Making steel !!

[canranger]

Hey guys at what temprtature do you make stel actually get the Iron ore to melt and then get the carbon to mix in to make steel.

 

[Robert Hankins]

Try contacting some of the Montana Militia and some Master smiths they are rumored to be starting to make there own steel. Also research Ancient Japanese and Roman forging techniques.

 

[RokJok]

Answer from a man who smelts black sand into steel:

Question from Jerry B:
Let me get this straight: you basically add sand and calcium carbonate, (oyster shells), and cook it in an open crucible for a certain amount of time. Sounds a LOT easier than using a tatara. A couple of questions though: At what heat and how long do you cook it?

Answer from Tai Goo:
With about four cups of sand and two cups of calcium carbonate, it takes about two hours at a welding heat.

from http://p077.ezboard.com/fthecrucible26870frm6.showMessage?topicID=135.topic

(edited to add) See also Tai's discussion on the process at:
http://p077.ezboard.com/fthecrucible26870frm6.showMessage?topicID=133.topic

The page contains a link to a seven-page photo collection that includes Tai smelting steel which starts here:
http://groups.msn.com/tidewaterforge/harleyshammerin2004.msnw?Page=1

 

[canranger]

Thanks guys that wa a big help pages on how to do it but couldn't find one with a heat refrence.

 

[Guy Thomas]

Here is the ancient way in which iron/steel was made from ore (iron oxides):

The ore is first roasted in a fire to make sure it is completely coverted to an oxide and to fracture it into smaller bits, then it is heated in the smelting furnace with charcoal. Hot carbon monoxide gases from the burning charcoal rob the oxygen from the iron oxide thereby reducing the ore to pure iron bits. These bits migrate down to the base of the furnace where they gradually build up into a "bloom" that sits in a pool off molten ferrous silicate slag. When it is time to harvest the bloom the slag is drained off and the furnace is dismantled to get to the steel. The bloom, which is full of slag, is then consolidated into a bar by repeated forging at welding heat. The carbon content varies greatly in these blooms. This is the method most backyard stel makers use.

At some point it was learned that by increasing the heat by increasing the blast to the fire the steel would accumulate in a molten pool and large ingots of cast iron with carbon content up around 3 and 4 percent could be tapped. That cast iron would then have to be "fined" to reduce the carbon content and make steel or wrought iron that was workable through forging.

This is a fascinating area of study and something I want to do soon as well!

 

[canranger]

Well next week I have plans to try and smelt steel from the begining is I can't find a source for ore I will skip a step and actually use iron. I thought about case hardening but decided on the multent method we will use an air tight cly system.