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Broken Spring

Q

QandA

New Member
Hi,
Calling for help from Field, BC
I’m just an owner of a fabulous vintage wood stove which I use every day.The spring that operates the oven door just broke at the very top. Can any of you welding gurus repair please!!! It’s not available for purchase.
I can drop off anywhere in Calgary asap. TIA Elspeth.
 

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Vintage spring with vintage fatigue stress very unlikely to be welded effectively and not break again or break else where. Of course I'm just a hack welder. Might have more luck with posting some dimensions as we probably all have a box of springs we could look in.
 
QandA said:
Calling for help from Field, BC
Click to expand...

I can't do much for you from Ontario, but I thought it would be appropriate to take this opportunity to welcome you here.

I hope you find the help you need here from one of the Cow Town boys.

Also, check out a few farm supply places. They might have a spring that can be modified to meet your needs.
 
That looks close to a drum brake spring from a smaller vehicle. Might be an idea to take it to the local mechanics and auto part store and see if they can find something close.
 
Make one (or two)? The configuration looks simple enough and whoever is nearby with a good-sized lathe (and two usable arms, not like me) should be able to reproduce and heat treat.

Of course, if we still had real hardware stores you could find something close enough there.
 
ChazzC said:
Of course, if we still had real hardware stores you could find something close enough there.
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I like farm supply places. They are basically real hardware stores! With more than a few perks!
 
Im with Jorgi that i dont think welding is an option that holds much promise.
Two options that might help you get a reasonable facsimile built, most gunsmiths have a supply of spring blank wire on hand to make "one -off" obsolete springs and have considerable experience doing so.
Next option I can think of is one of the heavy duty truck suspension repair shops in Calgary ( Standens come to mind that i dealt with once upon a time). These places do extensive custom spring manuf. altho on a much larger scale ...they have experienced heat treating personnel and the equipment to do the job. What I would try, a trip to their shop to talk to the boys and see if anyone will do an "unordinary" one-off job for a dozen beer in their spare time...a very real possibility.
 
If you can clamp the spring using vise grip pliers, and measure the length, then add fixed weights (I use dumbbell weights) and get the spring constant - the length change for a unit of force, I can get a quote from Liberty Spring here in Calgary. I have had several custom springs made by them, and they are very, very good. Of course I need the overall dimensions and the wire diameter. The hook-hook dimension is also critical.

This is an old spring - it will not last no matter how you try to repair it.

-- another source for a similar spring might be a screen door safety chain spring. it also has 2 hooks, and a heavy spring constant.
 
One of our local bearing stores has display with a bunch of springs on it . You know one of those ones you could rotate. I think it's a common brand. I had to hit for some electric motor tensioners springs.
 
I'm pretty sure I got those compression springs from S. B. Simpson (about 3/16" dia x 1" long). They are sort-of my McMaster-Carr type guys that are local in Burlington. Most fastener or bearing suppliers can order whatever size you want.

PS - edit - come to think of it, I believe it was faster, cheaper and easier to get a 12" length and I cut it to make a pair the size I wanted.
 
CWret said:
I'm pretty sure I got those compression springs from S. B. Simpson (about 3/16" dia x 1" long). They are sort-of my McMaster-Carr type guys that are local in Burlington. Most fastener or bearing suppliers can order whatever size you want.

PS - edit - come to think of it, I believe it was faster, cheaper and easier to get a 12" length and I cut it to make a pair the size I wanted.
Click to expand...

That's right! Now I remember why I have not done it yet!

MC sells springs? I have a miscellaneous collet order coming from MC today! Too bad I didn't know that!
 
selecting / comparing springs:

FWIW - here is a picture where I was trying to match the spring rate of the blackish-coloured spring in the middle (it was for my used Gerardi vise which was missing a spring). I had lots of springs from which to choose, but I wanted to match the spring rate at a set length. The length or spring diameter was not that important.
The stoppers (drill bits) were set at the desired length
If the applied force was at the center between the springs, then the springs were a match

FYI - In this example (last pic) the force was applied in the middle but the left side hit the stopper first (the blackish control spring)- therefore the spring on the right was stronger.
 
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