Knowing What Takes Place
: HARDENING CARBON STEEL FOR TOOLS: The Working Of Steel
How are we to know if we have given a
piece of steel the very best possible treatment?
The best method is by microscopic examination of polished and etched
sections, but this requires a certain expense for laboratory equipment
and upkeep, which may prevent an ordinary commercial plant from
attempting such a refinement. It is highly recommended that any
firm that has any large amount of heat treatment to d
such an equipment, which can be purchased for from $250 to $500.
Its intelligent use will save its cost in a very short time.
The other method is by examination of fractures of small test bars.
Steel heated to its correct temperatures will show the finest possible
grain, whereas underheated steel has not had its grain structure
refined sufficiently, and so will not be at its best. On the other
hand, overheated steel will have a coarser structure, depending
on the extent of overheating.
To determine the proper quenching temperature of any particular
grade of steel it is only necessary to heat pieces to various
temperatures not more than 20 deg.C. (36 deg.F.) apart, quench in water,
break them, and examine the fractures. The temperature producing
the finest grain should be used for annealing and hardening.
Similarly, to determine tempering temperatures, several pieces
should be hardened, then tempered to various degrees, and cooled
in air. Samples, say six, reheated to temperatures varying by 100 deg.
from 300 to 800 deg.C. will show a considerable range of properties,
and the drawing temperature of the piece giving the desired results
can be used.
For drawing tempers up to 500 deg.F. oil baths of fresh cotton seed
oil can be safely and satisfactorily used. For higher temperature
a bath of some kind of fused salt is recommended.
More
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Gas Consumption For Carburizing
Although the advantages offered by the gas-fired furnace for carburizing have been generally recognized in the past from points of view as close temperature regulation, decreased attendance, and greater convenience, very little information has been ... Gears
The material used for all gears on the Liberty engine was selected at the option of the manufacturer from the following standard S. A. E. steels, the composition of which are given in Table 12, TABLE 12.--COMPOSITION OF STEELS NOS. X-3,340 AND 6,1... Hardening
The forgings can be hardened by cooling in still air or quenching in oil or water from a temperature between 1,650 and 1,750 deg.F. The physical properties do not vary greatly when the carbon is within the range of composition given, or when the ... Hardening
Steel is hardened by quenching from above the upper critical. Apparently the quick cooling prevents the normal change back to definite and sizeable crystals of ferrite and cementite. Hardness is associated with this suppressed change. If the change ... Hardening Carbon Steel For Tools
For years the toolmaker had full sway in regard to make of steel wanted for shop tools, he generally made his own designs, hardened, tempered, ground and usually set up the machine where it was to be used and tested it. Most of us remember the to... Hardening High-speed Steel
In forging use coke for fuel in the forge. Heat steel slowly and thoroughly to a lemon heat. Do not forge at a lower heat. Do not let the steel cool below a bright cherry red while forging. After the tool is dressed, reheat to forging heat to remove... Hardening High-speed Steels
We will now take up the matter of hardening high-speed steels. The most ordinary tools used are for lathes and planers. The forging should be done at carbon-steel heat. Rough-grind while still hot and preheat to about carbon-steel hardening heat, th... Hardening Operation
Hardening a gear is accomplished as follows: The gear is taken from the furnace by the furnaceman and placed in the lower die, surrounding the centering jaws, as shown at H in Fig. 62 and C in Fig. 63. Air is then turned into the cylinder D, and th... Hardness Testing
The word hardness is used to express various properties of metals, and is measured in as many different ways. Scratch hardness is used by the geologist, who has constructed Moh's scale as follows: Talc has a hardness of 1 Rock Salt h... Heat Treatment Of Axles
Parts of this general type should be heat-treated to show the following minimum physical properties: Elastic limit, 115,000 lb. per square inch; elongation in 2 in., 16 per cent; reduction of area, 50 per cent; Brinell hardness, 277 to 321. The h... Heat Treatment Of Gear Blanks
This section is based on a paper read before the American Gear Manufacturers' Association at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., Apr. 18, 1918. Great advancement has been made in the heat treating and hardening of gears. In this advancement the chemic... Heat Treatment Of Lathe Planer And Similar Tools
FIRE.--For these tools a good fire is one made of hard foundry coke, broken in small pieces, in an ordinary blacksmith forge with a few bricks laid over the top to form a hollow fire. The bricks should be thoroughly heated before tools are heated. H... Heat Treatment Of Milling Cutters Drills Reamers Etc
THE FIRE.--Gas and electric furnaces designed for high heats are now made for treating high-speed steels. We recommend them for treating all kinds of Blue Chip tools and particularly the above class. After tools reach a yellow heat in the forge fire... Heat Treatment Of Punches And Dies Shears Taps Etc
HEATING.--The degree to which tools of the above classes should be heated depends upon the shape, size and use for which they are intended. Generally, they should not be heated to quite as high a heat as lathe tools or milling cutters. They should h... Heat Treatment Of Steel
Heat treatment consists in heating and cooling metal at definite rates in order to change its physical condition. Many objects may be attained by correct heat treatment, but nothing much can be expected unless the man who directs the operations know... Heat-treating Department
