[TheForge] Borax (Was: A36 vs 1018)

[Chuck Robinson]

Hey James,
Thanks for the heads up.
What was the approximate temperature of the metal you dipped in the "Tar 
Baby"?
My billets will be about 1500 F when dipped.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Binnion" <jbin at well.com>
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Borax (Was: A36 vs 1018)


> Hey Chuck,
>
> I use molten salts for heat treating ops and once tried to use a borax/
> boric acid mix as a bath and found it had to be very hot (over 1600F)
> to be really fluid. Cooler than that and it is way too sticky, think
> Brer rabbit and the Tar Baby. When I tried to dip a piece of metal in
> it it stuck to the borax/boric acid mix and when I tried to remove it
> I picked up the whole container along with the piece.  Maybe pure
> borax would be more fluid but I added the boric acid because it has a
> lower melting point than the pure borax. I only tried once but you
> might find it works for you?
>
>
> James Binnion
> jbin at well.com
>
>
>
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