I wanted to experiment with hardening and heat treating tool steel and found a good project:

upgrading the 5/16×18 bolts that secured my pickup truck ‘box’ so they cannot be hack-sawed off. Using a piece of W1 tool steel, we cut the part on the Emco V13 Lathe and Tormach PCNC 1100 then use an oxygen/acetylene to heat treat the part, first quenching it in water then tempering it back to reduce the brittleness.

Polishing & Heat Treating O1 Jacket Drawing Dies

Heat Treat Oven for Machine Shop

Machining & Heat Treat Tool Steel Vise Inserts!