The heat-treating department occupies an L-shaped building. The design is very practical, with the furnace and the floor on the same level so that there is no lifting of heavy pots. Fuel oil is used in all the furnaces and gives highly satisfactory... Heat-treating Equipment And Methods For Mass Production
The heat-treating department of the Brown-Lipe-Chapin Company, Syracuse, N. Y., runs day and night, and besides handling all the hardening of tools, parts of jigs, fixtures, special machines and appliances, carburizes and heat-treats every month bet... Heating
Although it is possible to work steels cold, to an extent depending upon their ductility, and although such operations are commonly performed, forging usually means working heated steel. Heating is therefore a vital part of the process. Heating s... Heating Of Manganese Steel
Another form of heat-treating furnace is that which is used for the heating of manganese and other alloy steels, which after having been brought to the proper heat are drawn from the furnace into an immediate quenching tank. With manganese steel in... Heavy Forging Practice
In heavy forging practice where the metal is being worked at a welding heat, the amount of flame that will issue from an open-front furnace is so great that a plain, sheet-steel front will neither afford sufficient protection nor stand up in servic... High Speed Steel
For centuries the secret art of making tool steel was handed down from father to son. The manufacture of tool steel is still an art which, by the aid of science, has lost much of its secrecy; yet tool steel is today made by practical men skilled as ... High-carbon Machinery Steel
The carbon content of this steel is above 30 points and is hardly ever above 60 points or 0.60 per cent. Annealing such steel is generally in quantity production and does not require the care that the other steels need because it is very largely a m... High-chromium Or Rust-proof Steel
High-chromium, or what is called stainless steel containing from 11 to 14 per cent chromium, was originally developed for cutlery purposes, but has in the past few years been used to a considerable extent for exhaust valves in airplane engines becau... Highly Stressed Parts
The highly stressed parts on the Liberty engine consisted of the connecting-rod bolt, the main-bearing bolt, the propeller-hub key, etc. The material used for parts of this type was selected at the option of the manufacturer from standard S. A. E. s... Hints For Tool Steel Users
Do not hesitate to ask for information from the maker as to the best steel to use for a given purpose, mentioning in as much detail as possible the use for which it is intended. Do not heat the steel to a higher degree than that fixed in the desc... Impact Tests
Impact tests are of considerable importance as an indication of how a metal will perform under shock. Some engineers think that the tensile test, which is one made under slow loading, should therefore be supplemented by another showing what will hap... Instructions For Working High-speed Steel
Owing to the wide variations in the composition of high-speed steels by various makers, it is always advisable to follow the directions of each when using his brand of steel. In the absence of specific directions the following general suggestions fr... Introduction Of Carbon
The matter to which these notes are primarily directed is the introduction of carbon into the case of the article to be hardened. In the first place the chances of success are increased by selecting as few brands of steel as practicable to cover the... Judging The Heat Of Steel
While the use of a pyrometer is of course the only way to have accurate knowledge as to the heat being used in either forging or hardening steels, a color chart will be of considerable assistance if carefully studied. These have been prepared by sev... Knowing What Takes Place
How are we to know if we have given a piece of steel the very best possible treatment? The best method is by microscopic examination of polished and etched sections, but this requires a certain expense for laboratory equipment and upkeep, which m... Lathe And Planer Tools
FORGING.--Gently warm the steel to remove any chill, is particularly desirable in the winter, then heat slowly and carefully to a scaling heat, that is a lemon heat (1,800 to 2,000 deg.F.), and forge uniformly. Reheat the tool for further forging di... Lathe And Planer Tools
TO FORGE.--Gently warm the steel to remove any chill is particularly desirable in the winter. Then heat slowly and carefully to a scaling heat, that is a lemon heat (1,800 deg.-2,000 deg.F.), and forge uniformly. Reheat the tool for further forging ... Leeds And Northrup Optical Pyrometer
The principles of this very popular method of measuring temperature are sketched in Fig. 123. The instrument is light and portable, and can be sighted as easily as an opera glass. The telescope, which is held in the hand, weighs only 25 oz.;... Liberty Motor Connecting Rods
The requirements for materials for the Liberty motor connecting rods are so severe that the methods of securing the desired qualities will be of value in other lines. The original specifications called for chrome-nickel but the losses due to the dif... Machineability
Reheating for machine ability was done at 100 deg. less than the drawing temperature, but the time of soaking is more than double. After both drawing and reheating, the blanks were buried in lime where they remain, out of contact with the air, until... Making Steel Balls
Steel balls are made from rods or coils according to size, stock less than 9/16-in. comes in coils. Stock 5/8-in. and larger comes in rods. Ball stock is designated in thousandths so that 5/8-in. rods are known as 0.625-in. stock. Steel for makin... Manganese
