[Jewelry making - Article 00693] - Re: [Orchid] Quenching in denatured alcohol

[Peter W . Rowe]

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>       The only reason to quench in alcohol is to have a slower cooling
>     rate than water offers. This can be useful if you are quenching
>     alloys that are prone to cracking if they cool too fast. Typically
>     this is really only necessary for some white gold alloys and some
>     tool steels. For silver it will actually give you a slightly
>     harder material than you would get if you quench in water but it
>     probably would not be noticeable in working it. 

    The alcohol quench is also traditionally recommended with rose golds,
    especially those with only gold and copper, which are otherwise prone
    to forming ordered array structures, and which can sometimes crack if
    quenched in water. Failing to quench can be even worse, so the
    alcohol quench is useful. Plus, the thin film of alcohol vapor that
    surrounds the work as it chills during quenching is a highly reducing
    atmosphere, so surface oxidation is reduced. That seems especially
    useful with the aformentioned nickel white golds.  At least that's
    been my experience with it. Be sure, if quenching in alcohol, to have
    enough liquid that you can plunge the metal entirely below the liquid
    surface. That provents hot metal from being in contact with air and
    it's oxygen at the same time it's in contact with the alcohol vapor.
    quenching too slowly is how you occasionally can manage to set the
    alchol on fire, especially if you are in so much of a hurry that you
    quench before the metal has quite cooled enough to just loose the red
    glow.. And be sure that your container is on a solid footing, and
    cannot be tipped over by accident.  setting the jar's alcohol on fire
    is not generally a problem, as it burns lazily enough while you reach
    for the lid, cap it, and put the fire out.  Being startled by a flame
    up, tipping over the jar into your bench pan, while it's burning, is
    a whole new level of excitement indeed. Not recommended for amateur
    pyromaniacs...  :-) 

Peter

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