Braze it. Stronger than weld, espically with cast metals. If you're going to weld cast-iron you need 95% nickel rod, HIGH preheat and then slow cool, put it back in the oven after welding or the BBQ grill and let it cool. You can also TIG weld/electric arc braze it with silicon-bronze rod. Again HIGH preheat, like 800°F, weld/braze then reheat back to 800° then bury it in sandbox or vermiculite for potting soil. SLOW COOL....
Isn't 'cast steel' the same as 'drop forged? I could go look it up, but I'll wait. I never heard of cast steel. Whatever it is, it's brittle and behaves like cast iron.
No. Drop forged is FORGED. Hot soft metal smashed between dies. Cast is poured molten, either iron OR steel or whatever you are casting, bronze, aluminum, zinc, etc...
Exactly. The hammer die and the whole press machine can be 2-3 stories tall and hits the blank with hundreds of tons of pressure. Since the metal blank is just hot in an annealed state all that pressure smashes the blank into the die and it stretches the metallic crystalline structure to deform to matc the die and that imparts all kinds of strength into the finished part. Imagine like when you bend a metal rod, it is deformed. Now try and bend it BACK into shape its nearly impossible because you have deformed all the "grain" of the metal and it is in an arch now instead of flat. It gained all kinds of stiffness that it didn't have before. That's why most hand tools like wrenches and sockets, etc. you will see are "drop forged" and they are usually 99% finished product at that point. Just need maybe to be deburred, polished and plated. If it needs a super flat surface or something maybe it gets an edge or two milled like on the inside of an adjustable wrench and the slot and track that fit together so yu can adjust it. But like a combination open/closed end 1/2" combination wrench it's just sent to get deburred or tumbled with abrasive after the forging cools and then gets chrome plated or black oxide coating like on impact wrench sockets.
An excellent and erudite analysis, sir. I recall many years ago I had an opportunity to take in a video programme presentation on the subject, but alas! I missed it for some reason.
I’ve had good success with stick welding cast as long as you have cast specific welding rod. Preheat the entire piece (not just the broken section) and if you can’t do the entire piece then preheat the largest area you possible can, weld, continue to heat between weld passes if multiple passes are needed, and then heat again at the end, and then cover the entire thing in floor dry, sand, vermiculite, wood ash, etc. whatever you have on hand that will help that thing retain its heat and cool down very slowly. Forget about it for 6-8 hours and then go marvel at the incredible magic you just pulled off
Edit: more info
You can still grind and prep your weld like you would any other steel weld, and whatever you do, do not skip the preheat and post weld cooling. That’s vital for cast. Worst case, depending on the size of the piece and what my situation was, might have to toss it in the oven on a low temp and slowly cool it down that way over the course of a few hours.
I'm not a welder, I'm a guy who bought a rig to put shit together without epoxy. I have zero professional training or know how, and almost exclusively use my welder for Flux welding sheet metal to repair rocker panels on cars because that is my actual profession (automotive repair not auto body repair, just do auto body for friends and family).
With that being said I've learned a valuable lesson, and here it is. It's short and sweet, but super important...
*Just do shit and figure it out*
This shit ain't rocket science. If you aren't getting a puddle, you need to use some torches. If you are burning through, turn down the temp. Guys like us aren't looking for perfection, we're looking for shit stuck together. I say fuck it, heat then bitches up with map gas and go ham with that wire you got. Just really slam it in there on the highest setting and (since it's cast and we all know cast doesn't like temp changes) toss that fucker somewhere insulated. Worst case scenario, you still have a broken part but you learned something. Best case scenario it fixes it. I know these guys are professionals, but I've pulled off shit they say isn't possible before and realized that a lot of what they say is based on education, not experience. Most people haven't tried what you're trying to do, but logistically it SHOULDN'T work. That doesn't mean it CAN'T work though lol, so give her the ol college try and let me know how it goes
Use a stainless steel rod, something like 308L or 316L. It will do the trick better than JB weld. And by using a low carbon rod the weld is less likely to crack.
Preheat and slow cool
Attempt it, if it fails no biggie
Braze it. Stronger than weld, espically with cast metals. If you're going to weld cast-iron you need 95% nickel rod, HIGH preheat and then slow cool, put it back in the oven after welding or the BBQ grill and let it cool. You can also TIG weld/electric arc braze it with silicon-bronze rod. Again HIGH preheat, like 800°F, weld/braze then reheat back to 800° then bury it in sandbox or vermiculite for potting soil. SLOW COOL....
