the most commonly aluminized, mostly when dealing with sheeting or thin wall pipe.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by servion »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">3) mild steel - I've "heard" that this is the same as aluminized: is this true?</TD></TR></TABLE>
No. This is a steel mixture that has a carbon content of around .13% per wieght, as compared to a 4130 (Cromoly) carbon content of around .30% per wieght.
It's a "softer" less brittle steel, more likely to bend and stretch rather than break outright.
Wieghts (By Density)
1212 Steel = .284 lb/inз
4130 Steel = .284 - .282 lb/inз
409 Brazable = .280 lb/inз
304 0% Cold Rolled = .285 lb/inз
Those numbers may be a very, very slightly different from what you find elsewhere, you have to consider the vast amount of ways to forge, and also where the steel comes from.
Only rusts where the aluminum coating has been removed or destroyed, i.e. Welds. Is usually a mild or 409 steel.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by servion »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2) stainless steel - doesn't rust, is polishable, its also more expensive</TD></TR></TABLE>
304/316 SS will not rust, but is suceptable to other types of corrosion, like all metals. 409 SS is a Chromium-Ferrite mix, and therefore, can and will develop iron pockets that WILL rust. This is usually do to dirty "tooling" when forged.
409 is the most commonly aluminized, mostly when dealing with sheeting or thin wall pipe.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by servion »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">3) mild steel - I've "heard" that this is the same as aluminized: is this true?</TD></TR></TABLE>
No. This is a steel mixture that has a carbon content of around .13% per wieght, as compared to a 4130 (Cromoly) carbon content of around .30% per wieght.
It's a "softer" less brittle steel, more likely to bend and stretch rather than break outright.
Wieghts (By Density)
1212 Steel = .284 lb/inз
4130 Steel = .284 - .282 lb/inз
409 Brazable = .280 lb/inз
304 0% Cold Rolled = .285 lb/inз
Those numbers may be a very, very slightly different from what you find elsewhere, you have to consider the vast amount of ways to forge, and also where the steel comes from.
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