enviroquench and speed quench 1 versus heatbath 50

Hello Everyone,
I am interested to see if anyone has the data or experience with the fast polymer quenchants and how they compare with the fast oils (like Parks/Heatbath 50).

I am tired of the smoke and flame risk, and smell. If there is a polymer that is just as fast or faster, then I may try it. I guess I would really like it if someone has a source for small quantities of the stuff to mix these up, or would like to split a batch.

The Enviroquench is described as like a fast oil, and the SpeedQuench 1 is supposed to be an inhibited brine, whatever that means.

I would like to try either or both of them for hardening and hamon formation on W2 and low manganese 1075. I could happily replace the Parks and the water forever, if these work out.

Any information and especially data is greatly appreciated. Also, anyone interested in buying a batch of these together.

thanks,

Kevin

I looked at them a few years ago. It was the need to constantly monitor the concentration with a spectrometer that kept me using Parks 50.

http://www.maximoil.com/products.htm#Heat Treating Products

Rob is right.
I looked into it also. The way it was explained to me was that agitation, temperature and concentration was crucial to the process. Every time you quench a blade/s you alter the concentration of the mix via evaporation which affect the target results. The big guys are using it in constantly monitored large volume recirculation tanks. It all made sense to me after the explanation. Sounded like a PIA.


Rudy

aha! that is the catch... monitoring the concentration. OK, that makes them a little less desirable. still, I may give it a whirl.
depends on how much the equipment to monitor the concentration costs...

i have looked a houghton Aqua-Quench 145 as an alternative to oil. here is the datasheet http://www.houghtonheattreat.com/pdf/polymer-quenchants/AQUA-QUENCH 145 1401 US.pdf. here is a data sheet to compare it too, Houghton Quench K, which is supposed to be close to Parks 50. http://www.houghtonheattreat.com/pdf/cold-quench-oils/Houghto-Quench K.pdf. i have been unable to find anyone that sells polymer quench in quantities less than 55gallon. I am trying to get a sample of AQ145 from a sister factory. yes you need to monitor concentration, but it doesnt sound like concentration is going to change from doing a knife or 4 or 8. in the sister factory, each product line is quenching 20-30 4pound parts an hour. the concentration is checked once every 8 hours. as fluid evaporates, your quench will get slower.

In my case, using a 3 gallon quench tank. A simple line on the inside of the tank would be enough monitoring since you're presumably only adding water (?). The circulation posed the biggest problem since my quench tanks are tubes and portable. I wondered how well it would work without circulation but the rep told me that the circulation helped keep the polymer in suspension. So having an idle tank probably wouldn't work very well unless you put a mixing device to it every time you quench something. I thought it would be a fix-all but presented more problems than I wanted to deal with on a part time basis. I don't quench things 24/7.


Rudy

I am still contemplating something like speedquench or enviroquench, or another of the fast ones. It would be good if we could get samples to test, or if 5 or 6 of us split a larger amount. I mean, 10 gallons of this stuff, if I understand, is enough to mix several times that volume of quenchant. I only need 3 or 4 gallons for my tube, plus some spare to keep adjusting the concentration.

thanks for the information and insights. I really appreciate the thoughtful responses.
kc

Matt - yes, I like to do interrupted quenching. I get some flames sometimes because the tang is above the oil and flashes the vapor. If I just dunk the whole thing, I don't get any flames either.

thanks for asking though, problem solving is always welcomed.