On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 03:08:31 GMT, Gene Kearns
wrote:

On 14 Jan 2006 17:51:54 -0800 in rec.boats, penned
the following thoughts:


wrote:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46978

I have received this screw driver. But it doesn't have a 1/2" blade.
Seem like the description in the web doesn't quite match the
description on the box. I guess my search for a 1/2" blade screw
driver is not over.

Oh well...

Jay Chan

These are common, only not in typical screwdriver form.

you can get 3/8" or 1/2 " drive made for an impact tool or rachet
wrench quite easily at about any good hardware or Auto Parts store.

True, but 'ya gotta be a little careful. I bought some big
screwdrivers from Harbor Freight to remove a brass pipe plug from a
Yamaha engine.

Believe it or not, I actually bent the crap out of the steel
screwdriver without budging the brass plug. (It took heat, patience,
and a rivet gun and screw knocker to budge the damn thing!)

Drain plugs, however, shouldn't be such a challenge.....

.... shouldn't be.......

Chinese steel a little inferior?
--
John H

******Have a spectacular day!******

Gene Kearns wrote:


Chinese steel a little inferior?

That's what *I* mean! I also have a Harbor Freight 3/4" wrench that
fits.... we'll... nothing that I know!

Good 'ol Harbor Freight!

When I look though thieir catalogue, I notice great words like
"Rugged construction" and "Heavy duty" and "For the toughest jobs..."

Then I wonder to myself... "If thats "Rugged" and "Heavy Duty" ,
I wonder what the cheap stuff is like...LOL!

On 16 Jan 2006 13:59:49 -0800, wrote:


Jack Goff wrote:

Just make sure when you're grinding to go slow. If you really heat
the blade up, it will lose some temper and bend. Grind a little at a
time and let it cool some. If it starts to get red it's too late.


More than likely you'll temper the steel more....and make it too
brittle.

Nope... grinding it to red hot and letting it cool will anneal the
blade. Check out the following:

"Tempering refers to heating steel above a critical temperature, then
cooling it rapidly to freeze it in a very hard state followed by
rewarming it to an intermediate temperature to give a hardness
suitable for the job intended. There are several technical points to
grasp;

Heating the metal above a critical temperature (usually red hot and
non-magnetic) causes this iron carbide to mix uniformly with the iron
in a non-crystalline form (called austenite). Slow cooling at this
point (eg buried in wood ash or lime) results in a soft layered
crystalline structure and is referred to as annealing."

So grinding to red hot, then simply air cooling will result in
annealing the blade, not tempering it.

Hope that helps!

Jack