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Suggestions for steel for guillotine dies


dfsrusa

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Ok, I think I'll use A36 in 1/2 inch thick 3 inch wide sections. After I get the fuller forms I want on the dies, what would you all recommend for heat treating the die edges? Water quench, oil quench? As they're going to be in a lot of contact with hot stock being worked, does it make any sense to temper them? Do they need at least one temper before being used so they're not too brittle?

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31 minutes ago, dfsrusa said:

Ok, I think I'll use A36 in 1/2 inch thick 3 inch wide sections. After I get the fuller forms I want on the dies, what would you all recommend for heat treating the die edges? Water quench, oil quench? As they're going to be in a lot of contact with hot stock being worked, does it make any sense to temper them? Do they need at least one temper before being used so they're not too brittle?

I haven't done anything to my mild steel dies and they're holding their shape fine. Even the sharp corners on the dies I use for necking shoulders on bars to form tenons haven't become dull.

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A friend who has a guillotine tool uses regular mild steel for his dies, but heat treats the business ends using superquench.  Even though mild steel is generally considered a "non-hardenable" steel, the superquench gives him a bit more harness=longer life on his dies.

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