Drill and tap Corten steel?

Dec 01, 2003 2 Replies

I have a piece of Cor10 marked steel in my scrap pile, and I was thinking of using it for a baseplate for a small (18" arm) helve hammer I am making. It is about the size and thickness (1/4") I had in mind.



I assume that I can weld it with 6013 stick rod without problems. The concern that I have is drilling and tapping it. I seem to recall that Corten (weathering steel) has significant alloy content, but not being a metalurgist, even if I knew what the alloys were, I don't think that I would know what impact, if any, there would be on my ability to drill and tap the steel. I did spend a few minutes researching this on google, and came up with nothing.



If drilling and tapping would be troublesome, maybe I should save this piece for a future outdoor sculpture.



Any thoughts and experience would be appreciated.



Richard

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Don't WORRY! Just go do it with the proper techniques for drilling and tapping steels. They will work just fine.

-- Bob May Losing weight is easy! If you ever want to lose weight, eat and drink less. Works evevery time it is tried!

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