r3v Welders - Heat Straightening Help?

[mrsleeve]

^
I think your onto something but 1450 seems high from few stress relief jobs I did several moons ago, on much "harder steel" think X70 grade Vs the Grade B or less that is your common mild steels.

But I think your correct by getting it into shape and holding it a closer to 950 for around 60-90 mins for a mild steel and a tapered cooling cycle of double your soak time would prolly work as well. Like I said I dont have any my references materials for this with me and I have only done a less than a handful or stress relief jobs. Its not my normal every day gig, but I have dabbled a little.

[bmwman91]

Hmmm...someone on craigslist has like 5000 fire bricks for sale on the cheap...time to make a large heat treatment kiln? lol

[skids]

https://www.engineersedge.com/materials/carbon_steel_typical_heat_treatments_13249.htm

[mrsleeve]

^
Yes thats to temper and harden the steel, in this case all we want to do is get it to relax and return to more neutral state. Most steels lose 40-60% of their strength at 900-1000 degrees, hence why a longer soak time at that temp while held in desired position and cooled off incrementally as to not shock it. Should do the trick and not harden it to the point of being brittle, one of the wanted traits of mild steel. And then have to go back and anneal it anyway...... While none of this really matters in this case as its mostly just an exercise in "can I do this" and being overly brittle is not going to make a difference in this application.

[bmwman91]

and being overly brittle is not going to make a difference in this application.

I dunno man, if a stripper breaks a heel while dancing on the bar and comes down hard on it, I can't have the frame cracking on me.