On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:24:11 GMT, "BillM"
wrote:


Kinda OT, but there is a drill and mercury
involved.

Old gunsmith trick for drilling holes in HARD
parts. Heat the drill bit to red, quench
in mercury. I would suspect that if caught
doing it in this day and age the eco-police
would frown.


What purpose does the mercury serve here? Does it simply provide a
desired quench rate, or is there some sort of chemical
reaction/bonding/etc between the steel & the mercury?

Just curious.

Joe