Stainless steel guards and bolsters

[boatbuilder]

I was just wondering what series of SS everyone uses for guards and bolsters and why you use that series?

Jim

[Steven Kelly]

Hey Jim,

I use 416 exclusively.. Mainly because it is very free machining and drills easily...

[Ed Caffrey]

Ditto to what Steve said! 416 is the only way to go for fittings. The 300 series (303 & 304) are cheaper and easier for find, but you will pay for using them when it comes to finishing. If you solder the 300 series is a major pain. For example, to get a "good" finish on any of the 300 series, it's going to require that you go through ALL grits of paper, down to 1200-1500 before you finish it out (buffing or satin finishing). Where as with 416, you can take it down to 600-800 grit, and then clean it up after that.

For those of us who engrave, it's just one more reason to use 416...it cuts nice and smoothly. The 300 series galls and tears if try to engrave it.

[boatbuilder]

Thanks guys.
I got some stainless and I thought they told me it was 416 but had a hard time drilling/milling. I called the supplier and asked them what series of stainless I bought from them. They said it was 304. So now I have lots of 304 and now looking for some 416.

[Dennis Paish]

Great Post. I just purchased a couple bars of 304 SS and it was killer on the mill to square. Hard and did not take a real great polish until I went through all the grits. I will hang in there with 304 as I get a lot of 304 spacer materiel for free from my buddies SS shop.

Dennis

[Dennis Paish]

I just slotted a 0.125" guard slot with a little 0.125" 4 Flute cutter and I could not believe how much easier it was to machine. WOW! During the last cut I went hard left instead of easy right and busted off the end mill, but still.... Much easier to machine.

Where to get it in Calgary at a reasonable price maybe the challenge....

Dennis

[DougCampbell]

All the 300 series is designed for it's weldability, (non-hardening) and not it machinability. 303 is the only one I'd even think of using but 416 is by far the most superior for what we're doing, just make sure you get the anealed stuff.

Has anyone used any 410? I was talking to Aldo last weekend and he has some of it for sale and says it not a lot different than 416...

[Ed Caffrey]

I've got some 410 in the shop, and from what I can tell, both from research and use, is that about the only difference is that 416 has sulfur added for machinability. The 410 seems "stiffer" when machining, but it's still pretty managable.

I'm planning on giving the 410 a whirl in a laminate billet and see what happens. If I can pull it off, I'll make sure I report my results.

[Karl B. Andersen]

I've never had any problem with 303. Rather like it actually. Machines nicely, since it is free-machining, and when it comes down to it is the highest in corrosion resistance.
But, since 416 is available almost anywhere in round stock, I've just been buying 1 1/8 inch round and pressing it to my desired thickness.
We pretty much all have ovens here, for the most part, so a short sub-critical soak and let cool in the oven over-night, and you can drill and mill to your heart's content!