Bust it, and you gotta fix it. Or....how to weld cast iron

[oldnslo]

My experience with repairing cast iron consists of armchair quarterbacking of Youtube vids. With that behind me, and remembering I had some leftover nickel AC rods from an anvil "fix" that was fugly, but functional, I felt I had the street cred to fix what I broke.

I'll start with lessons learned.

1. DON'T, use a 6ton bottle jack to persuade a cast iron vise (see pic)
2. DON'T use a 4ft cheater bar on an already beefy and oversized vise adjustment lever

If you fail to head the first two warnings, do wear ear projection for the upcoming SNAP, and ensure your life insurance policy is up to date, because your heart rate WILL increase as a result of "what just happened"?

Fast forward to the fix, where sandblasting prepped the surface, appropriate pre-heating was used, small sections of repair beading, and welding both the inside and outside, followed by a slooooow cooldown on a very warm 116 southwest AZ day.

She's in machinery grey now, replacing the (apparently) Farmall red that was the OE, coat, but it was resprayed a very fetching "Lost in Space" aluminum spaceship color.

Pics of what the Cole vise is all about, tho mine has zero markings anywhere.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cole+vise&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj54sP5h_7qAhW-GTQIHbWnB5AQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=cole+vise&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyBggAEAgQHjIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBAgAEBhQiIu6EFj5lboQYKCcuhBoAHAAeACAAaYDiAH3EZIBCTEuNC4yLjIuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=aYAnX7mKO76z0PEPtc-egAk&bih=578&biw=1280

I'll mount it up soon(ish), but for now, am waiting for the paint to dry.

[oldnslo]

..and more...

At least the repair is on the backside.

 

[jabberwoki]

So apparently when your using a vise your not oldnslo?

[DeadNutz]

Looks like the surgery went OK and hopefully the patient comes out of it strong as ever. I still kick myself in the butt for not remembering to pull two 5lb sealed boxes of nickel rod off the shelf and stashing it away before our auction. I had bought the welding supplies of a shop dirt cheap at an auction.

[Heiny57]

Looks like new!   

[bonneyman]

If only my injuries were so easy to fix! 

Nice job!

[oldnslo]

Thanks!

That strip of steel on the backside of the Gannon (box scraper) is 5/16" thick. I had it heated cherry red and was trying to straighten some damage from the prior owner abuser in my quest to get it back in working order. While the section is not visible (and it performs only a structural function), it bugged me and eventually I cut the section out in order to straighten it, and will then weld it back in.

More pics on the Gannon resto-process, but thats for another day.

[slip knot]

Cast is one of those thing you either get lucky with or you dont. I've welded some stuff together and it held beautifully and other stuff cracked up before I was thru welding it. Pre heat, post heat, peening all have a lot to do with success or failure.

I've got a vise I use regularly that was welded up at some time in its past. Really nice repair, cant even tell except the nickel color under the paint. i wish I could of seen that one done.

[muddy]

I hear the biggest thing with welding cast is making sure it cools slowly.

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