The Super-Harvest-Blood Moon of 2015

eclipse-dec-2010-nasa-keith_burns 768 blog

This montage of images taken by skywatcher Kieth Burns shows the Dec. 20, 2010 total lunar eclipse. The photos won a NASA contest to become an official NASA/JPL wallpaper for the public. Credit: NASA/JPL-via Kieth Burns

 

This weekend we’re all in for a treat. The fall Harvest Moon, appearing on Sunday night, will also be a Super Moon and a Blood Moon. Here is some info and trivia tips to help you be the astronomer at the office and at home.

What is a Harvest Moon? In traditional sky lore, the Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the 2015 autumnal equinox comes on September 23, so the September 28 full moon counts as the Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon. This year’s Harvest Moon will present the closest and largest full moon of the year and stage a total eclipse of the moon on the night of September 27-28. No matter where you are on Earth, a brilliant full-looking moon ascends over your eastern horizon around the time of sunset on September 27. It climbs highest in the sky around the middle of the night, when the sun is below your feet. That’s because the moon lies opposite the sun in our sky at the vicinity of full moon showing us its fully lighted hemisphere, or “day” side. That’s what makes the moon look full.

What makes this moon a Supermoon? This year’s Harvest Moon qualifies as a supermoon because the moon turns full about one hour after reaching lunar perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth for the month. If you live on a coastline, watch for this full moon to bring along wide-ranging spring tides along ocean coastlines for several days following full moon – high tides will climb extra high and the low tides will fall exceptionally low.

What makes this moon a Blood Moon eclipse? This September full moon is also called a Blood Moon, because it presents the fourth and final eclipse of a lunar tetrad: four straight total eclipses of the moon, spaced at six lunar months (full moons) apart. The total lunar eclipse is visible from the most of North America and all of South America after sunset September 27. Here is the schedule using Eastern Daylight Time.

  • Partial umbral eclipse begins: 9:07 p.m. EDT on Sept. 27
  • Total eclipse begins: 10:11 p.m. EDT
  • Greatest eclipse: 10:47 p.m. EDT
  • Total eclipse ends: 11:23 p.m. EDT
  • Partial eclipse ends: 12:27 a.m. EDT on September 28

What does this “trifecta” moon event mean for us? Although there is great folklore about the effects of a full moon, you have little to worry about. Scientists have studied human behavior and found little correlation between a full moon and people acting crazy. Here at KHT, we have all kinds of experience with crazy, so we plan on enjoying it with our families and friends!

 


 

What’s In A Name?

AISI/SAE Steel Designations

Have you ever wondered how plain carbon and alloy grades are named? You can actually know how much carbon and what alloys are in the material by just knowing the designation.

Materials are designated by a four digit number, where

  1. the first digit indicates the main alloying element(s)
  2. the second digit indicates the secondary alloying element(s)
  3. the last two digits of these indicates the carbon content (hundredths of a percent)
    (example, in Grade 1045 the 45 indicates a nominal carbon content of 0.45 wt% C)

Here is the naming system used to determine the steel designations: Enjoy.

 

GRADE      TYPE OF STEEL & NOMINAL ALLOY CONTENT, %          

Carbon Steels

10XX               Plain carbon (Mn 1.00 max.)
11XX               Resulfurized
12XX               Resulfurized and rephosphorized
15XX               Plain carbon (max Mn range; 1.00-1.65)

 

Manganese Steels

13XX               Mn 1.75

 

Nickel Steels

23XX               Ni 3.50
25XX               Ni 5.00

 

Nickel-Chromium Steels

31XX               Ni 1.25; Cr 0.65 and 0.80
32XX               Ni 1.75; Cr 1.07
33XX               Ni 3.50; Cr 1.50 and 1.57
34XX               Ni 3.00; Cr 0.77

 

Molybdenum Steels

40XX               Mo 0.20 and 0.25
44XX               Mo 0.40 and 0.25

 

Chromium-Molybdenum Steels

41XX               Cr 0.50, 0.80, and 0.95;
Mo 0.12, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30

 

Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum Steels

43XX               Ni 1.82; Cr 0.50 and 0.80; Mo 0.25
43BVXX           Ni 1.82; Cr 0.50; Mo 0.12 and 0.25; V 0.03 min
47XX               Ni 1.05; Cr 0.45; Mo 0.20 and 0.35
81XX               Ni 0.30; Cr 0.40; Mo 0.12
86XX               Ni 0.55; Cr 0.50; Mo 0.20
87XX               Ni 0.55; Cr 0.50; Mo 0.25
88XX               Ni 0.55; Cr 0.50; Mo 0.35
93XX               Ni 3.25; Cr 1.20; Mo 0.12
94XX               Ni 0.45; Cr 0.40; Mo 0.12
97XX               Ni 0.55; Cr 0.20; Mo 0.20
98XX               Ni 1.00; Cr 0.80, Mo 0.25

