Thread: Testing Type of Metal

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How do you tell wheather you have mildsteel,moly,cast etc.....
I do remember that most types have a different color spark/and or spark pattern when you grind it.
Does anyone know or have a link to find such info?
I bought a used MOLY driveshaft and would like to be able to tell if the ends/yokes are MOLY as well,or just the shaft.

If you do not know who built it and cannot confirm from them there is no real way to tell short of taking a micrograph and looking at the grain structure. If you had a sample you could get the composition also but likely not for less than having a new one built that is certified.

Kitz

Originally Posted by 6bblflash

How do you tell wheather you have mildsteel,moly,cast etc.....
I do remember that most types have a different color spark/and or spark pattern when you grind it.
Does anyone know or have a link to find such info?
I bought a used MOLY driveshaft and would like to be able to tell if the ends/yokes are MOLY as well,or just the shaft.

By looking at it...... Any "MOLY" material will have a stamping of 4130 on it......

Second , I highly doubt the shaft ends are "MOLY".....


Mild steel and "MOLY" tubeing dont come in the same specs I believe and cast tubing is only used by plumbers.

4130, also known as "Chrome Moly" (short for chromium molybdenum) is a general purpose steel that has been widely used by the motorsports industries for many years. Weldability, fabrication and mild hardenability make it a popular choice in all forms - tube, bar, sheet, and plate.

[QUOTE=6bblflash
I do remember that most types have a different color spark/and or spark pattern when you grind it.:

Just the shaft would be moly, the yoke ends probably have pores or small pimples, divots, or a seem running all around the part, that is typical in a casting process. Even if you found the info would you really grind on it to see what you had?