crushing coal to a poweder

[awemawson]

That's exactly what you should do. If you do it several times you will increase the depth of the case.

 

[BrokenBiker]

thought so, its been a while since I case hardened, and used kasenit for all the case hardening jobs during my apprenticeships.

I have some 5mm ms rod that can be used as a donor, only take a few seconds to get cherry with the propane so will have a little play and see what depths I can get.

 

[awemawson]

Genuine Kasenite contained an arsenic compound. It worked, it was good, and the compound was actually quite safe to use unless you ate it It worked so the EU banned it Who said vote ukip !!!

 

[Shox Dr]

I will try sugar tomorrow after work see how it comes out.

I cant heat the metal up in the sugar though, so will it be ok getting the metal cherry red, dipping in the sugar and allowing to cool in the sugar, then heat and quench?

lets say one way you'll case harden the steel, the other and you end up with a toffee apple

 

[norlander]

found this thread if its of any use, re the actual process, I recall we heated the piece, dipped it in the powder and then quenched it-but not sure about the quenching step-needs confirming, memory might be playing tricks.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=64390

One supplier of the actual powder here http://www.knighton-tools.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Case_Hardening_Compound.html

 

[norlander]

Not yours by any chance

oh so thats what I did wrong.

 

[awemawson]

I find that to get any depth of case you need to reheat to cherry red and hold it there for a while before plunging to quench. That is why the replacement Kasenite is usless as t all falls off or blows away !

 

[rich r]

If you want coal dust you're welcome to have all you want from the floor of my coal shed. The last thirty or so shovelfuls are just dust that's trickled through from the lumps of coal above.

I've tried making it into briquettes (add a little cement powder and water to the coal dust, then fill toilet roll tubes and leave to dry), but they burn up far too quickly in the boiler to be worth the effort.

 

[ronan]

Did you ever get sorted for a case hardening compound ? I need some myself but i don't want to fork out for something that doesn't work.

 

[penfold]

Blackgates sell hardening powder.