Segment Information (Consolidated Net Sales and Earnings by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Net sales	$ 524,284	$ 483,759	$ 1,435,793	$ 1,377,611
Interest expense, net	(5,899)	(6,655)	(18,030)	(19,991)
Consolidated earnings before income taxes	62,468	35,497	152,168	124,370
Total of Reporting Segments [Member]
Segment earnings (loss)	79,560	51,379	201,357	172,313
Aerospace [Member]
Net sales	274,923	272,218	765,816	754,100
Segment earnings (loss)	39,357	38,949	102,195	111,740
Energy [Member]
Net sales	249,361	211,541	669,977	623,511
Segment earnings (loss)	40,203	12,430	99,162	60,573
Unallocated Corporate [Member]
Segment earnings (loss)	$ (11,193)	$ (9,227)	$ (31,159)	$ (27,952)

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

Amount of interest revenue (income derived from investments in debt securities and on cash and cash equivalents) net of interest expense (cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest).

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, noncontrolling interest and interest expense or income, net.

+ References

No definition available.

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