JHCC Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 A while back, this square tank on wheels followed me home from the industrial surplus warehouse (I think it was originally the reservoir from a hydraulic unit). Today, I finally got around to converting it into a quench tank. The two sections of the lid are made from 1/16" plate salvaged from another warehouse find, and the handle is 1/4" round. The interior is in two sections, with holes connecting them near the top. I’ve added a hinged lid to the quenching section, with the other half available for overflow. The lid for the overflow section drops down to rest on two ledges of angle iron. I cut these shorter at the back, so that I can tilt the lid up by pushing down at that end. The whole thing fits nicely under the solid-fuel forge when not in use. If I ever get into long blades, I'll make a tall quench tank for those, but I think this will be good for just about everything else I do these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 WOW!. That's pretty durned slick. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Yep, me too and it can be rolled outside to eliminate any chance of burning down the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Well, that's debatable, IFC. Have you ever tried to roll a container filled with liquid..........especially if it's on fire and your are in a panic? It could slop everywhere. But I don't think he'll have any kind of a problem with that situation because it's got lids on both tanks and they would easily put out a fire, I'd think. The wheels will just be nice to be able to carefully roll it out of the way when not in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 That's why it is rolled out of the shop before quenching. I never oil quench inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 Yes, it goes outside before quenching. If there’s a flare-up, I’ll slap the lid shut. The old quench tank was a medium-size stockpot inside a large stockpot, which I would carry in and out as needed. I’m glad to be able to roll this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Nice John, I like it don't even mind you stowing it under the forge too much. The easy closing flip shut lids are better fire suppression than quenching outdoors. While wildly unlikely an oil fire in the yard or driveway COULD get away from you, say a sudden gust of wind flowing flaming oil or something absorbent into the burning oil. Wildly unlikely like I said but not impossible. However, if the quench oil boils up and catches a quick flip of the tongs or piece being quenched closes the lid and smothers the fire. Better than a big fire extinguisher. Keeping the lids closed is about the only thing I can think of for an excuse for stowing a vat of flammable oil UNDER the forge. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 Remember, this is storage under the solid-fuel forge, which is getting almost no use these days. If I do fire up with coal rather than gas, I can always roll the tank out first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 I know I forget most anything at the drop of a random hat John but I don't recall knowing it was under the coal forge. Just went back to reread and nope, you don't mention coal forge, just the forge. I didn't look terribly closely at the table thingy it's under in the pic but knowing it's your coal forge it looks like one. . . Now. It's not that I don't have confidence you'll apply good sense to this kind of thing but I didn't want a newcomer thinking under the forge was a good place for the quench tank. Think of the bad influences seen almost every episode of FIF, heck one guy almost burned his garage and home down on camera quenching a sword in a too small tank IN the garage. How about all the guys quenching blades in plastic. . . PLASTIC buckets! I try to counteract some of the nonsense when I can and I'm sort of anal about new folk and safety. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 47 minutes ago, Frosty said: I don't recall knowing it was under the coal forge. Behold: 22 hours ago, JHCC said: The whole thing fits nicely under the solid-fuel forge when not in use. Point taken about providing good examples of safe shop practice, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Ayup, right in front of my face. I'm blaming the tree! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Didn't say coal; he could be running on corn or charcoal or lignite or peat or old class notes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 20, 2020 Author Share Posted April 20, 2020 There’s not enough solid matter in my old class notes to make them a worthwhile fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Mine are too salt encrusted from my teacher's tears over my spelling and grammar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 Dung works fine if you let it dry, I recommend a side blast. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 20, 2020 Author Share Posted April 20, 2020 There’s a joke to be made here about bottom-blast forges, but I won’t be the one to make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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