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Quench Tank Ideas


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I'm looking for some ideas on creating a better quenching tank.  I have an old Oxygen D tank that was cut open, it works "OK" but have knocked it over a few times (glad it only had water in it). Looking to see what everyone else came up with. Don't really wanna go the 5 gal bucket route tho but...

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Large ammo cans are great for oil quench tanks.  I prefer the 30mm/rocket cans because they're low to the ground and have a good amount of capacity.  I don't do swords so there's no need for a tall tank like you see in most of the videos.  

If you want to keep your O2 cylinder, you can always build a small stand for it so you don't have to worry about it tipping over.  Put it on wheels and you can move it out of the way when you don't need it.

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Ausfire I love your pictures this time of year, here I set today in the middle of an Ice Storm and a frozen quench bucket while you have green trees and sunshine.  The old cars in the background are pleasing as well.  I bought a 40mm ammo can last month for $15 for oil quenching.

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12 hours ago, Joel OF said:

I use a standard size galved metal bin

Did you have to do anything with the seams to seal it? 

I bought one for that very purpose, but it's press fit rather than welded. 

I tried sealing it with normal white silicone, but it didn't stick, then I tried some high temperature stuff. While it did stick, turns out it's water soluble. 

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I had the same problem with a brand new galvanized pale I bought, it leaked on all the seams including the bottom.  I used Dap Butyl-Flex Adhesive, this is the stuff they use on Rain Gutters and my steel shop roof, it can be bought in many places in the US, the big box stores for one.    This pale is my water quench bucket that is now frozen, it has been in use for about a year and a half and just started leaking alittle, this fall.  It froze last year too and I thought that was it for the fix but it held for a few more months.  Can you tell me why I would want to buy a galvanized pale that did not hold water?

image.png

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this is a good thread.  I thank you all for the ideas.  I had just last week decided to re purpose a motor of an air compressor for a grinder, the tank has a hole in it, but I can patch that to hold water.  It is a horizontal tank, but I can stand it on end and fashion some feet to keep it that way.  Now I just need to find a re purpose for the compressor head. 

I have an ammo can I could use for oil.  I had thought I'd want something bigger, but as I think about it, it will be a long time before I'm up for quenching anything larger than that.  I aspire to make axes and kitchen knives some day.  an ammo can should do the trick.  thanks again.

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4 hours ago, JustAnotherViking said:

Did you have to do anything with the seams to seal it?

No.

I've always thought that an easy make.shift quench bucket / vinegar pickleing tub could be a watertight tarpaulin roughly shaped to fill another container that's porous.

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That should work well. The tanks I have worked with use a heavy rubber bladder inside that is tough to remove until you cut the steel ring holding it in. This one we cut the bottom off with a reciprocating saw but the top would be the same. Might even leave the bladder in but cut the top of it out.

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I use an old galvanised diesel fuel tank with the top cut off for my quench tank......don't worry, it's perfectly safe, it's been full of water for the last ten years. I've made a mesh tray for it so I can drop smaller parts in and lift them out later with out having to go fishing.  I've not thus far had the need for an oil quench.

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Thanks Irondragon.  I knew about the rubber bladder and wondered if it was a bugger to get out.  I like the idea of having a top on a hinge so if there is a problem I can be a few feet away and shut the lid with a long piece of stock instead of having to walk over there and try to put a top over it.

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There's a video on YouTube of Philippine blacksmiths making sugarcane knives; they use a section of rubber tire elevated on a bamboo frame as their quench tank.

Here’s a screenshot of the smith doing an edge quench:

A08A19FB-ACBF-456B-9DDD-88410F4EBE48.png

(Full video HERE.)

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