Where To Get Springs?

[Southpawtact]

I'm in the middle of a mini m@glite build and I am in need of a spring for the positive pole on the bottom of the pill. The problem is, I can't find a local or online source for electrical springs.

Where do y'all get your springs from?

 

[darkknightlight]

I get mine at orchard supply hardware for $0.39 a pop.

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[precisionworks]

McMaster-Carr is always worth a look.

 

[jason 77]

I get mine at orchard supply hardware for $0.39 a pop.

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are the ones you buy solderable? I have a ton of springs of different kinds the trouble is if I find one that is the right size I can never seem to make the solder stick to it?

 

[wquiles]

When trying to solder springs, just remember one thing: Solder Flux is your friend :D

Will

 

[jason 77]

When trying to solder springs, just remember one thing: Solder Flux is your friend :D

Will

Oh trust me I use flux, it's just the springs I have are all stainless steel or some other kind of metal that you just can't solder to... That is why I wanted to know where to get just bare springs that are made to be soldered...

 

[gadget_lover]

Some springs are plated. I had good luck using a sanding disk to remove the plating and then flux to clean/protect the joint.

Daniel

 

[darkzero]

Battery contact springs are usually plated with nickel, tin, silver, & gold. All of these platings you should be able to solder to. The common types of battery springs I've used are nickel plated brass, nickel plated music wire, & stainless steel. You can solder to nickel plating so no removing of the plating is necessary but the stainless steel springs as you know can not be soldered. They much be crimped/riveted or spot welded.

 

[precisionworks]

Oh trust me I use flux, it's just the springs I have are all stainless steel or some other kind of metal that you just can't solder to...

Stainless is easy to join by silver brazing ... but the temp is so high that it will soften the spring.

The fuel manifold show above is all Stainless Type 304. Joints are made with Harris Safety-Silv 50 & Stay-Silv Black flux. Safety-Silv 50 is commonly used for electrical connections as well as for joining stainless. Color match is almost perfect.

http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/High-Silver/Safety-Silv-50.aspx

http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/Fluxes/Stay-Silv-Black-Flux.aspx

 

[jason 77]

Yes I am know of brazing, but I think the temperature for brazing is a little to high for joining a spring to a circuit board with delicate IC attached to it.. Unless you are saying to "tin" the base of the spring by brazing it with the product you linked to above and then soldering it to the circuit board with a normal soldering gun?

In any case I was just basically asking if anyone knew where to get "loose" springs that the manufactures use in there products... kinda like buying push button switches in 10 packs of sites like DX?

 

[darkknightlight]

are the ones you buy solderable? I have a ton of springs of different kinds the trouble is if I find one that is the right size I can never seem to make the solder stick to it?

I apologize for the tardiness of my response; I have no idea if the springs I got at osh are plated. I do know that I have used them twice in mini mag builds, and I haven't had any issues soldering them. I should rephrase that; I suck at soldering so it typically takes two or three tries before I have a decent connection. I use a cheap 20 watt (I think) radio shack iron. Sorry
I don't have more information for you!

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[darkzero]

Even bare music wire, aka piano wire, which is spring steel, basically a high carbon steel is solderable. It just requires more heat to solder than say electrical wire. Of course the larger the diamter of music wire, the more heat is required to solder it. Flux is highly recommended.

A 20 watt iron my just give you frustration unless maybe you are really experienced at soldering. 15-20 watt or even 30 watt is best for fine PCB rework. But even a pro can fail using the wrong tool. You're better off using a 30-40 watt iron at the least. I stay far away from cheap soldering irons. I consider them to be the same as a disposable butane lighter, limited use, then throw away.

In any case I was just basically asking if anyone knew where to get "loose" springs that the manufactures use in there products...

You'll have better luck searching electronic supply houses for battery contact springs. Generally if you search for the spring manuafcturers that manufacturer's use in their products, if successful, you only find that the springs must be purchased in high bulk quantities or are made to their specifications. Unless that is what you are looking for.

I believe Lee Spring is the manufacturer that was supplying the low force springs someone was offering for Mcgizmo PDs.