Air, Oil or Water - which quench when?

[pelallito]

I think that all of us that like to tinker on things cross over into a multiple of disciplines. There is no reason that you can't start making mini knives on your new lathe.
Fred

 

[baldrocker]

Hello all
It seems to me reading this topic that we are divided into
two camps. The "the plans say xyz grade and sized to a
poofteenth of a millimetre and no changes are permissible"
camp and the "close enough is good enough as long as it runs" mob.
Surely there is a sense of acheivement from accomplishing a project
no matter how one gets there? (In this context).
Personally I as an aussie prefer to make and fix things with fencing wire.
Baldrocker.

 

[Mcgyver]

what camps? that bailing wire heat treat well ;D

 

[Kludge]

The "the plans say xyz grade and sized to a poofteenth of a millimetre and no changes are permissible" camp and the "close enough is good enough as long as it runs" mob. Surely there is a sense of acheivement from accomplishing a project no matter how one gets there? (In this context).

In some things I'm precise because of "external influences". Okay, because I have to fit things around something I didn't make like electromagnets & watch guts, or electromagnets that used to be watch guts. Sometimes those same influences allow me to use a whole lot of Tennessee windage and a slightly rusty Mk1A-1 eyeball. I far prefer the latter route since I don't have to think about it a lot. Every time I try to think, I get a massive brainache and I have to lay down until it goes away. That wastes time I could be wasting making things or, as is the current project, sorting a massive quantity of watch & clock parts.

I don't know if "precise" fits dealing with things like resharpening drill bits I need an eye loupe to see. I hadn't really thought about it, actually. (This is one of the cases where annealing then hardening & tempering is convenient.) It's done because it has to be done to continue being able to use that drill. Maybe it is precision work. I don't know.

Making things gives me a lot of pleasure. Making things for Noelle is work that comes from my heart, but it's also where I can let my sense of humor have free reign. Those things have to be larger than I can work since her vision is failing and she has to be able to see them. These are sized around clock and larger pocket watch wheels (gears) and other parts. The remaining stuff will go into "make it smaller" projects to impress the folks here with my ability to make things smaller (without losing one bit of the Rube Goldberg meets Monty Python insanity) in the electric engine department. Pressurized gas ... not so much, just a lot of fun.

Personally I as an aussie prefer to make and fix things with fencing wire.

No true American's everyday tool box goes much past chewing gum, baling wire, duct tape, water pump pliers and a small sledge hammer. Maybe a really large screwdriver to use as a prybar. ;D

Best regards,

Kludge

 

[pelallito]

Kludge,
Maybe this might help-
http://books.google.com/books?id=me...&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
I did a google search and came up with this-
[ame]http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SUNA_enUS258US258&q=spark+test+for+type+of+steel[/ame]
I did think that you knew about heat treating and tempering. I only mentioned it because it had not come up in the thread.
Good luck.
Fred

 

[Kludge]

I did a google search and came up with this-

Okay, now this is cool and doable. I mean the spark test not the search, though it's cool and doable too. It's also something I probably knew at one time but have since forgotten. Meds, the reasons for the meds and a host of other bad things.

I did think that you knew about heat treating and tempering. I only mentioned it because it had not come up in the thread.

No worries. My level of expertise wasn't readily obvious, I guess.

Speaking of making things hot, I need to pick up some flux for silver soldering - the make it hot with a torch kind, not low temp - so I can practice wasting solder again.

So much fun, so little time ...

Best regards,

Kludge