Using a jeweler's rolling mill for steel?

Dan Seaver

Dan Seaver

Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
898
I've been toying with the idea of converting a jeweler's rolling mill for rolling hot steel. My power hammer will forge steel down to .16 so I would be using the rolling mill just for thinning bars. Mostly thinning 3/16 down to 1/8 and occasionally 1/16.

Obviously I have more research to do but has anybody done this or have personal experience with a jeweler's rolling mill?

Thanks
-Dan Seaver
 
DAN, I have used roller mills for gold only. I don't think they were intended to be used with steel & not confident they will hold up to the task.
 
They are generally made of cast iron, with steel rollers.
I have used mine to roll annealed steel a few times, but am not sure it would hold up to repeated rollings. If the steel were red hot it may work OK, but you would have to be quick as the rollers will cool the steel rapidly. Perhaps preheating the rollers would help.
 
Yes I plan to do hot rolling in the 1400F-1800F range. Sorry I forgot to mention that.

I've done a little cold silver forging and its harder to move than hot steel IMO, that is what got me thinking about this.

I'm thinking a double clutch system with a 2 hp motor, so I could work the bar though from both sides thus increasing the speed.

-Dan
 
Make yourself a mill using turned rolls of H13 You will kill a jewelrs rolling mill in very short order

-Page
 
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/mcdonald-rolling-mill-13323/


see the links on this page for info and lots of pictures on the McDonald rolling mill


crusher2-3.jpg
 
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Thanks Page. I'm waiting for a price quote for a pair of rollers and bushings for a mcdonald rolling mill I'm planning on making.
 
I have two big powered mills and one hand crank. The biggest is at a friends forge, and he uses it to roll mokume'. It barely does that without straining, and it has a 1HP motor. The other mill has a 3/4HP and has wire drawing rollers, so it is not usable for knife work. I use the hand crank when I need to thin some sheet or bar stock.

Steel would not work well in a jewelry mill. It isn't made to take those loads. Even on hot steel, I doubt it would be much good. As said, you can make one for steel rolling.

Stacy
 
You should be rolling steel at forging temps !!
A jeweler's mill will never stand the forces of steel.
 
Dan,

Drop Del Ealy a note. We were just talking about this a couple of months back.
 
12345678910 said:
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/mcdonald-rolling-mill-13323/


see the links on this page for info and lots of pictures on the McDonald rolling mill


crusher2-3.jpg
Click to expand...

O my holly CRAP, Dont just dont. no o no i cant control it, its taking over. the excytment is taking over. O man look what you did, i have wanted one of these for awhile as i have a bunch of huge material that would be so much nicer if it could be rolled out. Damn another project, dont wory i want make it stainless. CRAP
 
Many (or most) of the jewelers mills have case hardened rollers, not good for hot rolling. Other than that, most of them are pretty dang stout. Cold rolling nickel silver, or bronze etc., requires a lot of force,... quite a bit more than hot rolling steel. You can cold roll mild steel with a jewelers mill.
 
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JTknives said:
O my holly CRAP, Dont just dont. no o no i cant control it, its taking over. the excytment is taking over. O man look what you did, i have wanted one of these for awhile as i have a bunch of huge material that would be so much nicer if it could be rolled out. Damn another project, dont wory i want make it stainless. CRAP
Click to expand...

No stainless!? Are you feeling alright Jarod? :D

I was exploring my options before I built mine. I should be able to build mine for $300.
 
Another big problem here is that thin sheet stock won't hold a heat very well. You'll have the chilling effect of the air coupled with the chilling effect of the rollers. I'd hate to see you build a machine just to find out it won't work because of this.
 
Tai Goo said:
Many (or most) of the jewelers mills have case hardened rollers, not good for hot rolling. Other than that, most of them are pretty dang stout. Cold rolling nickel silver, or bronze etc., requires a lot of force,... quite a bit more than hot rolling steel. You can cold roll mild steel with a jewelers mill.
Click to expand...

The one I was looking at has high carbon rollers at 80-82 rockwell. I typically end up with about 3ft of 1x.18 damascus. So I would think that working 6 half foot sections at a time and only doing 1 pass on the roller would help with the cool down issue.

Great now you have me thinking again Tai! :p
 
Dan Seaver said:
No stainless!? Are you feeling alright Jarod? :D

I was exploring my options before I built mine. I should be able to build mine for $300.
Click to expand...

Ya after looking at some pictures of the mill, it does not look that hard to build at all. it sure is a good simple design. All my stock is onley max 12" long and is cut from huge rounds on the band saw. I need to get some plans for this.
 
what would be a good material to use for the rollers. i have some M-42 kicking around.
 
Ok,
Ixnay on the jewelers rolling mill, it is just not built for it, but not because of the material of the rollers.
I built a rolling mill about 10 years ago for hot rolling steel. It runs off of a 1HP motor and has uncoated mild steel rollers. After 10 years of rolling the rollers are still in good shape. I have even rolled stainless steel damascus in them. So, please no more BS talk about 1018 being unsuitable for rollers. I have rolled 3"+ wide material in my mill and stock down to .050" and had no problem with cooling to fast either. In fact during my normal rolling I get 3-4 passes per heat.

rolling_mill1.jpg

rolling_mill2.jpg
 
Tai Goo said:
Another big problem here is that thin sheet stock won't hold a heat very well. You'll have the chilling effect of the air coupled with the chilling effect of the rollers. I'd hate to see you build a machine just to find out it won't work because of this.
Click to expand...

Speaking from experience, It works just fine, even down to .050.
Del
 
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