Does anyone bother to bake their parts after they've been de-rusted to prevent hydrogen embrittlement. I read somewhere that they need to be baked at 300C for a few hours. I've done that with a few bits but I'm wondering what the 300C is doing to the part. Shiny metal comes out with a dark bluish colour to it. Is it likely to start affecting the strength/hardness of the component if you take metal up to that temp? The parts are left to cool naturally so it's not like they're being quenched or anything.

I remember doing hardening & tempering at school but it was a long time ago now & I can't remember the temperatures involved.

Never bothered baking parts so far, that being said i've only done calipers and other non structural bits n bobs to date.

Pez

After the magic worked it's trick I zoomed all the black water off the parts with the wire brush in the drill and stuck them in the oven just to dry them out quickly.

A coat of red oxide and a lashing with black smooth Hammerite, back in the oven to bake the paint.

Only did it once though as the wife wasn't exactly impressed with smell

An hour at 200 degrees and the paint is rock hard

You're a brave man coozer.