Removing the hardness to a sizing die.

[MGYSGT]

Any suggestions as to how I can soften a resizing die to modify it? I have a gas/ox cutting torch or perhaps the small torch used for annealing brass????? Should I worry about cooling too slow? Bury it in warm sand to cool? I know I can have one made, but I am bored and need a project.

Tom

 

[swd]

You can draw them back. Been a long time since I've tried it but I probably just heated it slowly until it drew just past sky blue.

 

[Rustystud]

Heat treat oven, and green sand.

 

[Kings X]

Heat to a dull cherry red. Cool down in Limestone over night.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Hill billy way, build a good fire, cover it in the coals and let it go out over night. Next day it should be soft.

 

[jfseaman]

W

Hill billy way, build a good fire, cover it in the coals and let it go out over night. Next day it should be soft.

at can be done to prevent scaling?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

W

at can be done to prevent scaling?

Wrap in stainless foil

 

[Fast14riot]

Wrap in stainless foil

Also put a small bit of paper inside with it.

To best determine how to anneal, you need to know the alloy.

Here's the real kicker, once you anneal, how do you plan to re-harden and temper it again? After quenching from above Austenization temp, you may also need to finish hone to get dimensions back to where you want them.

 

[carlsbad]

Lots of advice how to do it but no warnings of probable results and advice not to do it.

Unless you are really, really good, and you're not if you're asking how-to advice here, it is likely to come out of the process very ugly. Fine if you're going to machine all surfaces, not fine for already finished, threaded, etc surfaces. Additionally, it will not likely maintain dimensional stability. My guess is you have a 90% chance of creating a hunk of scrap metal.

Finally, why do you need to soften it anyway? I don't think most dies are too hard to machine with carbide.

Jerry

 

[shortgrass]

Let him do it! Some will never learn from advice, it takes doing and failing to convince them. Heat treating and getting the desired results just isn't as easy as it sounds, especially when the steel you are attempting to 'treat' is not known. Not every problem can be 'cured' on the interdnet.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Any suggestions as to how I can soften a resizing die to modify it? I have a gas/ox cutting torch or perhaps the small torch used for annealing brass????? Should I worry about cooling too slow? Bury it in warm sand to cool? I know I can have one made, but I am bored and need a project.

Tom

And whats wrong with a guy tinkering around and learning from real world experience? Maybe he should listen to the guys on the internet that dont want you to do anything other than write checks?

 

[carlsbad]

I agree in principle Alex. I take on jobe most people won't all the time and that attitude has served me well. It's just that most people are used to soldering and at 500 deg not much happens. Ive seen a lot if attempts at annealing or hardwning steel fail. If this isnt an expensive item then it will be good experience.

PS. I did give him a 10% chance of success.

 

[MGYSGT]

Shortgrass. Did I score an 8 or 9 for you at Ben Avery?? I do these things because I am just filling up my days with things I find interesting. You never tinker just because????

Tom

 

[hoz53]

Shortgrass. Did I score an 8 or 9 for you at Ben Avery?? I do these things because I am just filling up my days with things I find interesting. You never tinker just because????

Tom

Sounds interesting. I am thinking of taking some off the bottom of a die. Can you tell us what youre thinking of doing to yours? I wonder how hard dies actually are. If I was doing your project I would try to learn that for sure as well as what steel is generally used for them.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I agree in principle Alex. I take on jobe most people won't all the time and that attitude has served me well. It's just that most people are used to soldering and at 500 deg not much happens. Ive seen a lot if attempts at annealing or hardwning steel fail. If this isnt an expensive item then it will be good experience.

PS. I did give him a 10% chance of success.[/QUOT

Sounds interesting. I am thinking of taking some off the bottom of a die. Can you tell us what youre thinking of doing to yours? I wonder how hard dies actually are. If I was doing your project I would try to learn that for sure as well as what steel is generally used for them.

If you just need to shorten the die, carbide will cut it like butter. You can also use a belt or disc sander as well as a bench grinder. They are hard but not that hard.

 

[hoz53]

If you just need to shorten the die, carbide will cut it like butter. You can also use a belt or disc sander as well as a bench grinder. They are hard but not that hard.

Thanks for that info. I was thinking of taking the grinder to it.

 

[carlsbad]

Like butter describes the results as the surface finish can be almost polished looking. But you have to take some precautions. Keep your speed up to at least 300rpm and take light cuts. The swarf may still come off indigo blue indicating a cutting temp over 1500 deg F. Don't take too light a cuts as the surface will work harden, Plan your last cut to be at least .003". I use a kool mist mister on hard stuff like this. I recently machined a stuck bearing race out of it's pocket. I had a wad of blue swarf as big as a bushel basket. and it will be sharp as a knife.

 

[hoz53]

Like butter describes the results as the surface finish can be almost polished looking. But you have to take some precautions. Keep your speed up to at least 300rpm and take light cuts. The swarf may still come off indigo blue indicating a cutting temp over 1500 deg F. Don't take too light a cuts as the surface will work harden, Plan your last cut to be at least .003". I use a kool mist mister on hard stuff like this. I recently machined a stuck bearing race out of it's pocket. I had a wad of blue swarf as big as a bushel basket. and it will be sharp as a knife.

Thanks for that info.

 

[shortgrass]

Shortgrass. Did I score an 8 or 9 for you at Ben Avery?? I do these things because I am just filling up my days with things I find interesting. You never tinker just because????

Tom

Go ahead, play with annealing a die. When you succeed or fail you'll return to the interdnet giving some off the wall reason why you failed or succeeded, that won't make a lick of sense to anyone who knows anything about heat treating. You will help spread the mis-information that seems to 'swirl' about on these forums. Ever wonder why more and more of the "old timers" no longer post? Could it be because of the absolute nonsense that seems to have taken over? Everyone wants to be the local 'expert' without putting in the time. Why not "fill up your days" with your nose in some reference books getting some actual fact and then proceed from there? I warn you ahead of time, published heat treat information can be hard to fine, especially when you don't know what steel you have in hand.......

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Go ahead, play with annealing a die. When you succeed or fail you'll return to the interdnet giving some off the wall reason why you failed or succeeded, that won't make a lick of sense to anyone who knows anything about heat treating. You will help spread the mis-information that seems to 'swirl' about on these forums. Ever wonder why more and more of the "old timers" no longer post? Could it be because of the absolute nonsense that seems to have taken over? Everyone wants to be the local 'expert' without putting in the time. Why not "fill up your days" with your nose in some reference books getting some actual fact and then proceed from there? I warn you ahead of time, published heat treat information can be hard to fine, especially when you don't know what steel you have in hand.......

Tom, you misinformation spreading, old timer runner offer, local expert wanna be POS...... Let me guess, your voting for Hillary too...