MANGANESE is a metal much like iron. Its chemical symbol is Mn. It is somewhat more active than iron in many chemical changes--notably it has what is apparently a stronger attraction for oxygen and sulphur than has iron. Therefore the metal is used ... Manganese
Manganese adds considerably to the tensile strength of steel, but this is dependent on the carbon content. High carbon materially adds to the brittleness, whereas low-carbon, pearlitic-manganese steels are very tough and ductile and are not at all b... Molybdenum
Molybdenum steels have been made commercially for twenty-five years, but they have not been widely exploited until since the war. Very large resources of molybdenum have been developed in America, and the mining companies who are equipped to produce... Mushet And Bessemer
That Mushet was "used" by Ebbw Vale against Bessemer is, perhaps, only an assumption; but that he was badly treated by Ebbw Vale is subject to no doubt. Mushet's business capacity was small but it is difficult to believe that he could have been so f... Nickel
Nickel may be considered as the toughest among the non-rare alloys now used in steel manufacture. Originally nickel was added to give increased strength and toughness over that obtained with the ordinary rolled structural steel and little attempt wa... Nickel-chromium
A combination of the characteristics of nickel and the characteristics of chromium, as described, should obviously give a very excellent steel as the nickel particularly affects the ferrite of the steel and the chromium the carbon. From this combina... Non-shrinking Oil-hardening Steels
Certain steels have a very low rate of expansion and contraction in hardening and are very desirable for test plugs, gages, punches and dies, for milling cutters, taps, reamers, hard steel bushings and similar work. It is recommended that for for... Oil-hardening Steel
Heat slowly and uniformly to 1,450 deg.F. and forge thoroughly. Do not under any circumstances attempt to harden at the forging heat. After cooling from forging reheat to about 1,450 deg.F. and cool slowly so as to remove forging strains. ... Open Hearth Process
The open hearth furnace consists of a big brick room with a low arched roof. It is charged with pig iron and scrap through doors in the side walls. Through openings at one end of the furnace come hot air and gas, which burn in the furnace, prod... Optical System And Electrical Circuit Of The Leeds & Northrup Optical Pyrometer
For extremely high temperature, the optical pyrometer is largely used. This is a comparative method. By means of the rheostat the current through the lamp is adjusted until the brightness of the filament is just equal to the brightness of the image ... Phosphorus
PHOSPHORUS is an element (symbol P) which enters the metal from the ore. It remains in the steel when made by the so-called acid process, but it can be easily eliminated down to 0.06 per cent in the basic process. In fact the discovery of the basic ... Phosphorus
Phosphorus is one of the impurities in steel, and it has been the object of steel makers for years to eliminate it. On cheap grades of steel, not subject to any abnormal strain or stress, 0.1 per cent phosphorus is not objectionable. High phosphorus... Pickling The Forgings
The forgings were then pickled in a hot solution of either niter cake or sulphuric acid and water at a temperature of 170 deg.F., and using a solution of about 25 per cent. The solution was maintained at a constant point by taking hydrometer reading... Piston Pin
The piston pin on an aviation engine must possess maximum resistance to wear and to fatigue. For this reason, the piston pin is considered, from a metallurgical standpoint, the most important part on the engine to produce in quantities and still pos... Placing Of Pyrometers
When installing a pyrometer, care should be taken that it reaches directly to the point desired to be measured, that the cold junction is kept cold, and that the wires leading to the recording instrument are kept in good shape. The length of these ... Placing The Thermo-couples
The following illustrations from the Taylor Instrument Company show different applications of the thermo-couples to furnaces of various kinds. Figure 118 shows an oil-fired furnace with a simple vertical installation. Figure 119 shows a method of im... Plant For Forging Rifle Barrels
The forging of rifle barrels in large quantities and heat-treating them to meet the specifications demanded by some of the foreign governments led Wheelock, Lovejoy & Company to establish a complete plant for this purpose in connection with their wa... Preparing Parts For Local Case-hardening
At the works of the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, Dayton, Ohio, they have a large quantity of small shafts, Fig. 40, that are to be case-hardened at A while the ends B and C are to be left soft. Formerly, the part A was brush-coated with ... Preventing Carburizing By Copper-plating
Copper-plating has been found effective and must have a thickness of 0.0005 in. Less than this does not give a continuous coating. The plating bath used has a temperature of 170 deg.F. A voltage of 4.1 is to be maintained across the terminals. Regio... Preventing Cracks In Hardening
The blacksmith in the small shop, where equipment is usually very limited, often consisting of a forge, a small open hard-coal furnace, a barrel of water and a can of oil must have skill and experience. With this equipment the smith is expected to, ... Preventing Decarbonization Of Tool Steel
It is especially important to prevent decarbonization in such tools as taps and form cutters, which must keep their shape after hardening and which cannot be ground away on the profile. For this reason it is well to put taps, reamers and the like in... Process Of Carburizing
Carburizing imparts a shell of high-carbon content to a low-carbon steel. This produces what might be termed a dual steel, allowing for an outer shell which when hardened would withstand wear, and a soft ductile core to produce ductility and withst...