Spring steel rods for sale??

[daeldred]

I know that this has been talked about a lot on the forum board, but most of the posts are not current. Does anyone sell 6'x3/8" solid (not welded together) Spring Steel Rods? There are people who sell different ones, but none that are good for my needs. Thanks

 

[privvydigger]

I bought one off the Ebay and it broke today!
At the weld!
I'm pissed

 

[RICKJJ59W]

Go to a junk yard,there are 1000s of them in trunks of cars.

 

[daeldred]

I know that I can get one in a junk yard, in the trunk of an older car, but they aren't 6' long or are they?. I need length without the weld. We probe deep and anything less than 5 or 6 feet is too short for probing.

 

[privvydigger]

I don't think its made any bigger than 48''

 

[maxbitters]

I sell one piece non welded lengths up to 20'. It's the finest material you can buy. Much more rigid than conventional oil tempered spring steel (trunk rods) and has far superior memory. 3/8 is to thick & clunky unless you enjoy harder work probing. This super high strength spring material allows you to use a thinner size which makes probing easier. I've dug for 40 years and have built probes for numerous diggers locally in that time. Cost is $10 per ft. with a 10% discount for 10 or more feet. Your design or mine. FEDEX shipping anywhere in the U.S. or you can pick it up at my shop in Northern California.

 

[bottlediger]

I would love to see a pic of one of your 20 footers hanging out the back of your truck! Man thats a long probe, 20 foots a long way to probe without hitting a rock/brick somewhere down there.

Digger Ry

 

[RICKJJ59W]

We used the weld method for a 15 footer,.but then again we don't get to many 20 foot pits.The steel we get is straighted out to around 5 foot,thats our (normal) sized probe. We also have a 10 footer,two pieces welded together and that works fine when we need to check the depth.Its not like your using it all the time.Once the hole is started with the 5 footer the longer probe goes down nice.

 

[daeldred]

Thanks maxbitters,

That is the type of info I was looking for. What is the diameter of the rods that you have?

 

[maxbitters]

I've tried several different thicknesses over the years and personally prefer .283 which is what I stock. I do have 3/8 oil tempered spring steel but the quality isn't there and I wouldn't advise using it for anything other than a slide hammer probe.