My first time using the new salt pot...

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
5,384
...and I lived to tell about it. :D Actually, thankfully, it was very uneventful.
The first pair I put in made some sizzling sounds, and my heart jumped into my throat, but nothing happened, so I swallowed it back down.

Here's some pics:

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firstrun7.JPG




And a video clip. It's almost ten megs, and it's an .avi file.


http://www.pattonblades.com/MVI_0603.AVI
 
Very cool Phillip! Did you feel like some sort of a madd scientist running that contraption? :) Any pics of the knives after quench? I cant watch the vid as I have dial up.
 
Sizzling sound+salt pot= me running like a #$!@$! out of the shop. I'm terrified of fire so of course I forge stuff. Awesome.
 
The "sizzling" sound was likely moisture. That happens often....my solution is to pre-heat the blade in the exhaust stack of the salt tank forge before it goes into the salt.

How big is the diameter on your tank? I ask because I started out with a 4" diameter tank, and found that the thermal mass of that much salt caused a wide swing in the upper and lower temp settings. I switched to a 2" diameter tank and now the temp holds within 12 degrees of the set point. Was just curious because your tank looks like its a fairly large ID.

That aside, it sure is a nice method of heat treating....hard to be more accurate than a salt tank, and almost no clean up afterward! :thumbup:
 
Nice rig. I'd love to have a salt rig like that! Anybody know where I can get one?
Thanks,
Mitch
 
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I want one, but the idea scares the sh*t out of me. if my shop wasnt attached to my house, I'd go for it. My wife(just got married, btw!) will kill me if i burn down our house.
 
Keith, in the last picture the salt pot is cooling off and he's put a tapered stainless rod in so that when it cools he can pull it out and leave a vent hole in the solidified salts which keeps it from blowing up when the bottom salt expands more than the top next time he uses it. The tongs and stuff are to keep it from tipping over. At least, that's MY interpretation. :)
 
Should be covered when not in use so moisture isn't absorbed by the salt.
 
steelshaper said:
Very cool Phillip! Did you feel like some sort of a madd scientist running that contraption? :) Any pics of the knives after quench? I cant watch the vid as I have dial up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was like, Igor! Fetch me a blade! :D

Sorry, no pics of the blades after quenching, but I could take some after tempering. They came out looking pretty much like they do when I use anti-scale compound.



Ed Caffrey said:
The "sizzling" sound was likely moisture. That happens often....my solution is to pre-heat the blade in the exhaust stack of the salt tank forge before it goes into the salt.

How big is the diameter on your tank? I ask because I started out with a 4" diameter tank, and found that the thermal mass of that much salt caused a wide swing in the upper and lower temp settings. I switched to a 2" diameter tank and now the temp holds within 12 degrees of the set point. Was just curious because your tank looks like its a fairly large ID.

That aside, it sure is a nice method of heat treating....hard to be more accurate than a salt tank, and almost no clean up afterward! :thumbup:
Click to expand...


I figured it was moisture, even though I went over them and made sure they were dry. My solution was to lower them into the salt very slowly, but I think I might try the chimney trick next time.

The diameter is 4" because I got a ridiculously good deal on it. $67 for 56" of tube. Also, I'd read somewhere that smaller diameter tubes can be more dangerous if you do get some water in it. The same place had some smaller diameter pipe, with thicker walls, so as soon as I get paid, I want to go back and get more. :thumbup:

Once mine was running awhile, it was able to hold within about 10 degrees, which is close enough for me, for most applications.



Keith_H said:
That is neat!

What is going on in the last picture?
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What jackrabbitslim said. :)



Troop said:
Nice rig. I'd love to have a salt rig like that! Anybody know where I can get one?
Thanks,
Mitch
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Darren Ellis sells whole rigs, but I suggest you do your homework before getting one, because they can be very dangerous.



mete said:
Should be covered when not in use so moisture isn't absorbed by the salt.
Click to expand...


Heatbath claims this salt is non-hygroscopic, but it's probably a good idea anyway.
 
Sure a lot of scaredy cats around here!!! :p

Mine is 4" just like yours' Phillip, and mine holds temp at +/- 3F every time I use it. Maybe I just got lucky! :D

I'm sure you're going to like that sucker! You might need a bigger vent pipe, but if it works, I sure wouldn't fix it ;)
 
That looks good man! How long does your take to get up to temperature? I just built a rig very similar to yours but I went with a venturi burner instead of a blown like yours. Mine takes about 45min to come up to temp, I was curious if your heats up faster. I know what you mean about being scared first using it. My brother was down in my shop with me when I was first using it and as I was topping it off with salt the burner kicked back on and made a "burping" sound. My brother was holding a fire extinguisher and just about unloaded it on me he jumped so bad, neither of us knew what to expect and were a little on edge.:D
 
HaHaHa!!! ROFLMAO!!! I walked right into that one! :p

But wait a minute... why's a nice lady like Nanc got her mind on such nasty things Fitz??? :p :D
 
J.S. Carter said:
VERY KEWL Man! what kind of salt is in there?
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It's called Nu-Sal, from Heatbath. Of course, since heatbath no longer sells to individuals, I got it from Darren Ellis....



NickWheeler said:
Sure a lot of scaredy cats around here!!! :p

Mine is 4" just like yours' Phillip, and mine holds temp at +/- 3F every time I use it. Maybe I just got lucky! :D

I'm sure you're going to like that sucker! You might need a bigger vent pipe, but if it works, I sure wouldn't fix it ;)
Click to expand...


Yeah, what a bunch of sissies! I just don't feel complete without experiencing the threat of instant disfigurement or dismemberment every day. ;)

I think mine would hold closer to the set point if I adjusted the cycle time of the controller. If I could only find the manual...


There were a few times it sounded like a gunshot when the burner reignited, so I think I will put another chimney on it. It's scary enough without that too.




rtj1981 said:
That looks good man! How long does your take to get up to temperature? I just built a rig very similar to yours but I went with a venturi burner instead of a blown like yours. Mine takes about 45min to come up to temp, I was curious if your heats up faster. I know what you mean about being scared first using it. My brother was down in my shop with me when I was first using it and as I was topping it off with salt the burner kicked back on and made a "burping" sound. My brother was holding a fire extinguisher and just about unloaded it on me he jumped so bad, neither of us knew what to expect and were a little on edge.:D
Click to expand...


Mine took about 45 minutes to get up to temp, then another 15 or so to level out. I think it would heat up faster if I turned the gas up, but I don't mind too much. There's always stuff to do while it's warming up...
 
Hey. Phillip if you look around on Auberins site I think you can find the manual for your PID. Great looking rig you got there. Someday I will have one Jim
 
ib2v4u said:
Hey. Phillip if you look around on Auberins site I think you can find the manual for your PID. Great looking rig you got there. Someday I will have one Jim
Click to expand...

Thanks, I have a manual, I just don't know where it is. :)
 
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