Hi all,

I have spent the last few days trying to find a bar of low carbon iron. Sigh, I have been unable to find it.

Wikipedia says that original wrought iron had less than .01% carbon content, but everything I see has about 3%.

Has anyone come across a metal supplier that stocks low carbon iron of the .01% type in the USA?

I need at least a 18" bar with about a 1/2" diameter.

Don't give up!

Thanks in Advance.

Wil a 1/4% do ?

http://www.matweb.com/search/datasheettext.aspx?matguid=383ea2d3274d40f2b2e7f36c94252cf1

Which continent are you currently on please?

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=122017&page=18

@ CompuTutor

Dura-Bar was one of the first places I looked. I'm not sure where you found .25% carbon for this. Here's the spec sheet for it:

http://www.dura-bar.com/products/65-45-12b.cfm

As you see, it lists 3.5-3.9% for carbon.

The page you linked to says:

"The mechanical properties of 65-45-12 will be similar to low carbon steels that contain up to 0.25% carbon including 1010, 1018, 11L17, 12L14 and 1020."

I think "mechanical properties" and "similar" are not really the carbon content of the material.

Here's the quote from wikipedia:

"Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content, in comparison to steel, and has fibrous inclusions, known as slag. This is what gives it a "grain" resembling wood, which is visible when it is etched or bent to the point of failure. Wrought iron is tough, malleable, ductile and easily welded. Historically, it was known as "commercially pure iron",[1][2]  however it no longer qualifies because current standards for commercially pure iron require a carbon content of less than 0.008 wt%.[3][4]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrought_iron

I'm sure you see my confusion about finding real iron.

The other URL you posted seems to say there isn't much difference between low carbon steel and iron, but it is also true that iron would be better.

Thanks

@ tak22

Yes, these are getting closer. You are right, I don't really need pure iron, I need the best core material to do what I want to do.

I notice with these materials the higher the permeability, the lower the coercive force.

Are you familiar with any material that has both high permeability and high coercive Force?

I'll give these guys a call next week and see what's up.

^5
 

Well, OK, but to close on the carbon point.

It seems the matrix of the metal itself
holds just as many clues too.

Here are people that mix metal for a living,
they stumbled into a questionable area too.

http://www.foundrymag.com/feature/feature/49752/tracking_gray_iron_machinability_part_1

You never told us why this requirement,
can you share what you need this for?

I mean, even this extended search term
yields About 5,260 results as example:

Low.Carbon High.Permeability High.Coercive.Force

http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&newwindow=1&num=100&lr=lang_en&safe=off&q=#num=100&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&q=Low.Carbon+High.Permeability+High.Coercive.Force

@ CompuTutor

I want to make an electromagnet for a pulse motor that has high permeability and high coercive Force.

More specifically, I want to make an electromagnet with a core that saturates quickly and strongly; and also the same core retain the applied magnetic field as long as possible.

Iota, along the lines of a core of one material,
with an outer lining of a second would be better.

The core serves one purpose,
the "Skin" the other quality needed.

That is, as long as the windings are
the length of the rod only,
and don't extended past them.

Then a "washer" type shape that covers
all the coil winding's depth from the core out
and only the outer material of the duo rod,
leaving the alternate center material free
to flux on It's own seperately.

The air core effect of coil/center,
and the classic coupled coil/outer.



In the meantime,
I mean until the industry see's use
for such a custom core design.

You'll have to settle for a rod
hammered into a tube
and "Washers" as bobbin ends.

Thank god for 5-minute epoxy...

Welding rods may well do the job. Also, fencing posts can be
made of iron. I think their rusting performance is better.

(Someone suggested steel. Steel is made by adding carbon
to iron. It won't do).