charcoal for postheat

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 12-16-2014 17:44

Hi buddy!

By Mwccwi

Date 12-16-2014 18:44

Aluminum, oh wait that is almost a metal. I wouldn't think that charcoal would be a problem after welding, how could you absorb carbon after the weld is complete? I don't think that charcoal alone un fanned would get hot enough to cause issues, but I could be wrong. I'll be watching this for more responses.

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 12-16-2014 20:34 Edited 12-16-2014 20:45

Hey Kent,

Definitely not titanium or any of of the other reactive metals that are sensitive to carbon pick up... But I don't think it would have any real detrimental effect to medium or high carbon steels... As far as low carbon steel is concerned, I'm still debating it in my head which doesn't seem to be working like it should today. :eek:

Here's an interesting article on "designer charcoal for steel making.":

http://www.csiro.au/Organisation-Structure/Flagships/Minerals-Down-Under-Flagship/Metal-production/Project-designer-chars.aspx

Excuse me but, My head is pounding like crazy and I think I'm having another sinus infection... If it isn't one thing or another... I don't think I ever remember not being sick in one form or another around the Holidays so I guess it's a normal situation for me... :razz:

I'm going to lay down because it's more comfortable from my sinus condition... I'lll come back to this conversation and hopefully add anything else of relevance to this topic just as soon as I feel better. :grin:

Respectfully,
Henry

By 803056

Date 12-16-2014 20:45 Edited 12-16-2014 20:50

Sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather Henry. Take care of yourself.

Carbon steels and high strength low alloy steels are the only metals I would do this with.

The carbon is being burned, so the charcoal in direct contact with the steel has already or is in the process of burning, so there really isn't any carbon available to diffuse into the steel. Since the charcoal is starved for air, it doesn't burn hot enough to heat the steel above 1335, so nothing has been austenitized and it is not hot enough to carborize the steel. It would be a different story if a blower was used to make the charcoal burn hot; it would get hot enough to melt the steel!

Charcoal used to be the fuel source for making steel up into the mid to late 1800's, until much of the forest lands had been clear cut for charcoal or railroad ties. There was a shortage of charcoal, so once coke became available, no more charcoal. The beauty of charcoal was it didn't contain all the contaminates that coke does; think sulfur and phosphorous.

Best regards - Al