[AKweldshop]

Ok Guys, got a vice repair job I'm doing, It was broken by a dillwipp with a 4ft pipe.
Then it was "repaired" with stick. 7018 to be exact.
It then recracked.
So I'm gonna try and repair it.
You can see the weld, full of porosity and deep cracks.
So, I ground it out, I'm still grinding, wire wheeling and degreasing.
So I am looking for a solid welding process, I have access to some good mig, stick, and tig welders.
But what stick electrode, mig wire, or tig rod would do the Job????
I'm not willing to pay outrages prices, like $87 for 1lb of nickel rods!!! no way....
What would you use?

~John

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[AKweldshop]

here's some pics after grinding

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[AKweldshop]

just about ready to weld.

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[AKweldshop]

Just about ready to weld, I'll take a .045 wheel and do a little gouging in there and a little smoothing.
What filler would you guys recommend?
John

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[Otto Nobedder]

Cheap fix...

Grind it out heavy, each side of the crack. Stop-drill the ends and grind to them. "Butter" the exposed cast with 309. Then weld it, also with 309, in stages, keeping the metal hot. It wouldn't hurt to throw some garden-center vermiculite on it when you're done for a slow cool.

This doesn't always work, but it has for me in the past, when I can afford to spend an hour or two more than I can afford some high-nickel rod.

One other thought... Cast piston rings (available free as scrap from any local engine shop) are high in nickel, and work well as filler for a TIG fix. Werkspace can tell you more about this.

Steve S

[Superiorwelding]

John,
Looks like you have a project! I would honestly use the 99% nickel rod but I understand why you don't want to purchase any. Don't you have something like a Tractor Supply ( an hardware of sorts ) they sometimes have some nickel rod in smaller packs.
If you only have 7018 I would recommend preheating to 200-250 degrees F and keeping that temp the whole way through and putting it in insulation/sand for a slow cool. I think the 7018 would hold if it were not a item that would be seeing stress. Do you have any other electrodes?
If you go the TIG route I think using 309 would work, but I have never don't it myself.

[Superiorwelding]

Looks like Steve beat me to the 309!

[Superiorwelding]

John,
It looks like you are fixing this as we speak but this is an example of a rod that might work well for you in this application and is inexpensive. I paid $9.99 US for 1 lb here at Rural King Ohio. Just a thought.

You might think I am nuts, but I have seen adding a material (like Steve's piston rings) added into the arc of your stick electrodes for filler/additional properties. I am in no way saying this is a great idea but.....

[Arizona SA200]

309 with tig or 309 stick would work. 7018 will also. I like that piston ring idea, gonna have to remember that one. Post heat on any of these will give the best results. I usually use a bucket of sand but you can also use an oven and back off the heat over a few hours. The wife may not like the oven idea but it works great.

[AKweldshop]

I'm open to any repair techniques, Just as long as its cheap and strong.
SW, I can't believe you can find 1lb of nickle rods for $10!!! 1lb of Forney is $87.
Would the Nickle Stick be the way to go? I could prolly find some nickel rods. I'll have to try and buy some.
Or could I Use 309 Stick???

~John

[AKweldshop]

I've got a bunch of 3/32 309l tig rods I could tig it with, and I have a bunch of Excaliber 1/8 309 stick rods.
Would 309 stick be as good as 309 tig???

[Superiorwelding]

John,
I would almost always stick with the nickel but that's just because I have had extremely good luck with it.

For the 309, I would try the TIG but that's because I have never done this particular application. I think either way you will be good.

Why is Nickel rod so expensive over there? It is by no means cheap here either but $87 for 1 lb. that is a rip off! If I remember right the customer brought me these rods for a repair and I literally used one rod out of the box for his repair. He gave me the rest and I have never used them. I could ship them to you

[AKweldshop]

I'm not sure if these rods are comparable, these rods were black.

[Superiorwelding]

John
Here is where they were purchased from over here. No they are not the same as the nickel but I was offering them as a cheaper alternative.
http://www.ruralking.com/tools/welding/ ... 3-rdp.html

[weldin mike 27]

Does anyone here ever braze or broze (same process diff names) cast iron with the oxy? Its a go to thing to use here.

Mick

[AKweldshop]

Ok, I might give those a try, I think there's a Tractor Supply about an hour from me, never been to it though.
I have an abundance of 309 stick and tig rods, would that be the better git-er-done alternative?

[Otto Nobedder]

Actually, my local Tractor Supply Co has nickel rods in 1# packs.

I'd forgotten that.

They have both nickel grades, the 55% and the 99% (if I remember the grades right...) and the cost is not so much in a 1# pack.

The same "clean it, bevel it, preheat it, weld it, cool it slow" thing applies, in my opinion, though I've seen it done with Ni99 without any preheat, etc.

Steve S

[Superiorwelding]

Honestly since you have it ready to go give the 309 a try. Worst thing to happen is it cracks and you do it again!
I did some research on the Nomacast and it appears to have no nickel in it. The only difference I see between this and the nickel rod is obviously the nickel and it is not machine-able.

It is funny you ask about the bronze as I brought one of my vises home today that broke and I am going to give silicone bronze a try tomorrow. I have never done it before on a cast piece so we will see how it goes. The piece is not big at all so I think it will go well.

[Arizona SA200]

I would go with NiCl. Its meant for cast and at ten bucks if it doesnt work its a cheap lesson learned. Better than 87 bucks.

[AKweldshop]

I'm with you on the cheap lesson learned, those are the best lessons
But I'm considering the 309 tig route.
So I should preheat to 300deg????
What amperage should I weld the first pass? 160amps? Should I weld Like Jody did in this video
http://welding-tv.com/?p=5238 http://welding-tv.com/?p=5240

[Superiorwelding]

John,
I don't think 300 degrees will hurt anything. I hope you go the TIG route just for my interest.

Anyone else want to weigh in on this, could use another opinion.

[Arizona SA200]

I would recommend a preheat and i think 300 would be good. Hopefully someone else will chime in on that part. As far as stick or tig its your preference. I personally would chose tig. The key to cast is the post heat. Let me say that again POST HEAT. If you cool to fast with cast iron that is when cracks will develop. As far as amperage, i would start low and work up if you dont have a foot pedal. If its to cold grind her out and start again. Remember this, to cold leaves your base material in tact to hot doesn't. It took me am min to watch the vid by the way, hadn't seen that one yet.

[AKweldshop]

Should I do just about the same as in the video, just cast.????

[Superiorwelding]

I absolutely agree with the post heat. For the items I have done we have always wrapped them up in insulation really good and they would still be warm in the morning.
Also you mentioned processed to use at the beginning of this thread and I just wanted to share that MIG is a bad idea for those who are reading this thread. I once was asked to use a MIG on a cast iron pot and it was a absolute mess. Everywhere I welded it would crack immediately. This was one of those situations where they did not want to spend any money and they wanted MIG. Bad idea. Maybe someone else has had better luck but not me.

[Superiorwelding]

I have not watched all of this but maybe it will help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUUj5DyQGik

As for the way Jody did it, give it a shot.