• PathPilot®
  • PathPilot® HUB
  • Contact Us
    Logo Tormach_T Icon_Solid Shape_Horizontal_Blue_NoTM
    • Home
    • News
    • Learn
      • Learning CNC
      • How to
      • Shop talk
    • Get inspired
      • Art & jewelery
      • Automotive
      • Education
      • Gunsmithing
      • Hobby
      • Knife making
      • Medical
      • Prototyping
      • Production machining
      • Replicas & models
      • Robotics
      • Sports
      • Woodworking
    • Tormach.com
    Steel-and-Steel-IMG_8696-768x512

    Tormach

    We Love Steel, and Here’s Why

    08/ 05/ 2016

    Shop talk PCNC 1100 Steel metals chips metric welding metalworking Aluminum materials

    When working with metal, we’re exposed to a variety of raw materials and alloys. While every metal has its perks, we’re quite fond of steel for a number of reasons.

    Price

    The prices of metals vary around the world and according to the economic climate, but steel is often quite inexpensive. Recently, aluminum was at about $1,600 per metric ton, while at the same time steel rested between $300 and $800 per metric ton.

    While many of us aren’t buying our materials by the metric ton (and prices shift a bit, depending on the kinds of steel or aluminum), steel is generally less expensive than the other metals that are commonly used in metalworking.

    chunk of steel

    Variety

    It’s the spice of life! While most metals come in varying grades and styles, steel is the metal that is best known for its variety. For instance, we’ve all heard of stainless  or 304, 1018, and P20 or tool steel because these are all grades of steel. At the same time, a quick Google search immediately turns up a spread of at least eight subtly different aluminum alloys.

    Variety is apparent in all metals, but steel has the most prominent array of properties, like being heat treated, through-hardened, or case-hardened. These varying degrees provide access to steels with different hardnesses, different finishes, and even different malleable properties.

    Read: 4 Things We Love About Brass

    Ease of Use

    Steel is a very hard metal, but it is also quite easy to work with. Steel was a driving force during the Industrial Revolution because it is machinable, malleable, and moldable.

    What’s more, steel is very easy to weld. Other metals often require specific types of welding to properly achieve a good bond, while steel can be welded with any of the better-known welding processes – TIG, MIG, ARC, etc.

    steel chips

    The Most Important Reason

    When we get right down to it, anybody that uses a mill or lathe loves making chips. Here at Tormach, we love steel because the chips are… well… pretty.

    There really is little more satisfying as a metalworker than seeing blue or gold chips flying off a steel block. While you can use chip coloration to determine adjustments for your machining process, like speeds and feeds, it’s our favorite for pure aesthetic and cathartic reasons. Blue and gold chips are just awesome.

    steel chips

     

    John Saunders Talks Bootstrapping

    From Proton Packs to R2-D2: Movie Prop Replicas with Tormach

    Quick links
    • Home
    • News
    • Get Inspired
    • Shop Talk
    • Learning CNC
    • How-To
    • Shop Tormach
    • Privacy Policy
    Recent posts
    Real People Real Stories - In Conversation with Derek Schuetz
    Getting Started With a CNC Plasma Table
    Real People Real Stories - In Conversation with Joe Spanier
    Proper Workholding Adds Efficiency to Your Shop
    Chopper Designer Breaks into New Markets with His Tormach
      SUBSCRIBE

      Stay up to date with the Tormach community by subscribing to our blog now.

      Get in Touch
      •  
      •  
      •  
      •  
      •