Quench plate ?

Bruce McLeish

Well-Known Member
Would it be beneficial to drill holes in the back of the plate to increase surface area and thereby increasing the quenching effect? Just an idle question due to quarantine!
 
Here’s my quench plate set up. If I drilled holes in the “top” side ie: the side away from the knife not sure it would have much effect. Never noticed the top side heating up. I think I see what your getting at. It might allow the heat to escape quicker. Interesting question.
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Bruce...I think you're correct...as long as you didn't break through. Like fins on a motorcycle head...
 
In the back side of the plate? I think it would increase the cooling area.? See what I get for thinking! The holes would only go halfway through the plate.

FWIW think it will work! At some point there is probably a trade off on how big the holes are vs the thickness.

ymmv
 
FWIW think it will work! At some point there is probably a trade off on how big the holes are vs the thickness.

ymmv
Yeah, what I'm thinkin is that with the correct size holes drilled, you could effectively get a 3/4 inch thick plate to work like a 1 1/2 thick plate. Thereby saving a lot of dinero for the initial purchase.
 
I am going to give a dissenting opinion for what it is worth. The mass of the plates is what draws the heat out of the blade. Less mass equals slower quench. By drilling even half holes you are removing mass. That may succeed in helping to cool the plates between quenches but I do not think it will help a quench. Think of the plates as huge heat sinks. Small light heat sinks do not help.
 
I am going to give a dissenting opinion for what it is worth. The mass of the plates is what draws the heat out of the blade. Less mass equals slower quench. By drilling even half holes you are removing mass. That may succeed in helping to cool the plates between quenches but I do not think it will help a quench. Think of the plates as huge heat sinks. Small light heat sinks do not help.
gotcha. Makes muy bueno sense. But wouldn't the increase in surface area increase the dissipation properties?
 
Uhhh...we're thinking too much of polar extremes here...it's not an either/or....Just drilling holes an 1/8 deep will greatly increase surface area without reducing mass much. One of the characteristics of Alum. is that heat tends to run to an edge quickly...more edges more cooling within
reason....if the hole were deep it would trap heat cause no air getting down there. A little dab'll do ya...
 
my plates get hot hot hot because i do multiple blades at a time. I even spritz my plates with water. Drilling some cavities to hold water might be worth trying....
 
I am going to give a dissenting opinion for what it is worth. The mass of the plates is what draws the heat out of the blade. Less mass equals slower quench. By drilling even half holes you are removing mass. That may succeed in helping to cool the plates between quenches but I do not think it will help a quench. Think of the plates as huge heat sinks. Small light heat sinks do not help.

True enough, but it's surface area that dissipates the heat, Usually surface area is much more important than mass.

YMMV
 
Yeah, what I'm thinkin is that with the correct size holes drilled, you could effectively get a 3/4 inch thick plate to work like a 1 1/2 thick plate. Thereby saving a lot of dinero for the initial purchase.


I think it would be even more effective if you milled thin slots!
 
Even a porta-band could cut slots!? A hacksaw would be painful!
Another issue would be if you cut the slots too thin they could be compromised when clamping them against the the blade blank too tightly.

ymmv
 
Even a porta-band could cut slots!? A hacksaw would be painful!
Another issue would be if you cut the slots too thin they could be compromised when clamping them against the the blade blank too tightly.

ymmv
Don't you be pickin on my hacksaw!
 
I doubt just drilling a few holes in the plate would make much difference. Adding water to the holes might.
Essentially your talking about creating a heat sink. A heat sink needs both mass and surface area to be effective. It's a bit of a balancing act. That's why you will see fins on heat sinks such as those used on computer processors.

Here's a heat sink calculator that might help. https://www.heatsinkcalculator.com/heat-sink-size-calculator.html
 
If you finned it like Jaxxas suggested you could rig air nozzles to blow along each set of fins...it would cool quickly that way.
 
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