- Joined
- Feb 28, 2019
- Messages
- 499
I'm very interested in being able to make my own high quality bits, cutters etc. I've got a couple of tasks that are well suited for making a custom D-bit, one I need to make a lot of precise diameter ~ 0.060 and ~0.03125 deep flat bottom holes. Another I need for a number of small pitch racks, and finally a broach type tool for inside splines that are ~0.060 sq. - spaced evenly on an inside hole. (I'll probably ask for tips on tool geometry, but that's not this question!)
I watched the ClickSpring video on making a simple D-Bit (the guy does awesome videos!).
In the video he uses soft iron wire and boric acid paste to reduce scale when tempering.
I've managed to find 99% pure boric acid power.
My question is about the "soft iron wire". I've found "black annealed wire" 16 gage for about $10 at Home Depot. It seems to be the right stuff. However it doesn't say if it's steel or iron. With a little more googling, I've found both "black iron wire" and "black steel wire".
My question is, for reducing scale, do I have to be absolutely certain that I'm using iron vs. steel? what's the chance that the wire I bought is iron or steel? Is there an easy way to tell?
I'm not up on the chemistry involved, but my understanding is that the wire and the boric acid are "greedy" rob any air that gets near the part being treated of either/or carbon & oxygen. Hence less scale because the elements to create the scale are less available.
A second question is: In the video he makes a paste and says he used denatured alcohol but his jar of paste has "mineral spirits". I'm guessing that the what liquid you use to make the paste probably makes very little difference as long as it doesn't react - it's all going to evaporate very quickly once you start heating it up.
I've got a muffle / oven for heat treating so this should be pretty easy to get done.
Thanks in advance for any help!
-Dave B
I watched the ClickSpring video on making a simple D-Bit (the guy does awesome videos!).
In the video he uses soft iron wire and boric acid paste to reduce scale when tempering.
I've managed to find 99% pure boric acid power.
My question is about the "soft iron wire". I've found "black annealed wire" 16 gage for about $10 at Home Depot. It seems to be the right stuff. However it doesn't say if it's steel or iron. With a little more googling, I've found both "black iron wire" and "black steel wire".
My question is, for reducing scale, do I have to be absolutely certain that I'm using iron vs. steel? what's the chance that the wire I bought is iron or steel? Is there an easy way to tell?
I'm not up on the chemistry involved, but my understanding is that the wire and the boric acid are "greedy" rob any air that gets near the part being treated of either/or carbon & oxygen. Hence less scale because the elements to create the scale are less available.
A second question is: In the video he makes a paste and says he used denatured alcohol but his jar of paste has "mineral spirits". I'm guessing that the what liquid you use to make the paste probably makes very little difference as long as it doesn't react - it's all going to evaporate very quickly once you start heating it up.
I've got a muffle / oven for heat treating so this should be pretty easy to get done.
Thanks in advance for any help!
-Dave B