Subject: Source of thin spring steel

From: [email-masked] (Harvey Freeman)
Date: 27 Jun 1996 20:52:12 GMT

I am looking for a source of small diameter spring steel similar to what 
would be in the thing they use for fencing which I think is called a foil.

What I want this for is as a probe to push down into wet sand several 
feet to try and locate a shipwreck.  In another news group I received the 
information that a "fleurette" would be a useful way to probe.  It turns 
out that this is that long slim but springy piece of steel.  I have been 
using a 1/2" dia. steel rod with a manual drop hammer on the shaft.  It 
works but the smaller the diameter the easier to penetrate.

I only need two pieces about five feet long.  Does anyone know where to 
obtain such steel.  I would appreciate an e-mail message to the address 
below.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harvey Freeman, Arch.  !    Home of the Precision 50 Table Saw Fence
123 School Ave.        !    1-902-445-2832 (R)
Halifax, Nova Scotia.  !    1-902-429-4100 (W)
Canada, B3N 2E1        !    1-902-423-3063 (F)
______________________________________________________________________________

Precision 50 Table Saw Fence Page www.ccn.cs.dal.ca/~ac258/Precision_50.html
______________________________________________________________________________

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From: Clarence Noyer <[email-masked]>
Date: 30 Jun 1996 22:05:08 GMT

Harvey Freeman asked about spring steel rod---

First choice--spring steel mobile antenna
Second choice--Nolan Supply Corp. in Syracuse (800-736-2204) has flat 
spring steel and presumably could suppy rod

I got 5/8th by .060" flat stock for loco springs on my 2 1/2"/ft. 
projects.

"CC"

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From: [email-masked] (Roy Parker)
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 1996 01:41:39 GMT

>I got 5/8th by .060" flat stock for loco springs on my 2 1/2"/ft. 
Well, any decent blacksmith could hammer what you need out of some
nice car/truck leaf spring......
Roy Parker--Buckskinner, brewer, and semi-handyman
Booshway, 1998 SW Regional Rendezvous.  Houston, Texas
[email-masked]  [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 5 Jul 1996 05:05:49 GMT

Clarence Noyer ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Harvey Freeman asked about spring steel rod---

: First choice--spring steel mobile antenna

Ah, yes!  Of course!  Go to an auto junkyard, and look for mid-70's
Chrysler cars, or japanese cars with roof-post antennas.  The Chryslers
had a fixed antenna of a stainless-like material that was stiff and
springy, as a defense against vandalism.  The Japanese cars with the
roof-post antennas use a somewhat more springy material as the antennas
actually need to curve when they are retracted into the body.  These ought
to be cheap - one of the few pieces that rarely gets destroyed in the
wreck!  Both of these things are about 1/8" in diameter, with a ball or
other fitting on the tip.

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From: Jack <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 07 Jul 1996 01:35:48 -0700

Jonathan M. Elson wrote:
> Chrysler cars, or japanese cars with roof-post antennas.  

...Some VHF antennae (as used on police cars and taxis) are *very* thin, 
3/32 or so, and quite springy; check with a local radio shop as the 
antenna is furnished with about a 27" rod and must be cut to match the 
frequency...I install radios in cabs and have pieces in my tool drawer 
abot 10" long that I have reshaped into dozens of special tools.  A note 
here, if you get one from a salvage yard, take a file with you to cut it, 
you'll not part it with a hacksaw or lineman's pliers..

			Jack