CI edge build up

[Hunch]

Contemplating something that perhaps I shouldn't!

This table has been dropped, O ring retaining groove has broken. Anyone aware of something akin to a plasma metal deposition service locally that could undertake such a job or have any other bright ideas?

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/5203/dsc05183k.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/dsc05183k.jpg/)

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4642/dsc05185l.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/14/dsc05185l.jpg/)

Bill.

[matthew_g]

It's a pitty you are in Syd. If you were closer I could metal spray it for you. It might be worth asking your local welding suppliers who has Metal Spray facilities in your area, It's not the cheapest thing to get done, But by far the best option for the job at hand.. If you have an Oxt/Acet rig you might consider getting a metal spray starter kit and doing it yourself, Especially if you have similar work from time to time as the metal powder dosn't go off. Hope this helps.

[bollie7]

If it only retains the o-ring and the riveted on scale, I'd be machining out the broken section down to the level of the bottom, outside flat surface, and then I'd make a mild steel repair piece and fix it in place with small countersunk screws tapped into the side of the pocket under the scale. Seal it with locktite when you install it for the last time. This way you won't be putting any heat into it, damaging the paint, possibly warping the casting etc and you won't have a big machining job to re finish it.

bollie7

[Dave J]

+1 on what Bollie said
There is already one taped hole there to use as it could hold both on.
Was it like this or was it an accident?

Dave

[Bryan]

Bill, do you have the pieces? If so could they be glued? If there's no force on it you might get away with it. Superglue or epoxy. If you can get it clean enough.

[Hunch]

It's a pitty you are in Syd. If you were closer I could metal spray it for you. It might be worth asking your local welding suppliers who has Metal Spray facilities in your area, It's not the cheapest thing to get done, But by far the best option for the job at hand.. If you have an Oxt/Acet rig you might consider getting a metal spray starter kit and doing it yourself, Especially if you have similar work from time to time as the metal powder dosn't go off. Hope this helps.

Yeah, reluctant at the thought of putting any heat into it and the metal spray option is probably what I was thinking of as a possibility. Someone I spoke with today suggested a weld repair, but that little bitty land combined with oil impregnation.....well, that would take some skill.


If it only retains the o-ring and the riveted on scale, I'd be machining out the broken section down to the level of the bottom, outside flat surface, and then I'd make a mild steel repair piece and fix it in place with small countersunk screws tapped into the side of the pocket under the scale. Seal it with locktite when you install it for the last time. This way you won't be putting any heat into it, damaging the paint, possibly warping the casting etc and you won't have a big machining job to re finish it.

bollie7

Someone else suggested that today too, probably the most appealing from the perspective of what's readily at hand and doable by this poor specimen.


+1 on what Bollie said
There is already one taped hole there to use as it could hold both on.
Was it like this or was it an accident?

Dave

My understanding, while bolting the table on or off the mill they have not used eyebolts in the T slots in the "approved" manner and it's got away from them. There's 230kg in the table all up when assembled and guessing with mass location, it would want to rotate. Still tossing up whether I want to take up this project, getting a good example isn't really an option with the dollars involved, so.....


Bill, do you have the pieces? If so could they be glued? If there's no force on it you might get away with it. Superglue or epoxy. If you can get it clean enough.

Still half a world away Bryan, pieces are definitely long gone.

[pipeclay]

Have you considered building it up with Devcon or similar.

[RayG]

Hi Hunch,

I've never tried this, but don't see why it wouldn't work....

Fill it with molten aluminium, you would need to insert a steel strip into the O-ring groove and clamp another steel strip on the outside of the curve. Then clamp a couple of small steel pieces between the strips so that you form a cavity to pour into, with a bit of extra height to allow for shrinkage.

The amount of alumiunium needed looks like it would be fairly small, you can melt small amounts of aluminium in a steel cooking pot with a gas flame.

Drill a few small holes into the cast iron to provide a "key" of sorts.

Paint it green.

Regards
Ray

[jhovel]

You could also try what Ray suggested using soft solder. Tinning the CI isn't exactly easy but doable.
Joe

[Hunch]

Appears the edge piece is still there after all, impression I get, it's pretty well useless/deformed.


Have you considered building it up with Devcon or similar.

