[TheForge] Heat Treating 5160 was Welding 5160

Tue Aug 26 09:45:34 2003

Grant,  Thank you for the reply and the time you put into writing it.  Very
helpful in the learning process.  I had missed the point of mass, as a
factor in transformation time.

For the record Bill Bryson's book is Heat Treatment, Selection and
Application of Tool Steels.

Again thanks, take care and work safe,

Dave Smucker

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gblacksmith" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 3:28 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Heat Treating 5160 was Welding 5160

> Interested parties:  Transformation time from pearlite and ferrite to
> austenite is a function of the mass of the piece, rather than its
alloying,
> assuming critical temp is reached.  When critical temp is reached, the
> transformation begins in earnest.   Why?  the mass is the key, as the more
> thickness of material you transform, the longer it takes, just like
melting
> butter.  Which would take longer at a given melting temp, a pat or a whole
> stick?  My observations do not conform to the data attributed to Mr.
Bryson.
> I have not been able to get even very thin w-1 knife blades to fully
harden
> in five minutes at critical, as measured by pyrometer, using oil quench.
>
SNIP  no need to repeat all of this.