Slug manufacturer?

[kevinT]

Does anyone know where to get slugs custom made?
Are slugs usually made up of the same material as the polepieces( i.e, 1022 steel)?

[kevinT]

would pickup slugs be considered metal dowels?

I know that pickup maker terms and terms of the metal fabrication industry aren't always aligned.

[parentheticalfact]

slugs?

Are you talking about magnetic polepieces, or actual slugs, which are usually steel rods?
If you're talking about the latter, it would make sense to me to get some steel rod (music wire? My father used to get stuff like this from hobby stores and it was used for model aircraft) and a hack saw. You should be able to find this in various diameters and you could cut it to any length you want.
Anyone out there know of any reason why this wouldn't work as long as it is steel?

[J S Moore]

I believe they are referred to as dowels. In another thread I think this was the place that was mentioned for getting slugs made.

http://www.specialtytoolandbolt.com/

[David Schwab]

I make my own steel pole pieces from plain steel rod. In my case I don't need them plated since you don't see them, but it shouldn't be hard to have them plated.

[Joe Gwinn]

I believe they are referred to as dowels.

Dowels are hardened and precisely ground high-carbon steel, not the soft plated 1018 mild steel normally used.

[DrStrangelove]

Does anyone know where to get slugs custom made?
Are slugs usually made up of the same material as the polepieces( i.e, 1022 steel)?

Has anyone tried using magnetic stainless steel slugs? Types 415 and 416 are commonly available and would not require a nickel plating since they will take a high polish.

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[David King]

I'd think music wire would have much too high a carbon content. You want "soft" magnetic permeability don't you? I'd look for soft iron rivets and cut the heads off. Some stainless alloys might work but some of those become "hard" magnets if they get work hardened by machining operations.

Again, if it sounds good then it is good...

[NightWinder]

+1 Mr. King

[David Schwab]

Most stainless steel doesn't have enough iron in it, it's usually about 60%.

You want mild steel, like 1018. Just go to someplace like Home Depot, and pickup up some plain steel rod. I've made a bunch of pickups with that, and with steel bars for blade pickups.

[NightWinder]

Does it tell you the grade?

[David Schwab]

Does it tell you the grade?

Oh it might. I never read the label that closely!

It says "plain steel". It's probably 1018, that's pretty common. I figured it was cheap enough to try, and it works as well as the steel poles I stole out of various pickups when I was experimenting.

[David King]

It might be A36. I think any cold rolled or hot rolled steel will work just fine for this. BTW in my area political lawn signs have evolved to a giant steel wicket with a printer plastic bag that fit over the top. The steel wicket is made from hot rolled 3/16" steel rod. I made a couple of truss rods with one of them, how cool is that?

[kevinT]

here is a place where you can get 1018 rod as well as nickel silver sheet (18%)....I think Spence referenced this site a while back to purchase metal.

I might try some.

http://onlinemetals.com/

[kevinT]

whoops

whoops...i just realized David listed this site in the baseplate composition thread.