cast aluminum for quench plate?

[sladeblade]

I have some D2 i'm about to HT and was wondering if i could use cast aluminum, rather than solid aluminum quenching plates, to quench with? How quickly do I need to quench the blade upon removal? Also, is it sufficient to just leave the other blades resting in the kiln chamber, or do i need to make sure I get all of them quenched quickly? Just need to know how fast I should be moving (without burning my face off). Any other tips for HT of D2? Thanks everyone!

 

[leifjl]

You want your plates to be perfectly flat. As long as they're dead flat I don't think it would matter if it was flat bar stock or cast aluminum.
Open the door, quickly remove blade #1 and quickly close door so blade #2 doesn't lose heat. Quench #1 immediately.
For me, when #1 has cooled enough I'll put it in the tempering oven and then dip both quench plates in water and blow them off with the air gun, then go back and repeat process for #2.
Water cooling the plates probably isn't necessary, seeing as how they just get warm to the touch, but I do it anyway.
Move fast but carefully.

 

[sladeblade]

You want your plates to be perfectly flat. As long as they're dead flat I don't think it would matter if it was flat bar stock or cast aluminum.
Open the door, quickly remove blade #1 and quickly close door so blade #2 doesn't lose heat. Quench #1 immediately.
For me, when #1 has cooled enough I'll put it in the tempering oven and then dip both quench plates in water and blow them off with the air gun, then go back and repeat process for #2.
Water cooling the plates probably isn't necessary, seeing as how they just get warm to the touch, but I do it anyway.
Move fast but carefully.

Thanks leifjl! So should I hold the temperature of the kiln at the prescribed temp while I'm quenching the blades? Or will the extra time that blade #5, etc. is soaking at the temperature make the outcome of the HT less consistent?

 

[leifjl]

Yeah, when I'm doing d2 I use an austenitizing temp. of 1865, so I set a soak time of say 25-30 min., then at the 20 min. mark I take out #1 and start the quenching process.
It takes about 1.5-2 minutes to completely quench, quickly check for warp, and put in the tempering oven.
meanwhile blade #2 is ready to go and the oven is at 1865 still.
I'll only h.t. 4 at a time max. because I don't want to oversoak the last ones out. I'm sure you could do more than 4 at a time, d2 has a pretty big soak window, but I get less nervous this way.