Another banana question for Ken

[billd]

Ken,  In your tutorial, you light oil on fire in a Altiods can. I have several cans here and they seem to be made from aluminum, won't take a magnet. Same with sardine cans. Won't the heat from burning oil melt alum.?

Probably a stupid question but I don't want to ruin the spring on the last step.

Thanks,
Bill

[Ken G]

Bill,
I've used many of the little Altoid cans.  The round ones and the square ones and have never had any problem with them melting.  Bookie uses sardine cans and doesn't have a problem.  I don't know for sure but aluminum melts around 1100 or 1200 degrees?  I think your oil will be burning round about 400 + degrees.  I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me can say for sure but you shouldn't have a problem with it melting.  I do make sure it is placed on a brick or rock to keep it up off the deck. 

[billd]

Thanks Ken,   I work in a machine shop, we even do heat treating, even aluminum. I just thought oil burned a lot hotter.  I assumed doing it your way the heat would gradually decline to the lower draw down temp. as the oil burned out.

I could do this at work but it takes so long to get the oven to the right temp it's a PIA.

Thanks again,
Bill

[Ken G]

Bill,
Here's another tutorial you might want to look at.  It's just on making springs like this.
Ken


http://www.iowatelecom.net/~toadhall/springs.htm

[billd]

Thanks,  That's a good one too.

Bill

[Steve Bookout]

Ken, that oil is burning about 700 degrees--just like some folk's lead baths.  Just forged a main spring for an original J. Henry lock on Monday.  Used the oil bath in the ol' sardine can and it came out as perfect as you could hope for.  That lock hasn't worked since sometime in the 1890s.  Would have been a tad easier if we had a pattern or the original to go by.  Them aluminum kipper snack cans work pretty good, too.  Cheers, Bookie of the blistered thumb, 1st Class, no less!  (seems them pesky springs can be hot even though they been settin' on the side of the forge for a bit!  )

[J.D.]

Now Bookie, a man of your ag...wisdom should know that a good smith never touches a dry piece of steel.   Now me, I'm not a good smith, so I can relate.