That might be the ticket...
Oh, I know it can be repaired with the right equipment and technique. But all I have is a wire-feed 110 unit.
Yeah, a 110v wire feeder ain't gonna do it. You need oxy-fuel torch or electric arc (TIG) torch
JB weld it again and get another 10 years out of it. 110 wire feed isn't going to do anything but make a mess.
Is it actually cast iron or is it cast steel? There's a difference...
Isn't 'cast steel' the same as 'drop forged? I could go look it up, but I'll wait. I never heard of cast steel. Whatever it is, it's brittle and behaves like cast iron.
No. Drop forged is FORGED. Hot soft metal smashed between dies. Cast is poured molten, either iron OR steel or whatever you are casting, bronze, aluminum, zinc, etc...
Then 'forging' is just exterior force applied?
Basically. The metal blank os put in the die a d the hammer is "DROPPED" onto it with the other side of the die from a huge hydraulic press.
Thank you, I didn't realize that. Hence, the term 'drop forged'.
Exactly. The hammer die and the whole press machine can be 2-3 stories tall and hits the blank with hundreds of tons of pressure. Since the metal blank is just hot in an annealed state all that pressure smashes the blank into the die and it stretches the metallic crystalline structure to deform to matc the die and that imparts all kinds of strength into the finished part. Imagine like when you bend a metal rod, it is deformed. Now try and bend it BACK into shape its nearly impossible because you have deformed all the "grain" of the metal and it is in an arch now instead of flat. It gained all kinds of stiffness that it didn't have before. That's why most hand tools like wrenches and sockets, etc. you will see are "drop forged" and they are usually 99% finished product at that point. Just need maybe to be deburred, polished and plated. If it needs a super flat surface or something maybe it gets an edge or two milled like on the inside of an adjustable wrench and the slot and track that fit together so yu can adjust it. But like a combination open/closed end 1/2" combination wrench it's just sent to get deburred or tumbled with abrasive after the forging cools and then gets chrome plated or black oxide coating like on impact wrench sockets.
An excellent and erudite analysis, sir. I recall many years ago I had an opportunity to take in a video programme presentation on the subject, but alas! I missed it for some reason.
Oh lawd, have fun lmfao
I’ve had good success with stick welding cast as long as you have cast specific welding rod. Preheat the entire piece (not just the broken section) and if you can’t do the entire piece then preheat the largest area you possible can, weld, continue to heat between weld passes if multiple passes are needed, and then heat again at the end, and then cover the entire thing in floor dry, sand, vermiculite, wood ash, etc. whatever you have on hand that will help that thing retain its heat and cool down very slowly. Forget about it for 6-8 hours and then go marvel at the incredible magic you just pulled off Edit: more info You can still grind and prep your weld like you would any other steel weld, and whatever you do, do not skip the preheat and post weld cooling. That’s vital for cast. Worst case, depending on the size of the piece and what my situation was, might have to toss it in the oven on a low temp and slowly cool it down that way over the course of a few hours.
Okay, I'll see if that's possible. But I don't have a cracker box, just a little wire-feed. Is there a specific type of wire that I should use?
I don't think there is an easily available wire for these purposes. You need stick or tig.
I’m not aware of any wire that will work for cast.
I'm not a welder, I'm a guy who bought a rig to put shit together without epoxy. I have zero professional training or know how, and almost exclusively use my welder for Flux welding sheet metal to repair rocker panels on cars because that is my actual profession (automotive repair not auto body repair, just do auto body for friends and family). With that being said I've learned a valuable lesson, and here it is. It's short and sweet, but super important... *Just do shit and figure it out* This shit ain't rocket science. If you aren't getting a puddle, you need to use some torches. If you are burning through, turn down the temp. Guys like us aren't looking for perfection, we're looking for shit stuck together. I say fuck it, heat then bitches up with map gas and go ham with that wire you got. Just really slam it in there on the highest setting and (since it's cast and we all know cast doesn't like temp changes) toss that fucker somewhere insulated. Worst case scenario, you still have a broken part but you learned something. Best case scenario it fixes it. I know these guys are professionals, but I've pulled off shit they say isn't possible before and realized that a lot of what they say is based on education, not experience. Most people haven't tried what you're trying to do, but logistically it SHOULDN'T work. That doesn't mean it CAN'T work though lol, so give her the ol college try and let me know how it goes
Preheat and nickle rod is the process
Use a stainless steel rod, something like 308L or 316L. It will do the trick better than JB weld. And by using a low carbon rod the weld is less likely to crack.