Blacksmith Jim Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I need to be able to do some Oil quenching in the not too distant future. Right now I don't have any oil or a good container to quench in. Do you guys have any recommendation for a nice container? I'm thinking I'll probably use olive or peanut oil. I'm guessing I want to have 2-3 gallons to quench into? Mainly I'll be quenching tools, punches, chisels, etc., but I think I will also be doing some hammer heads in the slightly more distant future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 It depends on what you're quenching of course but you want a sufficient amount of oil to keep it from overheating / boiling on you. A couple three gallons for small pieces like punches, chisels and hammer heads is plenty. A decent weight container is important, while a coffee or paint can is okay a dropped chisel can poke a hole in the bottom. You also want an air tight cover for a number of reasons. First being fire control, you want to be able to smother a fire that gets going. A 5gl. steel bucket with lid and a piece of 12-14 ga. sheet in the bottom to prevent hole pokage is a good choice. A length of pipe welded to a piece of plate is a common quench tank for bladesmiths. There are a lot of solutions and most of them are good. (no tupperware right?) Keep your eyes open and you'll find what you need. Peanut, etc. oil is good but regular: quenching oil, heat treat oil or heat transfer oil is safer as it doesn't flash as easily. Some hydraulic fluids work well too, like DN-600, they have high flash points and the fumes aren't too bad. Do it outside though. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 the old long steel ammo boxes with the strap hinged lids make a handy oil tank ,make a mesh liner with two handles to lift the work peice out ,make shure the lid will close tight with the mesh pan in place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skunkriv Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I use an old milk box from the days when the milkman would deliver to your house. It is insulated (a little) so keeps my preheat on the oil for awhile. The lid keeps it clean and can be flipped closed to put out flame up if necessary, though with the oil I use you have to almost try on purpose to light it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 The rule of thumb with oil is 1 gallon per 1 pound of parts. For a punch, a coffee can will satisfy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I'm currently using the bottom of a home medical oxy tank. I built a wooden stand to make it hard to tip over a screen with wires to the top to rescue dropped pieces is strongly suggested (of course having your tongs burst into flame after fishing stuff off the bottom of an oil quench tank the first time they get in the dragon's breath again can be amusing...) Tyler I guess you are still working with small stuff; I have some punches that weigh over 5# and won't fit into the coffee can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thanks frosty. Putting a plate at the bottom to prevent poke through sounds like good advice. I was thinking of one of those old milk cans myself skunk. I remember my grandparents having a few around back in the day. I recon I'll just keep my eyes peeled and see what I find. I need to be careful with home much I spend trying to outfit the shop, so I think scrounging stuff is the way to go for this. How tight does the lid need to be? Does it need to be airtight, or if I build something close will it be OK? Thanks for the feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 Thomas, yea, I was thinking about how it might be hard (or at least dirty) to fish a small chisel out of 3 gallons of oil.... A wire mesh also seems like a good idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Chaos, I have a 5-gallon can from home depot that used to hold poly-urethane finish for floors. I dumpster dove for it on a construction site where they were finishing the floors in a new home. I did not think of lining the bottom - thanks too Frosty. but it comes with a metal lid. I removed all of the plastic and foam stuff which left me with a relatively tite lid with a 2-inch hole in it. There are also small (2-5 gallon) galvanized trash cans with lids that are less than twenty bux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I use an old fire extinguisher canister with the top cut off (Which can be used as a funnel) and I have a lid to stop dust etc getting in when not in use, I can also put this on to extinguish any flames should I need to, it starves the flames of Oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 The lid doesn't have to be a hermitical seal, just enough to smother the fire---you DO NOT want to use a fire extinguisher that will splash burning oil over your shop to put out a quench oil fire. usually not a problem in 25 years I have only had a couple I felt I needed to smother rather than let them go out on their own---but I like *lots* of oil so it doesn't get too hot! I knew a smith who accidently burned down his shop trying to quench a long piece in too little oil in a plastic bucket---two double purple no no's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 water from air will move into the oil eventually, you can weld a pipe with a ball valve on the bottom to let out water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 All this talk about milk cans and such......... I was at a flea market a while back and picked up a stainless steel milk can. Pretty new one really, someone had made it into a stool. I ripped the lid cover off. I didn't know for sure what I would use it for when I bought it, but the price was right. I figured it would be good for quenching in oil, or make an annealing tank out of it, or even the body for a gas forge. Guess I'll figure it out when it comes time for one of these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nc_cooter Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 A stainless steel steam table food pan with a lid makes a dandy quinch tank. They are available in sizes up to 5gal. If you can't find a free one, new is about $30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 I'm thinking I'll probably make the rounds and look at places like Goodwill or St. Vincent De Paul's. Maybe I can find something for 4 or 5 bucks.. Dumpster diving construction sites seems like a good idea as well, but I'm not sure I have the time for that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habu68 Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 your local pro paint store will have 5 gallon metal pails with lids, for a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryM Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I guess I'll throw my idea at you after reading basket in tank. Minnow bucket from sporting goods store. If you are using veggy oil you still can use it for fishing:D Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronPuppet Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 What about motor oil, like 30 weight? Isn't that better than peanut oil? What would be the best oil to use? Christopher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nc_cooter Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I use canola cooking oil from "WallyWorld". Much cheaper than peanut oil. It has a high flash point and works well with 10XX series steel. It should be preheated to 120F prior to quenching. A definite NO on the 30 wt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evfreek Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I use a free plastic container. Don't try this with any flammable oil I use a non-flammable aqueous polymer quenchant with oil-like quenching speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Here is the tank i welded up. I use it for marquenching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 A couple points: A screen is a really good idea. There are a couple problems using motor oil or waste oil, especially waste oil. It'll work alright ,as a quenchant, if you thin it some. The old "formula" we used was 3pts 30wt. motor oil to 1 pt. ATF. (Automatic Transmission Fluid) I've used 10wt. in a pinch but it's still to viscous for really good results. The real downside is the smoke, it's heavy, noxious and flamable. If you have nothing better motor oil will work but make sure it's deep enough to completely submerge the piece or you're going to be up to your armpits in flames. Waste oil is worse because there is no telling what's in it, just a little antifreeze can make your day go badly. Even if there are no oddball ingredients the byproducts of use can be nasty. If you have to use petrochemical oils use proper heat transfer or quenching oils, they're not that expensive especially when you consider their performance. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'm thinking I'll use olive or peanut oil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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