[sunworksco]

I have a 4" OD x 32" length stainless-steel tube and would like to use an 1/8" thickness x 3/4" width x 72" length 304L stainless-steel plate. I would like to create a spiral type auger with these materials.
My question is can the stainless-steel plate be made malleable with heat and be wrapped around a 4" steel tube with the stainless steel plate spiralled edgewise, similar to a metal washer on a bolt?
I would be very greatful for any suggestions.
Thanks,
Giovanni

[Geof]

What you are wanting to make is called helicoid flighting and it is very difficult to make by hand. Heating stainless is not going to make it very malleable and even if it did the problem in making helicoid flighting is that bending thin material on edge is a problem because it tends to buckle sideways. You need a roller system that both supports the sides and forms it.

An alternative way to make your own flighting is to cut rings out of sheet metal or thing plate, then split them, pull the edges of the split to make them look like a big lockwasher and weld them all together along your length of tube.

[ErnieD]

Look at your Private Messages.

Ernie

[sunworksco]

Thank you guys for the brilliant information.
Making the sheet metal rings is probably the least path of resistance and expense for my crazy project.
I am building a scale model of a Jules Verne style dual steam engined snow-mobile.
Have a look at the 1929 Fordson Snow-Mobile with twin screw propulsion.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274"]YouTube - Fordson Snow Machine - 1929 Concept[/nomedia]


Thanks,
Giovanni

[sunworksco]

I found the amazing spiral heliocoil machine!
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqGa_eqAJpw"]YouTube - R4 Flat bar spiralling[/nomedia]


Thanks,
Giovanni

[Geof]

I found the amazing spiral heliocoil machine!
[.......Giovanni

Simple when you have the quarter million dollar machine, or whatever it costs.

So you are making propellors for foamy solid water. What speed do you anticipate getting to?

[sunworksco]

Each Saito 3DTR steam engine displaces approximately 0.5 cubic inch. At 50psi you could expect around 500rpm from both engines running from a 3 1/2" boiler or 700rpm from a 4". One 3DTR engine per screw-drive for simplified steering, similar to tank tread steering.
I'm very green at what the screw-drives should be turning but I might guess around 500-700RPM, similar to a steamboat paddle-wheel.
I will have toothed belt-drive pulleys that could be interchanged for the proper gear ratios.

Thanks all,
Giovanni

Take a look at the Russian ZIL.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJ18eJeNgU"]YouTube - extreme offroad from Russia[/nomedia]

[Geof]

I want one of those for running around near my cabin in winter.

[sunworksco]

This would be very simple to scale down for a smaller single-person snow-mobile sized vehicle. A builder could even install brush-less motors, batteries and controllers in the screw tubes. This would give a very low center of gravity.You can use a wire-less controller so no wiring to foul up the screws. Castle/Phoenix makes high-voltage programmable speed controllers, LifeSource makes the lithium/iron/phosphate batteries and Astroflight makes the large-scale model motors.A 4-channel 75MHz synthesized transmitter radio would be perfect and may even transmit RF without an exterior screw tube antenna.
I have found a great factory to build the heliocol spirals for the screw treads.
You can then weld them yourself or they can build them complete.
I am using .065 tube for my screws so it is too thin for them to weld.
I want them lightweight for faster rotation.
I am silver soldering them myself anyway.
Thanks,
Giovanni