Hi guys
I'm planning to make a quench tank this week and I just wanted to get some input.

I'm thinking 4" or 6" pipe about 3 feet long welded to a steel plate , this is similar to what I used at the ABS school.

Is this the simple mater I think it is or am I missing something ?
Anything I'm over looking ? Any method or tips you care to share would help

Thanks lyman

If it were me I`d make it 6" longer than the total length of anything I planned to quench in it.That way if anything happened I could just drop whatever I was working on in it and still be able to clap the cover on it.
I would also put a hook within arm reach of the tank and hang the cover from it after I painted the cover a color like safety orange.
I`d also make the base large enough that someone would have to really work to tip it over(like make a stand with 3 widely spaced legs).Better yet,I`d bolt it to the(hopefully non-flammable) wall thru a standoff.
Never underestimate fire.

Bigger is better (within reason... TOO big becomes costly to fill) as you want sufficient supply of cool oil and some room to agitate your steel as you quench it. A lid is nice to keep critters and crud out and the occasional dropped tool or part.

Flip top lids are nice, but not necessary.

A wire basket that can sit all the way on the bottom, or be suspended and useful heights, so you don't need to drain the tank to get parts out if/when they get dropped.

Phil

Thanks guys I will take all of that in to consideration
I have one more question can any one tell me if shape of the tank matters. Most I have seen are round pipe is this for a reason or could I use 4 or 6 inch square of which I can get a bit more easily

Square will work fine.Go for it!

I took a piece od I Beam ..cleaned it up and welded a 3"x 3' tube to it...good luck tipping it...very sturdy...plus a nice lid it works great...i would like to make me a little basketnow i just tie a wire around a rr spike heat it up and drop it in the oil to heat up the oil a little...vice grips to hold the piece and swoosh it around...

I have several old CO2 tanks in the shop that are past their safety date, empty and the supplier that had rented them to me went belly up about ten years ago. I was kind of thinking they would make superb quench tanks with the head cut off. Any reason an old tank wouldn't be good for this?

CO2? Super! Just have a plan to prevent tipping and catch overflow.
Phil

If you can find a pot or can that will fit over the tank as a fire snuffer they work great for oil quench tanks too.

I have a heavy chunk of steel on a piece of 1/8" wire with a hook bent on one end so I can preheat the oil by heating the chunk and then hang it on the tank rim with the piece inside and low.

For a rather narrow tank I built a wooden holder for it to avoid tip overs---it also catches splashings.

Most towns have used restaurant supply dealers. They all have a bunch of beat up stuff that they sell cheap. I buy nice sized old stainless steel steamer trays with lids for about three bucks. They're great for knives. These places are a blacksmiths dream!! Old burners,quench vats(LARGE Ones)rolling tables,stands. Find one in your town and go have fun...

On quench tanks of any length you need to be able to heat your oil
and stir it up to make sure your not going to have any hard or soft spots.
On a tilted tank for swords or whatever you want to quench. You will need to heat at three levels.

I have a basket on a wire set up in my tanks.
I can't drop it any further than the bottom of the basket.

chuck

I thing as long as your building this tank if your going to make it up right and secure to the floor so as not to tip over I'd add a drain plug or faucet to get to old oil out.

I keep meaning to add a small valve at the very bottom of my tank. In the event the oil gets contaminated with water (which is a bad thing for its properties as a quenchant), it'll settle to the bottom. It'd be very handy to be able to drain the water without having to fool around with siphoning or decanting.

I use a stainless steel steaming table pan... as for dropping parts, tools etc in it, I use a small but powerfull magnet on a stalk to pull out things. The lid is absolutely necessary for putting out flareups as the oil always seems to catch fire... extinquisher at hand is a must! No ifs ands or buts... plus I always have a charged hose nearby as well. Fire in your shop is nothing to take a chance on.

The neatest quench tank I've seen was made with an old, very big ammo can. The guy had rigged it with a circulation pump and heater, but I don't think that was absolutely needed. Five gallons of quench with a lid already hinged on.... can't ask for much more than that!

My current quench tank is an artillery powder canister that I bought for $10 at a gun show. I usedta be able to get those free where I worked. Too bad I wasn't into smithing then. :)

HAH!How did I know you were a "gun bunny".
We ground pounders can pick you guys out a mile away.Wheeled or tracked?

Marine artillery has been towed only since the early 90s. When I was in we only had the M198.