Quick question for anyone experienced in engineering

Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Is it possible to weld cast iron? (I seem to remember having heard it's difficult.)

If so, what's the best method - does standard frazzling tackle (electric arc) work or does it need something more sophisticated?

If anyone can advise - thanks!
 
I know you can arc weld cast iron (I've done it) but I believe you need special rods (or rather rods with a special flux coating).
I don't know if you can weld it with other methods.
 
Pitlamp said:
Is it possible to weld cast iron? (I seem to remember having heard it's difficult.)

If so, what's the best method - does standard frazzling tackle (electric arc) work or does it need something more sophisticated?

If anyone can advise - thanks!
Click to expand...
Hello John
PM sent about mutual friend not on this forum.
Regards
Robert
 
have had cast iron  'stick ' welded with 'high carbon' rods. how big a job have you in mind? o. g. 
 
Many thanks for the information above - and to the three people who have sent a PM separately.

Just for completeness - as O.G. asked - it's a flange about 6 mm thick and maybe 20 mm wide (so quite a small job).

Cheers all.
 
Yes you can.

They key is to get the work piece evenly heated before you start welding.  If you don't you can get differential expansion when you start welding and the work piece may fracture.

Might be worth talking to Baz.
 
Pitlamp said:
Is it possible to weld cast iron? (I seem to remember having heard it's difficult.)

If so, what's the best method - does standard frazzling tackle (electric arc) work or does it need something more sophisticated?

If anyone can advise - thanks!
Click to expand...

Tim Nixon used to work for Dorothea Architectural Iron Works in Buxton many years ago. He used to specialise in welding cast iron. He even built a cast iron staircase in Stings house.

I'll PM his email if you don't have it.

Mark
 
Thanks all.

Actually, I've just remembered that there's also a certain person in the Orpheus who would probably be able to advise.

I reckon between your various messages and posts here I should be able to get the information I'm after now. (I remember now that I've heard that thing about even heating before.)

Yet another example of how useful this forum can be.
 
If you use an arc (stick) welder with nickel rods and, arguably most importantly, preheat and a slow cooldown in hot sand (a BBQ comes in handy for DIY'ing it), it's usually possible to do it and get good, lasting results, but it's entirely dependant on the cast iron needing repair. Some (Usually very old) cast/pig iron is simply not weldable.
 
I welded some cast iron when I was at blacksmithing college, and from recollection (it was a long time ago!) I did it pretty much as Newstuff described - preheated on one of the smithing hearths, used high-nickel rods , and let it cool down nice and steady at the edge of the hearth - the critical thing is to avoid thermal stress on the metal so it doesn't crack. It is a bit of a faff so as Traff suggests, if a weld isn't necessary then brazing might be the best way to go.
 
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