Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Hardening rails

zxcvbnm12330134 wrote:

>I bought some W-1 Water Hardening Drill Rod to use with my
>hand-me-down Thompson Super Ball Bushing linear bearings.
>
>The write-up said it was usable as-is, which I suppose it is,
>but it isn't as stiff as I was expecting. Can I heat this with
>my little propane torch, then quench it in a bucket or with a
>water hose? I probably won't be able to get the whole thing
>hot at once. Maybe I could put it in the oven at 500deg?
>
>

What you propose will guarantee making a curly rod. It will warp
even with proper heat treating, but a propane torch and bucket
will guarantee severe and irregular warping.

heating to 500 F will have almost no effect, although that might
slightly temper it after hardening. Generally, you have to heat it
a lot higher, at least 1100 F to do the tempering. Different alloys
require different temperatures, but the initial heating before the
quench is usually in the 1700 - 1800 F range.

Jon