[SEL] Heat Treating Metal

[Curt]

One of the bonuses of this list I like best is the international 
perspective we all get of what we each call things. This discussion on 
metals is a classic example. John mentions the C45 which I am guessing 
is identical to our 1045, standing for .45% carbon. I guess the C stands 
for carbon. Ray mentions K1045, almost identical to the US designation 
but I would be curious to know what the K stands for.
Ray also mentions the 4140 alloy which is identical to our system. The 
4140 has a little more Mn and also has Mo added that contributes to much 
better thru hardening than you get with 1045.
4340 has even better thru hardening and improved resistance to fracture 
propagation once a fatigue crack initiates. I make all of our 
crankshafts out of 4340. When the throw diameter is 21" you use the best 
possible materials!
Also mentioned were heat treat numbers using the Brinell scale. In the 
US we use a Rc (Rockwell C scale) for steel and a very hard part is 
55-60 Rc (a ball bearing for example). That would correspond to our 
Brinell scale of 458-613.

I really like the Casonite suggestion but Tommy I'm unclear if you have 
to remake the part. The size you mention (1/8 x 1") might suggest just 
buying a piece of tool steel. That would be a common size in something 
like A2 which is an air hardening tool steel, and something you can do 
with your torch at the house. If you really have a thing for quenching 
you can get the same sizes of tool steel in O1 (oil hardening/quenching) 
or even W1 (water hardening/quenching). Tool steels are designed 
specifically to give high stability to the machined shape when heat 
treating. Nothing worse that spending all the hours making a part only 
to have it destroyed/warped in the heat treatment.
Curt Holland
Gastonia, NC


R and E Freeman wrote:

>I suspect C45 is what we call here K1045. It's a carbon steel that will
>machine and readily harden but is a bit lacking in toughness. A good steel
>to use is 4140 which is readily available,cheap and easy to work with. It's
>a chrome / moly steel. It can be heated and quenched to harden. I would use
>sump oil to quench it in. This will bring it up to around 55 to 60 Brinell.
>That will mean you will need ceramic inserts to machine it.
>Ray Freeman
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
>[mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Rob Skinner
>Sent: Wednesday, 7 September 2005 1:12 PM
>To: 'The SEL email discussion list'
>Subject: RE: [SEL] Heat Treating Metal
>
>
>  
>
>>I need to make this out of some type material that I can 
>>heat treat to make it really hard.  Do any of you know of a type of 
>>material that I can redily machine but then heat treat (on my own) to 
>>make it super tough?  I used to have some type material here that was 
>>about 1/8 by one inch.
>>    
>>
>
>Hi Tommy,
>Kasenit might solve your problem.  It's a powdery substance in which coat
>the
>heated part, heat it again, and quench.
>
>Kasenit is available from McMaster-Carr.  Here's a web page that tells a
>little
>about the process:
>http://members.aol.com/illinewek/faqs/case.htm
>
>Rob
>
>
>
>
>
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