Quench tank?

[alexkuzn]

Guys,
what do you use for quench tank?
Is anything suitable for a tank in HomeDepot?

BTW Currently I am using a plastic container.

[B.Finnigan]

I use an old bread pan with an adjustable depth stop. The oil is heated on a $10 single burner wall plug hot plate. It has worked fine for me over a year now so I have not had any reason to make anything fancier for now. The thermometer is a little digital one that should be on my BBQ but is now in the shop.

For smaller blades I use an empty 10 oz tin can since it heats faster. The quench tank is one of many bladesmithing items you should not have to spend any big bucks on. One trip to a Value Village or Goodwill store and should have everything you need.

[TikTock]

YUP
Home depot..in the garden section.....

I got a great, 2.5 gallon, galvanized, welded metal planter. Watertight, and oval/rectangular in shape, perfect for edge quenching long blades...they had bigger and smaller ones, too.

[Ray Rogers]

"Never do anything the easy way", that's my motto! I prefer to quench my blades tip first. If I need a differential temper, I clay coat and dip that tip first or I do a torch draw after the quench. That's why this gizmo works for me:



It's a 4" steel pipe with a thermometer in the middle and an electric heating element in the bottom ....

[Ice Tigre]

I've got a 4x8(aprox.) cast iron bread pan. heat the oil until 140deg. on a candy thermometer cliped to the side. heat with the same torch I use for the blades.

Gary

[Chris Meyer]

I used 4.5" (I think) automotive exhaust pipe and had steel plates welded on the bottom. I have two tanks that are about 4ft high. One is for Park Metallurgical's AAA, and the other for their #50. I cover the tanks with plastic caps that I got at Sears. I believe that they are intended as sewer pipe covers. I warm up my oil with a long mild steel bar that I heat up in my forge. It works fine, but it's not nearly as slick as Ray's set up. I like that electrically heated design and may have to incorporate it into mine.

[cricket]

I use a large military ammo can with a adjustable aluminum table in the bottom of the tank. this combination is good for me because I have a lid with a gasket that keeps out moisture and other unwanted trash from getting into the tank when not in use. I think the tank is about 18 or 19 inches long and plenty deep ( 8 in.) I found it in the Sportsmans Guide catalog....about 15 dollars. Hope this helps, let us know how your progress is going.

[Andrew Garrett]

I used an aluminum foil type bread pan until I poked a hole in it and did an Exxon Valdez on my shop floor.

Now I use a shallow rectangular cake pan with olive oil. I preheat with a piece of scrap that I heat up in the forge first. On thicker blades, I may not preheat at all.

HOWEVER, The ammo can idea sounds cool as hell! The local scrap yard sells all sizes by the thousands! That's for me! Clean, and you can move it without risking a spill!
Thanks Cricket!

[B.Finnigan]

I also like the ammo can idea because if you get a flame up you just close the lid. Right now I just keep a piece of mild steel with some vise grips locked on to snuff out a flame up.

[Dan Graves]

I got lucky one day and was on a demolition project and there was a cafeteria type food warmer where they had water in it and plugged it in with bowls in it. Stainless steel, free. Couldnt be a better deal. 40 inches long and 6 inches deep by 22 inch wide. Works great.

[Tom Militano]

I use a valve cover off a 350 Chevy

[Phydeaux]

I got a nice 304 stainless steel pan at Smart and Final for under $20. I heat the quench oil in the pan on my gas BBQ.

[cricket]

The ammo can is also great for vermiculite. Keeps out moisture and when you put a hot blade in, just put on the lid to help hold in heat. I have about 3 or 4 that I use for all sorts of storage where I want things kept secure. If you can find them with the handles on each end it's better.

[Chant]

I use a turkey roasting pan. Lid sits beside it in case of flare up.

[Jens Butler]

I use a 5 Gallon S.S. stock pot with a lid, $12.00 from " wally world " and a candy thermometer that was less than $2.00. If I actualy manage to plan ahead I'll pre-heat using a single electric " 5th burner ", If Im in a hurry I'll dump a bunch of large diameter mild steel barstock in the forge and use them to pre-heat the Oil.

Jens