Heat treating question

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Howdy,I am planning to make a tool bar for my tractor.  I am probably going to use some 3/8's x 2" cold rolled steel for the connection to the upper link on the 3 pt hitch.  I will probably heat it with a torch or in a forge to bend it (about 60 degrees).  My question is: Would I just dunk (the fairly low carbon steel) in cold water to harden it after heating it to a cherry red state?Thanks,Rick
Reply:You really don't have to do a thing to it after you bend itI don't believe mild steel is too responsive to hardening.  I'm not a metalurgist, but it seems to me I've hears such.Just about anything under stress, like attachments to the 3pt probably shouldn't rely on a bent piece for strength.  It's just asking for the piece to "unbend" under a lot of pulling stress.  Try to keep your pulling stress in straight lines, even if it involves building a small pylon on top of the toolbar"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Heat treatment of carbon steel for hardening purposes relies on having enough carbon in the steel to be able to form martensite. (typically, there are also other sorts of iron-carbon forms/crystals but the 'grand-daddy' of 'hard steel things' is martensite)There isn't enough carbon in typical plain-old hot rolled or cold rolled steel to let you harden then via heat treatment.  Sorry.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:And heating the steel in order to bend it doesn't require the necessary heat or time required for proper heat treatment.  Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of nonsense out there about heat treating, not to mention w/o the proper equipment and know how it's tough to do it right.As said above, don't worry about any quench.Good luck
Reply:Thanks for the replies.  I am going to redesign the toolbar to avoid having to bend the upper link connection.Rick
Reply:Hardening and tempering ain't rocket surgery ... blacksmiths do it all the time. But without enough carbon in the steel, it won't harden much.
Reply:I've heard of hardening low carbon steel with used motor oil.
Reply:You can use any carbon based product to introduce more into the "skin" of the steel. Kasenit, leather, bone, etc. have all been used.  Heat treating isn't rocket science (surgery), but it is a heck of a lot more than heat to orange glow and dunk in water. An experienced blacksmith is probably much more experienced.
Reply:Weld some Gussets at the bend to strengthen the weak heated bendLincoln Ranger 8 225Lincoln 180 ProMigMiller Maxstar 200DXInternational Ironworkers Local 70930+ years and counting