Using Boric Acid and Iron wire to reduce scale when tempering/heat treating

[john.k]

iron wire is still used for the cores of ignition coils....its very soft,softer than annealed copper.........anyhoo,the modern method of heat treatment is vacuum furnaces etc,all very costly......also making a "packet " from some nickle alloy foil sealed up like a plastic bag,...again costly.......I might add,electric furnaces are also costly to run ,you are always replacing the elements.......once heated ,the element wire is very fragile,and any contact or splash while incandescent breaks it.

 

[Cooter Brown]

 

[Nutfarmer]

The best way to prevent oxidation of tooling in heat treatment is to wrap it in stainless steel foil. also if you can put argon in the wrap it will help. if you need some stainless steel wrap to try pm me and I will send you some. forget the wire wrap and boric acid coating unless it is for a museum piece. If you are local I will run it through an oven for you.

 

[Diecutter]

The best way to prevent oxidation of tooling in heat treatment is to wrap it in stainless steel foil. also if you can put argon in the wrap it will help. if you need some stainless steel wrap to try pm me and I will send you some. forget the wire wrap and boric acid coating unless it is for a museum piece. If you are local I will run it through an oven for you.

 

[Diecutter]

I use KeepBryte anti-scale compound to protect oil hardening steel in an electric furnace. Available at mscdirect.com in a 3 pound can which will last a long time.
The maker states KeepBryte "is ideal for preventing scale or oxidation on tools, dies, components. A great feature is that after heat treating, the coating can be removed by soaking the part in very hot (boiling?) water, or in an ultrasonic cleaner as I do. No abrasives required. I then finish up with a fine brass bristled brush. The part then looks like it did prior to heat treat with no degradation of fine detail and no pitting.

 

[dbb-the-bruce]

Success with the heat treating and boric acid.

My practice was this center to use with my dividing heading head. Here is the center:

The boric acid has worked great preventing scale. It does create an almost glass like coating on the surface. A lot of it flakes and cracks off after the oil quench. I managed to stab my finger on the shards. What's left is really glued to the piece. I found the key to removing it: baking soda in hot water!

Works like a charm, like the Efferdent commercial. I little 0000 steel wool cleans up.

It can be a little tricky getting the boric acid to stick to the piece. So far I've just made a paste and tried to get it to stick. If you get it right it melts in the oven and prevents scale. Apparently, you can also heat the piece up and get the powder to melt/sick. Will try that next.

Here is the center in a mount that I'm going to bolt to an angle plate when needed:

(book)

Can you post a shot of the title page or more info for that book? I found two possibilities, and would love to have copy.

-Dave

 

[benmychree]

Success with the heat treating and boric acid.

My practice was this center to use with my dividing heading head. Here is the center:
View attachment 304976
The boric acid has worked great preventing scale. It does create an almost glass like coating on the surface. A lot of it flakes and cracks off after the oil quench. I managed to stab my finger on the shards. What's left is really glued to the piece. I found the key to removing it: baking soda in hot water!

Works like a charm, like the Efferdent commercial. I little 0000 steel wool cleans up.

It can be a little tricky getting the boric acid to stick to the piece. So far I've just made a paste and tried to get it to stick. If you get it right it melts in the oven and prevents scale. Apparently, you can also heat the piece up and get the powder to melt/sick. Will try that next.

Here is the center in a mount that I'm going to bolt to an angle plate when needed:
View attachment 304977



Can you post a shot of the title page or more info for that book? I found two possibilities, and would love to have copy.

-Dave

When I was an apprentice and later as a journeyman, we packed heat treating items in ground peach pit charcoal to prevent decarburization; can't get it anymore, so they went to ground coke, that is what I use, and pack parts in a stainless steel box with a loose fitting lid in the furnace.