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!
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.Wouldn’t drilling holes give you less surface area?
Yeah, that's the way I was thinking. Ted, we may just have too much time on our hands!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.
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.FWIW think it will work! At some point there is probably a trade off on how big the holes are vs the thickness.
ymmv
gotcha. Makes muy bueno sense. But wouldn't the increase in surface area increase the dissipation properties?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.
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.
but ya gotta have a mill! Remember, I'm the guy with the files and a HF drill press!I think it would be even more effective if you milled thin slots!
John, try just the holes, then try the water. I'd be interested in your results.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....
Don't you be pickin on my hacksaw!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