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Just had a forge weld fail on a custom gate hinge mid-quench
Was in my shop last Thursday finishing a set of heavy-duty hinges for a client's garden gate. Got the first one to a bright yellow heat, fluxed it, and set the weld. Everything looked good until I quenched it in my slack tub and heard a sharp 'ping'. A crack about an inch long opened up right along the weld line. I'm pretty sure my heat was a bit uneven, maybe from a draft in the shop. Had to cut it off and start that piece over, which set me back half a day. Anyone have a solid method for checking weld temp consistency before quenching on larger pieces?
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milesrobinson14h ago
Yeah, that ping is the worst sound. I had a big leaf spring weld let go once, same deal. What saved me later was just brushing some soapstone on the piece before the final heat. You watch how the mark turns from white to clear, and if it goes clear all at once, you know the heat's even. If one part stays white, you've got a cold spot. It's not perfect, but it's a cheap and fast check before you commit to the quench.
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