melting salt to test temps

J

jawilder

Joined
Jun 27, 2006
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A while back I tried to test the temp of my HT oven by using table salt. I would have used the temp sticks but my local airgas didn't have any in stock and I don't want to order them onine just yet.

Anyways, I stuck a piece of steel in the oven and brought it to 1500, let it soak for a while, took it out, checked with a magnet, and then poured salt on it. The salt popped off but didn't really melt. I wasn't sure exactly what to look for, so I fired up the forge and brought the steel to orange heat way past nonmag and poured salt again. Once again, the salt just jumped off the blade.

Should I be looking for a puddling effect or is the dancing salt an indicator that the temp has been reached?
 
I think it's acting like a drop of water on in a hot skillet

The super fine particles of the table salt have very little mass and so may be easily moved when affected.


Perhaps the iodine compounds in table salt boil off at those temps ?



I was told to use Kosher salt, no iodine and big crystals - so I didn't notice that but it was quite a long time ago.
 
put the salt on the steel before you heat it. Check at 1450 it should not have melted yet, 1500 it should have melted.
 
JMJones said:
put the salt on the steel before you heat it. Check at 1450 it should not have melted yet, 1500 it should have melted.
Click to expand...

This is what I have done. Either a few small piles or a small line down the length of the blade to check for even heat.


-Xander
 
JMJones said:
put the salt on the steel before you heat it. Check at 1450 it should not have melted yet, 1500 it should have melted.
Click to expand...
Not the best way to go about it. The radiant heat in the kiln will melt the salt before the steel gets to temp. I tested my kiln and found that temperatures can spike a couple hundred degrees during ramp up procedures. The only realistic way to ensure your oven isn't overheating your steel is to let the kiln equalize before puting your piece in.
 
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