 

Nickel-Molybdenum Steels

46XX               Ni 0.85 and 1.82; Mo 0.20 and 0.25
48XX               Ni 3.50; Mo 0.25

 

Chromium Steels

50XX               Cr 0.27, 0.40, 0.50, and 0.65
51XX               Cr 0.80, 0.87, 0.92, 0.95,1.00, and 1.05

 

Chromium (Bearing) Steels

50XXX             Cr 0.50
51XXX             Cr 1.02 C 1.00 min.
52XXX             Cr 1.45

 

Chromium-Vanadium Steels

61XX               Cr 0.60, 0.80, and 0.95; V 0.10 and 0.15 min

 

Tungsten-Chromium Steels

72XX               W 1.75; Cr 0.75

 

Silicon-Manganese Steels

92XX               Si 1.40 and 2.00; Mn 0.65, 0.82, and 0.85; Cr 0 and 0.65

 

High-Strength Low-Alloy Steels

9XX                  Various SAE grades

 

Boron Steels

XXBXX              B denotes boron steel

 

Leaded Steels

XXLXX              L denotes leaded steel

 


 

Win-Win at Heat Treat 2015

Meet up with the Kowalski folks at HEAT TREAT 2015 and maybe win a new iPad Air!
Details below. Hope to see you in Detroit!

KHT October Ad 768

 


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Floating Into Fall

fall-leaves

Seems like just yesterday I was hauling out the lawnmower and lawn furniture getting ready for summer.  And now the nights are cooler and the days are shorter.  As Fall arrives, I find myself yearning for some seasonal favorites.  Here’s my “bucket list” of ideas to share.

Catch A Late Season Tribe Game
Yet again the Tribe is scratching for a playoff position.  It’s a great time to go down to the ballpark and enjoy a game.  It helps me hang on to summer while I shout and pray for the home team – only five games out …. GO TRIBE!

Get Pumpkins In The Country
Growing up, I have great memories of riding out to the country after Sunday church.  Dad would load us all up, and off we’d go.  We each got to pick our own, and that was a great sight to see all of those pumpkins! Then I couldn’t wait until Halloween and carving time.

Go to a High School Football Game
Friday nights under the lights, sweaters and cool nights make for great times. My girls were active on the school dance team and the drum line – Even though they are no longer on the field, I still go, and shout for the home team.

Take a Hike in Woods
I’m a sucker for long walks in the woods – the harder the better.  Just getting off the pavement does something to the soul, and helps me reflect on all the blessings I’ve received.

Bring Home Some Farm Fresh Apple Cider
There’s nothing like fresh, cold cider for me.  I love the color, the taste and the goodies I have along with it.  Just makes me appreciate this part of the country we live in and the hard work of local farmers.

What’s on your Fall “to do” list??
Send me an email or give me a call – I’d love to hear your favorites.

 


 

Gotta Love Them Apples

apples 768 blog

As the weather is changing and the nights are getting a bit cooler, one of my favorite times of the year in NE Ohio is the fall harvest, when all of the hard working farmers put out their bounty – corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, – and one of my favorite foods – fresh hand-picked apples. Around here, apples are abundant – not the grocery store standards, but the farm fresh, locally grown varieties – harvested at the height of ripeness. Crisp, juicy, filled with flavor – seems like when you bite into one, you can taste the rains of summer.

I’m not sure which one is my favorite – I’m partial to Melrose (the official apple of Ohio) and Honey Crisp. I also like Mac’s and Cortland – come to think of it, I like them all. And whenever I can get it, I have a piece( or two!) of fresh apple pie, with a little vanilla ice cream on the side.

For my “foodie” friends, here’s a simple recipe – cut up one or two of your favorite apples and put them in a bowl, add a little water, cinnamon and oats, along with a sprinkle or two of sugar. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again for 15-30 seconds. web security Enjoy!

Make it a point to get out to the country this weekend – buy local fresh produce and a big bag of apples – I may bump into you along the way.

 

 


 

Labor Day Weekend.

flag-flow

Labor Day and Labor Day weekend honors the American labor movement and the contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.

And none can be more true here at Kowalski Heat Treating.

I am so very proud of all my team. I see everyday their passion, courage and commitment to precision and consistency. I see us rally when a PIA (Pain In The @#$) Job! comes in, all focused on efficiency and problem solving. From happily helping a customer on the phone, to delivering goods on time to triple-checking a job on the processing floor, we all enjoy a certain team bond that’s grown from the very first day Dad opened the doors back in 1975.

So, for us, this Labor Day is a bit extra special – it’s part of our 40th anniversary and celebrates all of our KHT team, present and past.

May God bless all of our staff, customers, vendors and partners, and all of their families. Have a safe holiday as we turn the corner on summer and head into fall.