case hardening materials

[icequencher]

i take ti back,i am not getting the steel today,but in about a week.the place said they have flat bars.if it turns out the bar is softer and springier,do i need to anneal it as much?in the mean time i will study alot about heat treating and ask alot of annoying questions.thanx.-

 

 

 

 

-John

[mark stephen]

If your hearts set on carburizing the mild steel you could build a fire brick box and burn packed charcoal around your steel and add charred(dont try un charred its not safe)bone.Also there is a comercial case hardening powder you can purchase that could help with the depth of your carburizing.Its just a time and temp thing.The higher the temp the less time spent carburizing but you have to consider your grain structure at very high temps.Its going to take some experimenting so start with a small peice to get comfortable with the process.good luck.

[kb0fhp]

If your hearts set on carburizing the mild steel you could build a fire brick box and burn packed charcoal around your steel and add charred(dont try un charred its not safe)bone.Also there is a comercial case hardening powder you can purchase that could help with the depth of your carburizing.Its just a time and temp thing.The higher the temp the less time spent carburizing but you have to consider your grain structure at very high temps.Its going to take some experimenting so start with a small peice to get comfortable with the process.good luck.

 

Activated charcoal, and a couple of percent sodium or potassium carbonate makes an excellent case-hardening compound. Using a steel box, lay a bit of the charcoal in it (about an inch), then place the workpiece on top of the charcoal. Cover the work piece with charcoal mixture, then close the lid of the box. Heat the contents to about 1600-1700F, and hold for several hours (after the box get red/orange). The depth of the case is dependant on the time at temperature (the term for this is called pack carburizing). Once held for the appropriate amount of time, the work piece can be removed and quenched (preferrably in a medium speed oil) as it will have a tendancy to crack in water. The part can then be tempered to the desired hardness. Alternatively, the part can then be air-cooled, then reheated to the austenitizing temperature, held there for the appropriate amount of time, then quenched and tempered. Either is an acceptable method and both are used commercially.

 

Scott