# Heat treating 1045 cold rolled steel



## Wonderclam (Nov 26, 2019)

I have just purchased 12 feet of 1045 cold rolled steel in 3/4" and 1" diamaters. 

I'll be wanting to harden the pieces that I make from these. I have mapp gas and a torch. To harden, I plan on heating up the parts I make to an orange glow and dunking them in a bucket of water. 

Any tips I should know about? I pretty much just need to case harden my parts so they don't gall easily when put in a vise or something.


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## ArmyDoc (Nov 26, 2019)

No personal experience, but:  https://www.speedymetals.com/information/Material33.html#Heat_Treating


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## benmychree (Nov 26, 2019)

Heat until a magnet is no longer attracted to the part, and quench in water for maximum hardness or in light oil for toughness.  1045 will not achieve a very high hardness in any case.  An addition of salt into the water will perhaps make the part a bit harder than plain water.


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## cascao (Nov 27, 2019)

Sugest you test a bit with small parts first.
Simply quenching 1045 in water can lead to a very fragile part.
Tempering in right temperature is the key


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## Cooter Brown (Nov 27, 2019)

I love 1045 it's my favorite steel alloy to machine parts from, it can be hardened very easily without fear of cracking. I would recommend quenching your parts in warm canola oil. You don't need to worry about doing a magnet check when heating parts, you shouldn't need to to get them that hot.

Heat them up to orange and hold with pilars or on a stainless wire then wave them around in the oil slowly until the orange color fades away. Make sure to get the whole part submerged completely in the oil quickly.

I'll post some pictures from my heat treating book soon....


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## Cooter Brown (Nov 29, 2019)

benmychree said:


> 1045 will not achieve a very high hardness in any case.  An addition of salt into the water will perhaps make the part a bit harder than plain water.



I have heat treated 1045 parts that scratch files.....


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## Cooter Brown (Nov 29, 2019)




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## Cooter Brown (Nov 29, 2019)

.


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## ThinWoodsman (Nov 30, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> There are a ton of graphs and charts in my book on 1045 but this is the most useful information.....


I was just reading that section last night after following this thread 
Great book


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## TNBlacksmith (Dec 1, 2019)

Im a blacksmith and bladesmith. I have made axes and hammers from 1045 as well as oyher tools. What is your desired hardness range.

Not to slam anyone, but there is some bad advice being given here. Ferrous metals become non magnetic about 1400 degrees Fahrenheit. To get all the carbon into solution for 1045 ot needs to be 1550 degrees. Quench large sections, over 1" in water and you will be fine. Water can be a very violent quench. Parks 50 is an industry quenching designed to mimic water without the shock. I would quench in oil in the sizes you provided. Then temper for desired hardness. I recently made a pry bar amd tempered it at 750* for 2-2 hour cycles for maximum toughness. Temper no less than 450-500 for 2-2 hour cycles. Depending on desired hardness. Should net 53 HRC or there abouts. 

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk


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