I didn't, but emailed the vendor again last night as he must have given it some thought - and he suggested JB Weld or PC-7 as a, get it working method. With the amount of bearing area, that little piece really does only retain the O ring, so I am probably over-thinking it.


Hi Hunch,

I've never tried this, but don't see why it wouldn't work....

Fill it with molten aluminium, you would need to insert a steel strip into the O-ring groove and clamp another steel strip on the outside of the curve. Then clamp a couple of small steel pieces between the strips so that you form a cavity to pour into, with a bit of extra height to allow for shrinkage.

The amount of alumiunium needed looks like it would be fairly small, you can melt small amounts of aluminium in a steel cooking pot with a gas flame.

Drill a few small holes into the cast iron to provide a "key" of sorts.

Paint it green.

Regards
Ray

Probably out of my comfort zone with clumsily almost backing into a ladle of hot metal in the past...a mate does do a bit of aluminium casting work for me, so I'll run it past him.


You could also try what Ray suggested using soft solder. Tinning the CI isn't exactly easy but doable.
Joe

The temperatures there are a bit more to my liking. Never tried anything ferrous, learning if not cursing experience guaranteed!:U

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions all, probably have to decide in the next couple of days whether to proceed, of course the item is located on the opposite end of the country for my usual shipper and ground transport will surely run a few hundred coast to coast. Anyone have a car container guy doing NY to Sydney?

[Bryan]

You could screw the scale back on and use the bugger. What's the worst that can happen? Snag the O-ring? Would it be hard to replace?

[Stustoys]

I'd start with JB weld. Only to keep swarf off the O ring. If it doesnt work you are no worse off than you are now. Once you start adding heat you may start having other problems. You be able to cut a piece of bronze to fit and epoxy it in place as it doesnt seem to have to do anything other than just sit there. If you felt like making a new scale you could add a ring of steel under the scale to support the repair.

Stuart

[Dave J]

I have been using this stuff called quick steel. It's available for both aluminium and steel so get the right one and you cut a piece off and knead it. It has like a grey outer and a black centre and kneading it mixes it together. The local auto parts where I buy it from, his son races motor bikes and one race he broke a lever and they never had a spare, so he made the end up out of this stuff and he finished the day. He said he still has that lever at home, LOL

If you flatten out the scale and reattach it, this would give extra strength to hold the quick steel in. It can be shaped with a sharp knife while drying (around 15 minutes) and can be sanded after that.

Dave

[Hunch]

You could screw the scale back on and use the bugger. What's the worst that can happen? Snag the O-ring? Would it be hard to replace?

There is a caution about loss of the O ring in the operator manual on reassembly. Think that's more stating the obvious for the stupid, rather than an unusual size or material, supplier I use should have something - if it came to replacement.

Can't see it snagging anything really, looks like it rides in a mating groove on the opposite side too - and other than undoing a few shcs and hefting the thing, pretty straightforward I'd think. Swarf's ability to reach the inaccessible as mentioned by Stuart below, probably the only concern.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6536/dsc05190i.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/46/dsc05190i.jpg/)


I'd start with JB weld. Only to keep swarf off the O ring. If it doesnt work you are no worse off than you are now. Once you start adding heat you may start having other problems. You be able to cut a piece of bronze to fit and epoxy it in place as it doesnt seem to have to do anything other than just sit there. If you felt like making a new scale you could add a ring of steel under the scale to support the repair.

Stuart

I think the epoxy route would be the most expeditious way to go, as you say, can't make worse.


I have been using this stuff called quick steel. It's available for both aluminium and steel so get the right one and you cut a piece off and knead it. It has like a grey outer and a black centre and kneading it mixes it together. The local auto parts where I buy it from, his son races motor bikes and one race he broke a lever and they never had a spare, so he made the end up out of this stuff and he finished the day. He said he still has that lever at home, LOL

If you flatten out the scale and reattach it, this would give extra strength to hold the quick steel in. It can be shaped with a sharp knife while drying (around 15 minutes) and can be sanded after that.

Dave

Can't remember the product name, have used something similar in the past. Have scratched around in the shed today looking for long forgotten metal repair substances, the couple I found had all gone off though, so will have to get reacquainted with what's available.