Heat treating props ????

[Dennis Whitt]

Going to the electric SAWs next month.I need tips on keeping my props from bending. I have a conventional oven,I s that enough ?

 

[Ian Inverarity]

Dennis,

I asked about this a while ago after bending many props on my 90 rigger and tried several suggested methods but my kitchen oven was not hot enough for the job, I am pretty sure I just annealed a few props actually. :- Need a better oven.

Nitrocrazed racing: Engines of mass prop destruction.

 

[Zimmerman]

I assume you are talking about BeCu props. I read this somewhere years ago. May have come from Jimmy Gale (not sure). Any way, heat the prop with a propane torch to almost orange (?? no temp given) and immediately quench it in human urine. No joke (you cheap shooters). Apparently the nitorgen content in the urine does the trick. Never tried it myself, but have thought of it several times after having a few beers! ???

 

[topfuel443]

I did the urine thing with my props, but I used a small toaster oven that got up to about 660 degrees, (I used a temp probe beleive it or not.) Andy Brown told me to let the props stay in there for 6 hours (just enough time to get enough "pee" in a cup ) and pull them straight out and quench in refridgerated cold urine. It was not the best smell in the world and My girlfriend was completely sure I was insane but it did seem to work. Havent bent one yet, and they are extremely hard to tweak on after that.

~ james

P.S. the toatser oven is now completely useless, I dont think they were designed to run wideopen for six hours, If you decide to do it, do it outside. The smell / fumes those props put off when heated is somewhat unbarable.

 

[Zimmerman]

I'm no metalurgist, but I don't think the time factor is as important as the temp vs the quenching medium. I have quench treated several steel alloys with good success using a torch, heating to a certain color, usually "straw" and immediately quenching. I don't see why BeCu would be any different. Maybe houshold ammonia would work as well, but would sure clear your sinuses if done indoors. Any thoughts? :

 

[topfuel443]

you could be right about the time thing, I honestly have no idea. This was the first time id tried to heat treat anything. I do know that it made them much harder overall though. :-

~ James