heating quenching oil

scott.livesey

Dealer - Purveyor
what do you guys use to heat your quench oil for the start of a heat treat session. My sorta fast oil needs to be 125 to 135 degrees to work the best. I was able to put my quench cylinder in a crock pot of hot water and got it to temperature after 45 minutes. once at 125, each blade quenched raised the temp so I was able to turn crock pot off. any other ideas?
in the same area, what would be the best temp for Parks 50. I keep my quench cylinders outside, so some days the oil may be 50 degrees.
thanks
scott
 
Probably the worst way to heat it is by throwing in hot steel, which should only be done if you are in a hurry. It oxidizes and shortens the life of the medium. A hot plate, crock pot etc., should be fine.

Parks #50 is a "cold quenching" fluid with a working range of 50-120 degrees F. Room temp should be fine as long as it's not below 50 degrees. I believe cold quenching is normally recommended only when warping and distortion during the quench are not a concern.
 
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I've done it a few ways in the past, including heating some of it in a pot on an electric griddle plate, and then pouring it into my tank.

Currently, I have an electric element from a hot water heating wired into the bottom of my tank. I use parks 50, so this only has to be done towards the end of fall/during winter, but I just turn the switch on for a few seconds, and when my oil is up to 60 degrees or so, I shut it off.

Now, I'm thinking about putting some kind of timed switch on my quench tank, as the last time I quenched some blades, I got interrupted just after flipping the switch. I came back to my tank a few minutes later and just happened to look down at the thermeter (which thank God I hadn't removed yet) and my oil was at around 450 degrees farenheit.

NOT GOOD!
 
I keep mine in a heated shop, but you can buy a pail / drum heater in various sizes that just wraps around your tank and is thermostatically controlled. Saves any worries about overheat (unless you overheat it with hot blades)
 
I use a turkey fryer. All I have to do it light it off and measure the temperature as it warms. The lid is kept handy in case of a fire.

Doug
 
I too use a hot water heater element (short one) on both my tanks. My tanks are made from old air compressor tanks, so I am in the horizontal mode.

I have one dedicated to Parks 50, and one for AAA, depending on the steel I am quenching.

I use a digital thermometer (with lots of stirring to equalize temps), and when I get to the temp I need, I simply cut the power. All this goes on while I watch the temps in my forge. Sort of like balancing a bowling ball on a soda straw above your nose. :)

I have plans to use the same set-up in the near future with vertical tubes.
 
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