quench tank

M

manassas dragon

Joined
Dec 3, 2009
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158
what shape is your quench tank(deep or shallow or what)? i'm thinking
that a piece of 6-8 inch pipe maybe 18" deep;sealed, of course,on the bottom
with a stand of some sort to keep it from tipping over.

any info appreciated.
 
i am using a metal 5 gallon bucket for mine. I am currently using an electric hot plate to preheat my oil but will probably get an actual bucket heater eventually.
 
I have a large roaster, the kind you use for turkeys. It holds about 4 gal. and has adjustable temp.
 
For small knives I'll be using a 7.62 ammo can with a plate like rj for heating. When I get into longer steel I'll be cutting and welding some of the ammo cans together.
 
I have a 6" piece of SS thin wall pipe about 18". I welded a base to it. I cut the bottom of the pipe at just a slight angle. This way it leaning towards me so I can hit it easier when I bring the blade out of the forge. I did do a longer knife and my tank was not long enough. I added 6" to the length by using a 6" PVC coupling. Cost was about $7.00 and fit so well, I had to tap it on with a mallet. Still on there now. :p


Paul
 
I have tried four different set-ups...

1. 10" x 18" x 4"dp pan - worked well but only for knives under 18" OA.

2. 8"dia x 26" vertical tube (5 Gal of quenchant) - worked well but only for blades under 24" OA. They tend to warp down at the tip when quenching tip first.

3. 6"dia x 36" vertical tube (5 Gal of quenchant) - worked well for long blades but they tended to warp down at the tip as before. It also heats up quite fast.

4. I have used Wally Hayes' 10" x 48" x 6" tank on occasion and although it takes up quite a bit of floorspace, it works like a dream and allows you more versitility when quenching.


Rick

My current 6" dia vertical tank...
IMG_0023-2.jpg
 
Do whatever you can to go horizontal.
It's not that difficult.
You only need to build it one time.
That way your entire cutting edge hits the oil all at one time instead of the back end of the cutting edge entering oil that has already been super-heated by steel 1500 degrees!
And if you make it long enough you can easily slide the knife back and forth from end to end helping to keep "new" oil in contact with the edge at all times.

tool1c-1.jpg
 
30 quart Home Depot Bayou Classic Turkey fryer.:D
 
Karl B. Andersen said:
Do whatever you can to go horizontal.
It's not that difficult.
You only need to build it one time.
That way your entire cutting edge hits the oil all at one time instead of the back end of the cutting edge entering oil that has already been super-heated by steel 1500 degrees!
And if you make it long enough you can easily slide the knife back and forth from end to end helping to keep "new" oil in contact with the edge at all times.
Click to expand...

I don't really agree with how you wrote that, Karl. I have seen you make mention to this before, but not as absolute in your disapproval. The oil would never superheat to that level. If you aren't getting flash, you are even getting above 400F in most cases. Unless your vertical tube is only 2" in dia or you are using a poor quenchant, I don't think you are going to have any trouble. This all happens in less than a second. You need to plunge quickly, but no faster than horizontal. The mass of the blade is in the belly of the tank by then, so the remaining heat is evenly dispersed if you have the proper amount of medium (5gal. is pretty good). In fact, the very important act of agitation is more easily done with one smooth motion in a vertical plunge.

As far as the horizontal tank is concerned... the advantage is having the choice of what gets cooled first, that is mostly to control the curve in longer blades. (or if you choose to edge quench) Many smiths are now quenching spine first with great results.

Rick
 
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Karl has a point. The convection and vapor jacket collapse is better in a long horizontal tank. However, this setup is only really easily set up in a large and permanent shop. As Rick pointed out, 5 or more gallons of oil in a 6" wide tank, with a quick quench, is going to work just fine. On Karl's side, the historic quench is horizontal.
 
Thanks Stacy,
Karl is one of the many makers I look to for answers on these forums. I wasn't against the horizontal quench... infact, as I stated earlier, I rather prefer them after using Wally's. I just didn't want folks to get the impression that vertical tanks are a bad way to go... they quench quite effectively.
 
Agreed.
I have maybe ten quench tanks. Only one is horizontal, and it is almost never filled.
Every time I am at a junk yard or yard sale and see an QTSO (Quench Tank Shape Object), I usually take it home.

I have found that a......................
Stainless steel milk can
Three foot piece of 6" pipe welded to a 12X12 plate
Military shipping container
cut off CO2 tank
Cut off Oxygen tank
Cut off syrup tank
Big camp style coffee pot ( those three gallon ones)
.....................can make a great quench tank.

.....................PVC does not make a good quench tank.

A few standard rules apply:
1) Have a good size fire extinguisher on hand when there is this much oil in the shop.
2) Make a good cover/lid for every tank. This not only keeps the oil clean, but keeps animals out. It also can snuff out a flare-up.
3) Make a good and sturdy base for the tank. It should be half as wide as the tank is tall.
4) Label the tanks. I know you can remember what it is, but humor me.
5) No mater how impressive or how primitive the tank is, it is the oil that does the work. The tank needs to have enough oil for the job. A minimum for small to medium knives is two or three gallons. For multiple knives or large blades, five gallons is best. For swords, it often takes ten gallons to fill a large and deep tank.
6) The right oil for the job is required to harden blade steels. While 5160 can harden in anything from bacon fat to Parks AAA, steels like 1095 need a fast quenchant. Don't make yourself crazy by trying to get an insufficient quenchant to do a job it is not capable of doing. Set up two tanks and put fast oil in one and medium oil in the other. The fast oil should be a commercial quenchant like Parks #50. The medium oil can be something you salvage, or canola oil ( or similar), but the commercial oils, like AAA, will last longer and work a bit better.
7) Ventilation - Quenching make lots of smoke and airborne oil droplets. This is not good to breath, and smells bad,too. Have a good fan blowing to move the smoke/vapors, and have outside air coming in the shop. Quenching is best done in an open air smithy if possible.
 
A great tank are food warmers you see at resturaunts. Mine is about 40 inches by 16 inches wide and about 6 inches deep. Just plug it in and it heats the oil. Used resturaunt supply house. Call them and tell them you want the most beat up one they have. Cut out the ovals or whatever to hold food containers. They are great. Makes edge quench a breeze.
 
We need Robert Dark to show us pictures of his set up. A most ingenius use of recycled valuables ( aka junk )I have seen.

RD please post.

Scott
 
Karl you're brave, that looks like a huge FUBAR just waiting to happen :eek:

Both would have already been knocked over in my shop. ;)
 
NickWheeler said:
Karl you're brave, that looks like a huge FUBAR just waiting to happen :eek:

Both would have already been knocked over in my shop. ;)
Click to expand...

Scaredy cat.
(They're just out for the quench and then roll away under the counter along the wall.)
(I park them right next to the vertical tanks!)
 
Ahhh, I see. I forgot to post that while they look like I'd knock them over
they are great tanks. :thumbup: :cool:

I have a few tall vertical ones, but my favorite quench tank is a horizontal one much similar to yours. Mine is made from round pipe as it's what I could readily find at the time. Oh, and it holds about 15 gallons of Park #50
 
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