Unpopular opinion: I think quench tanks are overrated for small shops

I was reading through a blacksmithing survey from ABANA last month and it said 78% of smiths with home forges don't use a dedicated quench tank. I've been getting by with a 5 gallon bucket of oil for 3 years now and never had a crack or soft spot. Anyone else skipping the fancy setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

iris57427d ago

Read a forum post last week where a guy said his granddad used the same 5 gallon bucket for forty years and only replaced the oil twice. That stuck with me. I figure if it's good enough for a lifetime of work, it's good enough for my stuff. I changed from vegetable oil to mineral oil last year and that's the only upgrade I bothered with. Way I see it, a fancy tank with pumps and heaters is just another thing to break or maintain. My bucket sits under the bench, does its job, and doesn't complain.

claire_walker29d ago

Honestly, are you supposed to mount it on a pedestal and read it bedtime stories or something? My bucket's doing just fine.