Today I would like to tell you about how you can reduce the spring stiffness in home conditions.
In order to make it clearer, I shot a video
For this method, we need:
- The spring itself, which must be processed.
- Capacity under the etching solution.
- The etching solution itself (more about solutions)
- The wire is insulated, for which we will pull the spring out of the solution.
- Acetone or alcohol for degreasing (in the most extreme case, degrease with ordinary soap or detergent)
- Cotton pads or a cloth.
As an etching solution, you can apply:
- Garden copper sulphate + some salt
- Spent ferric chloride solution (better)
- Diluted up to 20% hydrochloric or nitric acid (very fast and uniform pickling)
- A saturated heated solution of citric acid (very slow etching, but in the end the spring receives a persistent and beautiful chemical oxidation)
The spring must be wiped off the oil and degreased with a cotton pad and acetone, then just put it on the wire and dip it into the etching solution.
If you use nitric acid as a solution, then every minute you need to pull out the workpiece and wipe it from oxides - this speeds up the process. Etching in this case takes from two to ten minutes on average. Using citric acid will delay the process for the whole day, but the result will also turn out clean and beautiful. It will be necessary to wash the oxide about once every 30-60 minutes.
The finished spring has become twice as soft.
The application of this method is quite extensive and limited only by your imagination and necessity.
Suppose I loosened a spring for an electric spark marker, which can be engraved on a knife. Also, this method helped me out in the manufacture of a cut-off button for an electric guitar.
