cedarghost Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I came across some 4130 (very thin bars) so I alternated 4130, 1080, 4130, 1095, 4130, 1095,4130,1080,4130 for a 9 layer billet and decided to see if my little forge would get tonwelding temp. In retrospect I could have just tried in mild steel, but anyway.... It did not weld all the way and I suspect it was the 4130. If you look at the billet you can see a couple of lines that look like the billet is three distinct layers. i am pretty sure I had a good temp, as the steel was bright yellow/white and the flux was dancing on the surface. I cleaned everything REALLY good with the grinder, heated to red, fluxed, heated to lemon yellow/ white and let it soak and made sure all layers were the same color. Loved it to be anvil quickly and just tapped to start setting the welds. Refluxed and back in to heat it back up and tapped again a little harder when it started to feel solid. Did this for about 5 cycles before I really started hitting it good. Once I thought it was set good, I hit the sides and nothing shifted or showed any cracks. However when I ground the end off I could see the layers. On a good note, I'm pretty sure I have no problem getting to welding temp. Guess I will try again with some 1080 and 15n20. I'm thinking with the 4130 being so thin it may have burned up. The burn marks in the picture are from the grinder. Any chance of saving it? Thoughts and comment welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Uh huh and now we know why we should refine the weld at least twice after setting it BEFORE working it on edge. Speaking from experience. <sigh> Not that you worked it on edge but it needed to be taken back to welding heat and worked a couple more times with progressively heavier blows. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedarghost Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Yes! I thought I was patient but I was not patient enough. I started hammering too hard, too quickly, I should have taken it to welding heat a couple more times with lighter blows to get everything set good. Great learning experience though. I have another billet just like this one stacked up and ready to go. So we will have round 2 tonight or tomorrow. On a good note, I am using a single Frosty t-burner in my little forge and it works great! I think I probably left it on the anvil too long as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 In my experience hitting a billet on edge will stress a new forge weld considerably. Even if you are sure it is welded sufficiently you should endeavor to keep it up to close to welding temperatures when forming it by hitting on edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedarghost Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 11 minutes ago, Latticino said: In my experience hitting a billet on edge will stress a new forge weld considerably. Even if you are sure it is welded sufficiently you should endeavor to keep it up to close to welding temperatures when forming it by hitting on edge. Sounds like sound advice. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Take it back to the forge and finish welding it then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedarghost Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 14 minutes ago, Steve Sells said: Take it back to the forge and finish welding it then Going to give it a try Steve before I just dump it. Any tips? Or just heat to red, reflux, heat to welding temp and set? I have read that once your initial weld fails its hard, if not impossible, to correct it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 you didnt fail, its an incomplete weld not the same animal at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedarghost Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 16 minutes ago, Steve Sells said: you didnt fail, its an incomplete weld not the same animal at all Good to know it may be salvageable. I will give it a try. Do you think my above approach to finish setting the weld looks sound? Thanks again Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Hitting on the edges is the "acid test" for a billet weld. I tell my students that if it will take that, it's a good weld. Now for billet abuse, I once took a billet and set it on end and forged it down to a disk without weld failure, (took a bunch of heats...) The disk was used for a pizza cutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedarghost Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Guess I tested it too soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jclonts82 Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 2 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: ...The disk was used for a pizza cutter. Now THAT sounds like my next dink around little project! I thought of making pharmacy pill counting spatulas for work, but that sounds like more fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 It was a trade item at our ABANA affiliate; but only 2 of use did pattern welded ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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