New problem hellllpp

[CyberPaddy66]

Not a problem, I've been working with metals for the best part of 20 years and I'm still learning things every day

[bustagasket]

I been working with them since April 28th 2009 lmao

[CyberPaddy66]

Most of my metalwork as been of the vehicle repair and cabinet making kind when I was a Mechanic and then a Sheet Metal Worker, if I'd known about the MUCH EASIER to work with precious metals years ago I'd be a different person today and I wouldn't have met my OH so it's not all bad

[ps_bond]

Sorry to pull you up on your terminology but quenching hot metals in water is hardening not annealing them, letting them cool down slowly allows the atoms in the metal form a loose structure thus making the metal softer, quenching them in water makes the atoms bunch together and stick making the metal harder.

By all means pull me up on my terminology when I'm wrong. What you have just described is one process for hardening ferrous metals; this does not apply for most non-ferrous. Yes, I know it sounds counter-intuitive when that's what you're used to, but there is no significant practical advantage to a slow ramping down of the metal's temperature for copper-based alloys (amongst others).

Don't just take my word for it though - try it on 2 samples of copper. Work harden both by, for example, planishing; then heat both to their critical temperature - quench one, allow the other to cool to ambient insulated by something like ceramic blanket. You'll see very little difference in the resulting hardness.

If you *really* want a full-on materials science lecture I can do, but I'll probably fall asleep whilst writing it...

[Matp85]

you could try heating it up then putting it in the pickle but be careful the fumes are poisonous. so this is usually done at the end of the day and with some ventilation!