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< Home < Tips Area < Heat Treating < Oversized Strips
I really wanted to try a one-piece taper, but didn't want to invest tons of time in planing six strips so I decided to try a PMQ. I soaked the strips for a few days, straightened them out tonight, rough tapered them into some slightly oversize rectangles, and bound them together. Then I went to throw them in my oven to dry them out and heat treat them. Small problem. My mica oven is only 5 feet long (the rod is 6 feet). I swore I built the oven 6 feet long for this very purpose - NOT the Case. What's the best way for me to heat treat these strips? I don't want to go to any expense making a new type of oven. I guess I could poke a hole in the insulation of my oven and cook half of length at a time. Maybe someone has a better suggestion though. (Aaron Gaffney) The old fashioned way--- A piece of iron pipe, threaded on the ends, capped with pipe caps with a hole in each, hang with wire loops, put the strips inside, cap and heat with a propane torch while turning the pipe in the wire loops. You are done when no more steam comes out of the little holes. (Steve Weiss) I recently got some black steel pipe from Home Depot for some woodworking pipe clamps. They were covered inside and out with some smelly oil/solvent mix. I suppose to prevent rust. Make sure to scrub them with a detergent or degreaser first. Also, just a thought, the bottom 10 inches or so will be covered with reel seat and grip. Maybe do your regular heat treatment but with the butt end sticking out and then hit the butt end with a heat gun for a few minutes. (Joe Handwerker) I've been told, by people who seem to know, that if you flame, you don't need to heat treat. I tried it once as an experiment. Made 2 rods as nearly identical as possible from the same culm and only heat treated one beyond the flaming. No difference I can tell, both cast the same, no sets etc. For what it's worth. (Neil Savage)
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