[TheForge] Borax (Was: A36 vs 1018)

[Andrew Vida]

Chuck Robinson wrote:
> Mike,  I used to do the same thing and grind it up in a blender.
> I've also thought of welding a rectangular metal trough to the top of my 
> horizontal gas forge and filling it with borax. The heat escaping from the 
> forge shell should keep it in a semi molten state, drive off all the water 
> of crystallization. and allow you to dip your billet into it for a thin 
> coating.
> I'm not sure how safe this procedure would be.

     Potentially VERY dangerous.  It is one thing to sprinkle borax on a 
work piece, whether hot or cold - quite another to dip a cold piece into 
molten material.  If there is any water on it, the resulting steam 
explosion is nothing you will want to be within a mile of.  You may say 
"I'll only put in hot iron".  Fine, if you never get tired or rushed or 
just absent-mindedly dip a cold, moist piece of steel into the pot.  Do 
as you feel best for you, but be very careful.  Even experienced smiths 
make errors (remember Paw Paw and the zinc episode?).  I'm sure I speak 
for everyone here when I say that nobody wants to read about how your 
face winged away on the firey breath of the flux dragon.  OK?