WHAT TOOL STEEL IS DOING TOWARDS
WINNING THE WAR.
It hardly seems fitting that we should close these pages without giving
our readers some little idea of just what the tool steel industry is
doing for the successful conclusion of the great cause nearest our
hearts.
One of the first statements which we could make would be that every
metal worker in the world absolutely requires some form of tool steel
or special alloy steel in the manufacture of his product. Of course, a
very great many manufacturers other than the actual metal workers also
need this same supply of tool steel in order that their production
might not immediately cease. Volumes could be written on the vital
importance of tools to industry in general, from the drills which drill
out the hole in a hypodermic needle, to a twelve-ton drop-forge steam
hammer. But for the present we may confine ourselves to simply the
briefest mention of the vast number of iron and steel products actually
and vitally engaged in the prosecution of the war.
We are told that we need ships, yet the ship industry could not proceed
a day if its supply of necessary tools was cut off. The overwhelming
increase in the manufacturing operations of the world which has taken
place since the opening of the European War can better be imagined than
explained, it being only necessary for us to point out here that the
one absolute necessity which is common to all and required by all
branches of such vast manufacture is the proper supply of necessary
tools.
It has been the personal duty of the writer to make various visits to
different Government shops and Arsenals as well as to the plants and
shops of torpedo, shell and munition manufacturers and the vital part
which the tools of production are playing in the great undertaking has
been forcefully impressed upon his attention.
The metals which are destined to play an active part in actual warfare
are naturally required to meet the most severe conditions imaginable.
Thus we find the high manganese armor plate and the high
chrome-manganese armor piercing projectile. We find the new
specifications for steel forging, for hulls and engines now have rigid
chrome-vanadium and special nickle requirements, all of which means
that the tools that do the machining, planing, shaping, cutting,
drilling, boring, reaming, stamping and many other operations must be
made of a tougher and harder material than ever before.
We know that for every man who may fight on the battle field, at least
two men must labor in our shops and factories over mechanical
operations.
Those of us who have been in immediate touch with some of the vital
requirements of the War and Navy Departments in these strenuous days
realize the shocking absence of the complete preparedness, which we
must rapidly accomplish if we are to come anywhere near supplying our
own soldiers on the fighting front with the fighting machinery and
supplies of which they are in such urgent need. We realize that after
all these months of increased industrial preparedness, we are,
therefore, still unprepared in the full meaning of the word. The very
foundation of our structure shows a startling amount of unpreparedness.
We like to gaze upon the exterior towers and battlements of a castle of
preparedness, and these are wonderful and encouraging to look upon but
down below all these are certain neglected and unfinished pillars in
the unseen cellar of that foundation, which threaten the stability of
the entire mass. It is, therefore, some of these fundamental details
which have been neglected as we have beheld the vision of the
super-structure above. Pershing needs, 1,500,000 boys in khaki and over
the shoulder of each is his protection against the Hun. Everyone of
these rifles is a splendid monument of the accomplishment of tool steel
and special alloy steel.
Every day of our present existence it happens that over a million
shells scream over the miles of battle line in France. This curtain of
high explosive and shrapnel is another direct expression of the wonders
which the modern high speed and special alloy steel have accomplished.
We are told that a 3“ shrapnel shell contains seventy drilled holes or
a drilling of 19-1/4” in depth. That means that 1,600,000 feet or over
three hundred miles of drilled holes are shot away every twenty-four
hours on the battle fronts of Europe.
In a publication “Fighting Industry” published by one of our largest
twist drill companies in this country, we note that the drilled holes
in various implements of our militant harness are as follows:
8“ shrapnel shell 70
Springfield rifle 94
Torpedo 3466
Machine gun 350
Aeroplane 4089
3-ton auto truck 5946
Light ambulance 1500
3” field gun 1280
Gun caisson 594
Anti-air craft gun 1200
Self-binder 500
Thresher 420
Motorcycle 1160
Four million men must work with tools in order that two million men may
fight in France. These men can not, “just be given a tool and told to
use it.” It is necessary that they have years of careful training and
actual experience in order that they might effectively make use of the
intricate tools and machinery which the mother of modern industry is
striving to place in their hands. At present every tool steel mill in
America is straining its furnaces, hammers and rolling mills to their
maximum capacity. They are working days, nights and Sundays and still
the demand is far in excess of the supply. Conservative estimations
show that with all the added machinery and equipment which is in the
process of construction at this time, it will still take at least two
years and a half before the tool steel industry of America will come
any where near meeting the demand for its product.
As we gaze with belated pride upon the huge structure of our present
Preparedness, does it not seem strange to think that the most vital
pillar of its whole foundation should have been forgotten and neglected
so long and which is therefore now caused to endure such an abnormal
and terrific strain? We are at last forced to realize that tool steel
is the very essence of our whole existence.
Of course, the great importance of tool steel in this national
emergency does not stop with the actual weapons of warfare. Besides the
railroads, automobiles, tramways, elevators, bridges, buildings,
shoes, clothing and in fact, every branch of the intricate mass of
manufactured products so vital to our daily existence, nations are
crying for bread. Victory hangs on our food supply. Our threshing
machines, our reapers and our harvesting machinery are all working over
time. But before the threshing machines can thresh wheat and before the
reapers can reap and before the tractors and other farm machinery can
contribute their great service to humanity, it is necessary that the
American production of tool steel must pass its rigid inspection and
yield forth in full measure the great service which it is called upon
to give.
