Hi Guys,
I haven't posted in ages, doesn't mean I wasn't machining apart from some time I had to be away. It still takes me a long time to make anything so my progress is still slow. My interest in the meantime has turned away from engines, ( I am working on tooling again ) but I have always found the best and friendliest advice here on HMEM, so if I may, another Question please.
My first attempt at Colour Case Hardening turned out A OK, colours even, and the shaper toolholders, I made and hardened, are so far durable. Beginner's luck. My second attempt was a disaster, I think everything was too hot, burnt through the iron box and melted the surface of my parts. I'm on the way to making a new box, found a stub of 100 X 50mm, 6mm wall rectangular tube at the local scrappy.
How hot should you get the box and for how long? Cherry Red, carrot orange ... ?
In the interest of making the box last longer, I've been thinking along the lines of quenching the box as well, seems a better plan than to let it cool down slowly and soften and oxidize. You think?
Thanks again,
Ant
I haven't posted in ages, doesn't mean I wasn't machining apart from some time I had to be away. It still takes me a long time to make anything so my progress is still slow. My interest in the meantime has turned away from engines, ( I am working on tooling again ) but I have always found the best and friendliest advice here on HMEM, so if I may, another Question please.
My first attempt at Colour Case Hardening turned out A OK, colours even, and the shaper toolholders, I made and hardened, are so far durable. Beginner's luck. My second attempt was a disaster, I think everything was too hot, burnt through the iron box and melted the surface of my parts. I'm on the way to making a new box, found a stub of 100 X 50mm, 6mm wall rectangular tube at the local scrappy.
How hot should you get the box and for how long? Cherry Red, carrot orange ... ?
In the interest of making the box last longer, I've been thinking along the lines of quenching the box as well, seems a better plan than to let it cool down slowly and soften and oxidize. You think?
Thanks again,
Ant
