Bigred1o1 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 i cant find the post in here to put a thank you in it but i know i found it in here once on the fact that mild steel when quenched in salt water will make a good spring for a leg vice i have driven myself nuts trying to reforge some old leaf springs and just not been happy with the shattering or them being to soft and the hassle of trying to take a 3/16th or so by 2inch wide piece of steel and make it into a half inch by inch piece of steel so anyway i had a perfect fire going today after finishing up some railings and the above comment popped back into my head and 15minets later i have 2 vices with springs in the once more so thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 On a post vise the movement is so small you don't need to heat treat mild steel, you can even bend it cold and get good results. You are asking for "superquench" which is a concoction of salt, soap, and surfactants which can harden "mild" steel from a high heat (non-magnetic is not hot enough) http://www.anvilfire.com/FAQs/quenchants.htm Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Today must of been vice day. I've worked on 4 vices today. From a 6 inch swivel needing cleaning, to my 4 3/4 post-legs new springy-spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 lol ok thats even odder Hayden i welded up a small 3 1/2 incher that was my fathers first vice that had the the handle slide snap after 35years today as well as making new springs phil i have a 6inch post vice i have set up so i can use it on its side as well as when mounted to the wall so getting a real spring in it means the jaws will now open 6+ inches against gravity so i am a very happy camper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 AhHA! Clamping 60# of bucking solidly onto something is very handy at times. I have done that with my post vise. I have a mild steel spring that is weak but wors fine when the post is vertical. My spring falls out when I unmount the vise so having a more powerful spring kinda moot to me. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 this was a lucky find for me i got what is a 100lb 6inch post vice just missing its spring and needing a new handle for 45bucka a while back and now its up and running well hopping i guess it having only one leg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don't tread on me Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 On a post vise the movement is so small you don't need to heat treat mild steel, you can even bend it cold and get good results. You are asking for "superquench" which is a concoction of salt, soap, and surfactants which can harden "mild" steel from a high heat (non-magnetic is not hot enough)http://www.anvilfire.../quenchants.htm Phil That isn't quite true I tried that it didn't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Superquench works best on A-36, not a true mild steel. It will NEVER make it as hard as a properly heat treated high carbon steel. But I have the punch that Rob Gunter forged froma a section of a-36 and quenched in it and used to cut the same piece of stock it was made from without deforming the edge. So it does work. Please state the case where you found it didn't. With so little information we can't tell if your expectations or your practice were off kilter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.