Cold finish bar is what machine shops turn into pins, shafts, bushings, spacers and fittings. It's drawn to tight size and a clean surface, so there's less stock to take off. We source rounds, flats, squares and hex in the common grades, arrange saw-cut blanks, and deliver across Texas.
What it's used for and how to choose
Cold drawn bar holds its size closely and comes out bright and straight, unlike hot rolled bar with mill scale and looser tolerances. For machined parts that means less cleanup and more parts from a stick. For fab shops it means pins, keys and rods that fit without turning.
The grade decides most of the job. Ask three questions: does the part get welded, does it need strength or hardness, and how many are you running? A welded part points to 1018. A high-strength shaft or pin points to 1045 or 1144. A long run of small turned parts that never get welded points to 12L14. For through-hardened, tougher parts, step up to 4140 alloy steel.
Shafting over a couple of inches is often ordered as turned, ground and polished (TGP), which holds a finer diameter tolerance and straightness than plain cold drawn.
Grades
| Grade / spec | Why pick it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 1018 | Low carbon, general purpose. Welds well, bends, machines reasonably, and can be case hardened (carburized). | Won't through-harden. Gummy chips on long production runs compared with free-machining grades. |
| 1045 | Medium carbon, higher strength. Takes induction or flame hardening for wear surfaces on shafts and pins. | Weldable, but needs preheat and care to avoid cracking. Harder on tools than 1018. |
| 12L14 | Leaded free-machining steel. Machines fast with small chips and a good finish. The choice for high-volume screw machine work. | Not weldable. Lower strength. Lead fumes if heated, so don't weld or torch it. |
| 1144 | Resulfurized medium carbon. High strength with good machinability, low distortion after machining. | Poor for welding. Not a substitute for 1018 on welded parts. |
Common sizes
| Shape | Commonly available range |
|---|---|
| Rounds | 1/8" to about 4" cold drawn; larger diameters as TGP or turned bar |
| Flats | 1/8" to 2" thick, 3/8" to 6" wide |
| Squares | 1/4" to 3" |
| Hex | 1/4" to about 2-1/2" across flats |
Cold finish bar is commonly sold in 12' random lengths, with 20' in some sizes. Sizes only. Metal prices move daily, so every order is quoted.
Cut-to-size options
Bar is saw cut to blank length. Give us the finished length plus your facing allowance and we'll quote the blanks. For a job of many short pieces, blanks save loading full sticks into your saw and let you start machining the day they arrive. Cutting is arranged through our supply network.
What to include in your quote request
- Grade (1018, 1045, 12L14, 1144) or the part's requirements if you're not sure
- Shape and size: round diameter, flat thickness x width, square, or hex across flats
- Cold drawn or TGP, and any tolerance the drawing calls for
- Blank length and quantity, or full random lengths
- Mill certs if your customer requires traceability
- Delivery location