APPENDIX.
ANALYSIS, USES AND HEAT TREATMENT OF
VARIOUS GRADES OF TOOL STEELS.
Providing the many complications and difficulties which accompany the
melting, hammering, rolling, annealing, inspecting and finishing
operations, have been successfully accomplished, the chemical analysis
of the best grades of tool steel should come within the following
limits:
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF HIGH
SPEED STEEL.
Carbon .66 %
Tungsten 18.01 %
Chromium 4.50 %
Vanadium .98 %
Phosphorus .023%
Sulphur .021%
Manganese .285%
Silicon .228%
Iron (by deduction) 75.293%
USES.
Turning, Boring, Planing, Slotting, Shaping Tools. Also Twist Drills,
Milling Cutters, Gear Cutters, Taps, Reamers, Special Dies, etc.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Heat slowly in pre-heater to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. Then rapidly in
superheater to 2300 degrees Fahrenheit, taking care not to burn or
fuse delicate projections on special tools. Harden either in air blast,
or in good clean oil; keeping tool in motion. In all cases merely the
_end_ of the tool to white heat. Draw in oil from 400 degrees
Fahrenheit to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF DIE
STEEL FOR HOT WORK.
Carbon .39 %
Tungsten 8.41 %
Chromium 2.10 %
Phosphorus .019%
Sulphur .017%
Manganese .315%
Silicon .234%
Iron (by deduction) 88.515%
USES.
Hot shear blades, hot punches, header and gripper dies; used in bolt
and rivet making. Also excellent for compression sets and in general
for all hot work.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Will stand high hardening heats, similar to high speed steel, 1700
degrees Fahrenheit and then 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden either in
air or oil. Keep away from water. Draw to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF SPECIAL
ALLOY STEEL.
Carbon .78 %
Vanadium .29 %
Phosphorus .014%
Sulphur .016%
Manganese .324%
Silicon .296%
Iron (by deduction) 98.28 %
USES.
Specially useful in tools subject to shock, such as hand and pneumatic
chisels, boilermakers caulking tools and rivet sets. Also for cold
upsetting dies, cold punches, shear blades and stamping dies. A special
grade of this steel makes excellent taps.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Heat slowly to a low red, about 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, or if low
carbon content to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit; being very careful not to
over-heat. Quench in good clean tempered water; keeping tool constantly
in motion. Draw from 250 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF FAST FINISHING
SEMI-HIGH SPEED.
Carbon 1.28 %
Tungsten 3.56 %
Phosphorus .021%
Sulphur .019%
Manganese .316%
Silicon .271%
Iron (by deduction) 94.533%
USES.
Do not confuse the High Speed, although excellent for turning chilled
cast iron, clean finishing cuts. Especially adapted for taps and
reamers, as well as for tools for brass, bronze, aluminum, copper and
chilled roll turning.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Heat slowly to full bright red, 1425 degrees Fahrenheit to 1500 degrees
Fahrenheit. Quench in luke warm water. Keep tool constantly in motion.
Draw to not over 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE
CARBON TOOL STEEL.
Carbon 1.12 %
Phosphorus .009%
Sulphur .011%
Manganese .254%
Silicon .213%
Iron (by deduction) 98.393%
USES.
General tool room usage _with moderate cutting speeds_. Excellent
lathe, planer, and shaper tools, drills, shear blades (for cold work
only) punches, chisels, files and mining tools.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Heat slowly to Low Red heat, approximately 1375 degrees Fahrenheit (the
higher the carbon the lower the heat). Care not to over-heat. Quench in
good clean luke warm water. Draw to not over 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF NON-SHRINKING
OIL HARDENING
STEEL.
Carbon .91 %
Phosphorus .016%
Sulphur .019%
Manganese 1.62 %
Silicon .31 %
Iron (by deduction) 97.125%
USES.
Threading dies, chasers, taps, reamers, and all master tools. For
gauges, plugs, etc. Especially adapted for stamping, punching, trimming
dies and many other uses where it is necessary to overcome shrinking,
warping or change of shape.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Heat very slowly to pre-heating temperature of 1200 degrees Fahrenheit,
then to hardening temperature from 1360 degrees Fahrenheit to 1425
degrees Fahrenheit, depending upon size of piece being treated.
Harden in lard, linseed or cottonseed oil; preferably fish oil. Do not
quench in water.
Draw cutting tools, taps and reamers at 250 degrees to 300 degrees
Fahrenheit. Large tools such as blanking and stamping dies at 400
degrees to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
TYPICAL ANALYSIS OF SPECIAL
HOT WORK ALLOY STEEL.
Carbon .86 %
Chromium 3.71 %
Phosphorus .023%
Sulphur .019%
Manganese .381%
Silicon .267%
Iron (by deduction) 94.740%
USES.
An excellent composition for hot work in service for grippers, headers,
hot punches, hot shear blades and similar tools. Especially valuable in
structural steel and boiler shop work. Rivet sets and bull dies made
from a steel of this composition ought to resist breaking and
battering.
HEAT TREATMENT.
Very flexible hardening in air, oil or water. If air is used heat to
1675 degrees to 1750 degrees Fahrenheit and place under dry air blast,
or stand in cool place. To harden in oil, heat to 1500 degrees to 1550
degrees Fahrenheit and quench in thin oil. To harden in water, heat to
1475 degrees Fahrenheit to 1525 degrees Fahrenheit and quench in cool
water. Draw from 250 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.