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View Full Version : General Metalworking Bending and Heat Treating Music Wire.



Russ Hauser
01-03-2014, 9:40 AM
I need to bend 1/8" dia. hard music wire in nearly 90 degree bends as sharply as possible. I intend to do this using some heat and a simple bending tool. The tool is a thick metal pate with various slots milled in it and is meant to be clamped in a lathe. My questions have to do with the appearance of the metal heated to the proper temperature for bending and what needs to be done to restore the wire's temper?

Russ

Dennis Ford
01-03-2014, 6:12 PM
Heat it to cherry red and it will bend easily. To harden; heat to cherry red and quench in water. Tempering can be done in a kitchen oven, 400 deg F plus or minus depending on use. The entire length will need to be heat treated and tempered.

Russ Hauser
01-03-2014, 7:00 PM
Thanks Dennis, just what I need.

Russ

Kevin Beitz
08-20-2018, 8:16 PM
Heating can also be done with a transformer....

John K Jordan
08-20-2018, 8:30 PM
Heat it to cherry red and it will bend easily. To harden; heat to cherry red and quench in water. Tempering can be done in a kitchen oven, 400 deg F plus or minus depending on use. The entire length will need to be heat treated and tempered.

I have a toaster oven in my shop for tempering tools so I don't tie up the kitchen oven.

I don't know about 1/8" music wire but I've bent a little smaller diameter cold. The wire wasn't hardened to the point it would snap but more like a spring. I suspect a hot bend would be cleaner, though, regardless of the size.

JKJ