The Ford Barn

BILL WZOREK · 08-28-2013, 03:07 AM

Have not been able to find exactly what I want ------------ SO ----------
I am making a shop made gear puller.

Question: I have used cold roll steel / milled to what I needed, Short of sending it out for heat treating what would be the best shop process to heat treat the puller so to toughen the thin part of the puller ????

Kurt in NJ · 08-28-2013, 06:24 AM

I would think that you would want something better than "cold rolled' it won't take heat treating as well as something made for what you want --I suspect you want to make something for those stubborn shock arms -- this site has some nice explanations so you can choose something for your needs -- http://tidewaterblacksmiths.net/1.html

I have used big diesel wristpins to make some collet type pullers for my citroen driveshafts, had to anneal them first

19Fordy · 08-28-2013, 11:37 AM

Cold Rolled Steel (1020; 1045) has too low a carbon content to heat treat it. One idea would be to make the thin parts of your puller a little bit thinner and then arc weld by laying down some beads of very high strength welding rod such as that used to rebuild the jaws of back hoes and construction equipment. ( This is just an idea, but I bet it would work.) You could also "case harden" your puller. I remember there used to be a product called "Casenite" where you could do it yourself if you had the right equipment.

ford38v8 · 08-28-2013, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

...this site has some nice explanations so you can choose something for your needs... http://tidewaterblacksmiths.net/1.html

Now that's a good site to bookmark!

Fe26 · 08-28-2013, 06:23 PM

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Unfortunately Bill I fear your work has been wasted. The use of Case Hardening is primarily for wear applications and not for tensile strength applications, which require either a Tough steel or a steel that can be through hardened.

Case Hardening will not penetrate the part far enough to provide the strength you may need. When the Case reaches its tensile limit it will crack, this is when the mild steel you have used will begin to stretch, or indeed it may break also depending on how it has been heat affected by the Case Hardening process.

What I will now suggest is a real cowboy attempt to salvage what you have made, at least for a short time. If you are lucky there may be just enough carbon in the steel for activation. Heat the entire part to yellow heat, hold it at that temp for 3-5 minutes then quench in water. If the small amount of carbon has been activated you will have a tool with some (unknown) hardness. If the carbon dosn't activate you are back to square one. Also, if the steel has been imported from China it is likely to have too much sulphur in it and the steel will go Hot Short, which is not good for you.

Best to start again.

08-28-2013, 03:07 AM	#1
BILL WZOREK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florence Ma. Posts: 2,404	I know there is a Garage forum / tool forum >BUT <!!! Have not been able to find exactly what I want ------------ SO ---------- I am making a shop made gear puller. Question: I have used cold roll steel / milled to what I needed, Short of sending it out for heat treating what would be the best shop process to heat treat the puller so to toughen the thin part of the puller ????

08-28-2013, 06:24 AM	#2
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,159	Re: I know there is a Garage forum / tool forum >BUT <!!! I would think that you would want something better than "cold rolled' it won't take heat treating as well as something made for what you want --I suspect you want to make something for those stubborn shock arms -- this site has some nice explanations so you can choose something for your needs -- http://tidewaterblacksmiths.net/1.html I have used big diesel wristpins to make some collet type pullers for my citroen driveshafts, had to anneal them first

08-28-2013, 11:37 AM	#3
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,943	Re: I know there is a Garage forum / tool forum >BUT <!!! Cold Rolled Steel (1020; 1045) has too low a carbon content to heat treat it. One idea would be to make the thin parts of your puller a little bit thinner and then arc weld by laying down some beads of very high strength welding rod such as that used to rebuild the jaws of back hoes and construction equipment. ( This is just an idea, but I bet it would work.) You could also "case harden" your puller. I remember there used to be a product called "Casenite" where you could do it yourself if you had the right equipment.

08-28-2013, 06:23 PM	#5
Fe26 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 949	Re: I know there is a Garage forum / tool forum >BUT <!!! Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Unfortunately Bill I fear your work has been wasted. The use of Case Hardening is primarily for wear applications and not for tensile strength applications, which require either a Tough steel or a steel that can be through hardened. Case Hardening will not penetrate the part far enough to provide the strength you may need. When the Case reaches its tensile limit it will crack, this is when the mild steel you have used will begin to stretch, or indeed it may break also depending on how it has been heat affected by the Case Hardening process. What I will now suggest is a real cowboy attempt to salvage what you have made, at least for a short time. If you are lucky there may be just enough carbon in the steel for activation. Heat the entire part to yellow heat, hold it at that temp for 3-5 minutes then quench in water. If the small amount of carbon has been activated you will have a tool with some (unknown) hardness. If the carbon dosn't activate you are back to square one. Also, if the steel has been imported from China it is likely to have too much sulphur in it and the steel will go Hot Short, which is not good for you. Best to start again.