techymechy
Aluminum
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2018
I bought a Whitney 91 punch for cheap and found out that the punches and dies are an odd size and basically non existent. I went to Whitney and they want $40 for a punch and die set.
I would like to try my hand at making my own punches and dies. I would like to use 1018 cold rolled steel for the punch and die. I would then like to case harden the part by packed carburize the parts, heat treat, quench, anneal.
I watched many of the videos on you tube and one uses charcoal and an electric oven. I have an electric oven that has a inside volume of roughly a 6 inch cube that I'll be using for the carburizing, heat treatment, annealing, etc.
In the video, they used a steel box and refractory mortar to make an air tight seal when carburizing. Is it critical to have a very good seal? I need a steel box. I have been thinking of three options:
Option 1. Make a box out of 20ga. sheet metal with a slip on lid (reasonably tight fitting). I have some sheet metal and equipment
Option 2. Buy some 3/8" steel plate and bolt together a box. I don't have a welder.
Option 3. Buy a box....I can't find anything that might work except for the Hoffman electrical boxes.
I would prefer to stay away from the refractory mortar but I don't know how good of a seal I need for this process.
Option 1 may be too thin and it will become fully case hardened, and potentially brittle, from use. Also, I don't know how good of a seal I can make.
Option 2 won't be welded, but can be bolted together. It may be difficult to take apart. Also, I don't know how good of a seal I need.
Option 3 may suffer the same issues as option 1, and the Hoffman boxes come painted, etc. and I'm not sure I want to burn the paint off in my oven.
Please let me know your thoughts on how to make/buy a packed carburizing box for my oven and how gas tight I need to make the lid (do I need to use the mortar).
Dave
I would like to try my hand at making my own punches and dies. I would like to use 1018 cold rolled steel for the punch and die. I would then like to case harden the part by packed carburize the parts, heat treat, quench, anneal.
I watched many of the videos on you tube and one uses charcoal and an electric oven. I have an electric oven that has a inside volume of roughly a 6 inch cube that I'll be using for the carburizing, heat treatment, annealing, etc.
In the video, they used a steel box and refractory mortar to make an air tight seal when carburizing. Is it critical to have a very good seal? I need a steel box. I have been thinking of three options:
Option 1. Make a box out of 20ga. sheet metal with a slip on lid (reasonably tight fitting). I have some sheet metal and equipment
Option 2. Buy some 3/8" steel plate and bolt together a box. I don't have a welder.
Option 3. Buy a box....I can't find anything that might work except for the Hoffman electrical boxes.
I would prefer to stay away from the refractory mortar but I don't know how good of a seal I need for this process.
Option 1 may be too thin and it will become fully case hardened, and potentially brittle, from use. Also, I don't know how good of a seal I can make.
Option 2 won't be welded, but can be bolted together. It may be difficult to take apart. Also, I don't know how good of a seal I need.
Option 3 may suffer the same issues as option 1, and the Hoffman boxes come painted, etc. and I'm not sure I want to burn the paint off in my oven.
Please let me know your thoughts on how to make/buy a packed carburizing box for my oven and how gas tight I need to make the lid (do I need to use the mortar).
Dave