I have made some small parts and tried to harden them, but they still seem to be grabbing each other. I got the metal hot, not red hot but more like a bright orange color I’m using a propane torch .Is my heat not up high enough? when I heat the part up and dump it into the compound {Kasenit} how long should I let it sit in the compound; when it is in there it sizzles . When I pull it out it tends to clump to it about 5 times the diameter of the part should I knock off the excess or should I just burn the clump of Kasenit? Can my torch get the metal hotter? The metal that I’m using was bought at a hardware store; it says that it is weld steel flat. Should I let it sit in the compound longer, or should I pull it out sooner. Any advice would be nice.
OK before you do anything make sure you KNOW exactly what kind of metal you have. Now when you are case hardening you want to get the part cherry red, it sounds like you are getting it a bit hotter than is necessary, I have a tendency to do the same thing so don’t get too worried. After heated cherry red, dip it in the Kasenit and pull it out, now that the Kasenit is sticking to the part burn it off, and what I mean is heat the part with the Kasenit on it, some of it will fall off and some will melt onto the part, watch the part and heat it to cherry red and repeat, depending on how big the part is you may have to do this 3-4 times. It sounds like you have the AGI video Bob made so you are on the right track. The last time you heat it red drop it into cold water. Your part will be hard on the surface as it should be. But be sure you know exactly what kind of steel it is before you go to all the trouble of making a part and then heat treating it, just to find out you heat treated it incorrectly and it breaks the first time you, or worse, the customer uses it.
