Mr.Hunter is correct about carbonising natural materials for CC Hardening.
Preparing hoof and horn parings, leather and bone for colour case hardening can really make you very unpopular with the neighbours. The stench can be abominable.
I have managed to get around this by packing the material into a short (6-8 inch long) length of steel pipe threaded both ends and fitted with cap ends, one of which has a 1/16" hole drilled in it's end. A Plumbers Supply Co, should have varying diametres of pipe nipples and cap ends readily available.
The loaded pipe(s) are put into a hot woodburning stove (or an old modified caravan sized gas bottle (usually available at the local dump) fitted with a door, a tall vent pipe and air holes near the base) a fire is kindled and permitted to get burning well. Soon the volatile gasses are being given off and pass out of the pipe(s) via the small hole. The flames ignite the gasses which burn freely. The stove pipe carries the burnt gasses mixed with those of the burnt wood into the atmosphere.
If you use a sweet scented wood like pine for the fire, no one knows there is anything untoward going on. When the fire has burnt out remove the pipe and let cool, or better, leave it in the stove until the following morning, then empty the pipes contents into whatever metal container you are using to store the carbonised material. If your using a none metalic storage container, make very sure the carbonised components are stone cold.
Use the largest diam. pipe you can get(that will fit easily into the stove). It's surprising how little carbon there is after the carbonising process is complete. The larger the pipe the more material you can process at any one time.
Harry.
Last edited by Harry Eales; 07/24/10 03:04 PM.
