Hardening and tempering

[Agroshield]

The trick is getting the holes for pins and holes in the die lined up perfectly.

One way to do this is to make the two pieces as a matched set. Join the two pieces of blank material together and mark their orientation. Make each of the six or eight holes in both pieces at the same time.

If your facilities do not permit interchangeable manufacture, you can always make two items fit in one and only one way. That's how Joe Whitworth started out - a bolt and nut made in factory A would always fit together, tighten up and perform splendidly. It was just that you could never screw bolt A onto a nut made in factory B.

 

[Beanwood]

One way to do this is to make the two pieces as a matched set. Join the two pieces of blank material together and mark their orientation. Make each of the six or eight holes in both pieces at the same time.

If your facilities do not permit interchangeable manufacture, you can always make two items fit in one and only one way. That's how Joe Whitworth started out - a bolt and nut made in factory A would always fit together, tighten up and perform splendidly. It was just that you could never screw bolt A onto a nut made in factory B.

You're spot on - and this is exactly what I do - sort of. I actually make the drilled holes into a solid piece of bar, then split the top and bottom. This is where the parting tool I bought for the lathe last week was an absolute game changer.

The other challenge is making sure the drill goes in at EXACTLY 90 degrees, in all directions, and whilst I can easily adjust the side to side, I'm struggling to sort the 'nod' on my drill press or mill.

I'll have aother go later today

 

[oldbikedavey]

I suspect one of these two might be useful:

The analytical chemistry of uranium : Brearley, Harry, b. 1871 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

vi p., 1 l., 45 p. 22 cm

archive.org

The case-hardening of steel; an illustrated exposition of the changes in structure and properties induced in mild steels by cementation and allied processes : Brearley, Harry : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

xv, 164, [5] p. 23 cm

archive.org

Likely the second one.
Strangely accessible writing by a sublime exponent of the subject .
Basal coherence of the cemented layer is of the utmost importance....

 

[Onoff]

Couldn't it also be done by burying it in something carbon rich & holding it at a certain heat for a few hour?

Even sawdust I think.

 

[mcostello]

If You are going to use sawdust just make sure to use HARD wood, much harder than SOFT wood.

 

[oldbikedavey]

Nitrogen evolution during pack - hardening has benefits, evidently.

 

[Morris]

I use this, a small amount goes a long way. Results are the same as Kasenit.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[oldbikedavey]

I use this, a small amount goes a long way. Results are the same as Kasenit.

Pardon our interruption...

Ferricyanide or ferrocyanide ?
I've some ferrocyanide, which is a yellow crystalline substance, and supposedly the one to use.
Likely the principal component of Kasenit No.1 compound.

 

[Morris]

Ferricyanide or ferrocyanide ?
I've some ferrocyanide, which is a yellow crystalline substance, and supposedly the one to use.
Likely the principal component of Kasenit No.1 compound.

DOH! Yes, ferrocyanide. I didn't check and went from memory (which I now class as an unreliable narrator).

 

[Beanwood]

DOH! Yes, ferrocyanide. I didn't check and went from memory (which I now class as an unreliable narrator).

Phew - luckily I didn't order Ferri when I saw your post last night. Finally my tardiness pays off....