Cast iron welding rods.

[JDarvall]

Does anyone out there know where I can get welding rods for welding cast iron that don't cost a fortune ?

Lately I've been enjoying repairing old cast iron furniture and tools with my Mitre 10 welder using these specialised cast iron rods I bought from a local supplier. Great fun until you discover the cost..... $8 each!!!.... But they are very good..and must be the reason behind the success I've been getting....you see,, I'm quite new to welding and I haven't found any need to pre-heat the cast iron like I've heard your supposed to do to avoid cracking....I just weld broken pieces back together like I'm welding regular steel.........

So.,, Does anybody happen to know where I can get these rods cheaper ?? Thanks

[ozwinner]

Maybe you should post details of these wonder rods. :cool:

Unless your selling them of course. :mad:

Al

[JDarvall]

No I''m not trying to sell them.....and truthfully I'm not sure what their called.... But they are available from 'Readings industrial' in Lismore.

[vsquizz]

Most welding supplies shops will carry cast iron rods. The ultimate durability of your repair will depend on a) the quality of the parent metal, & b) the atomic structure of the repair. In any case a little pre-heat and mainly some post heat will improve the weld.

Many people believe they are getting good results with cast iron welding because its not actually cast iron (read high carbon). Its often cast steel or lower carbon content stuff which has the appearance of cast iron but is easier to repair. This material has been coming to Australia from the sub-continent since the fifties.

Most cast iron rods are what we call lollypops or buttering up rods, which contain alloys with good intergrannular properties. Carbon buggers arc welding so the weld metal is actually quite soft as the rods contain no carbon.

In repairing wrought iron work I have tried all the best so called cast iron welding rods including the legendary Magna 303 (the exhaust manifold fracture King:cool: ) but have had to result to copious Pre and post heat in an electric furnace and welding by oxy/acet brazing. Thats an art form in itself.

Try looking up CIG/BOC on the web. Lincoln have a pretty good cast rod and so do WIA but reportedly its not as good.

Cheers

[ozwinner]

I didnt think there was a wonder "cast iron" rod around, well there wasnt when I did my ticket in Ballarat 12 years ago.
But I thought I would ask all the same.

Al :)

[vsquizz]

I didnt think there was a wonder "cast iron" rod around,
Al :)
Hey Al, there aint

[ozwinner]

What about some magic beans, do you have any of those??


Al :cool:

[echnidna]

Jacks got all of them beans at the moment!!!!

[JDarvall]

Thanks......you were most informative,,,I'm so green on the topic however I had to read it half a dozen times before it clicked..... you say I'm probably not welding cast iron...that it might be cast steel or low carbon that has that same grey/sandy crystal look of cast iron.... How can I then determine what I have before I weld ? Or do I just give it a go and hope for the best ? Maybe make a spark test ?
And if it is cast steel or mild steel, does that mean a regular rod for normal steel applications may work ? Meaning I don't have to buy these expensive lollypops ?

ta............. too many questions ? .....maybe

[vsquizz]

To be honest I have no idea what your welding but it is not to say that it is not cast at all. A grinding spark test is best done with a visual reference and there is some on-line to google for. Also use known reference grinds on say a piece of mild steel, tool steel, HSS for comparison. Us the angle grinder on a cast vice is also a good reference.

Just because they are called buttering up rods doesn't mean they can't adequatley repair a piece of cast, its just that they are not very strong and have a propensity to fail in the HAZ (Heat Affected Zone).

Have fun, now I'm missing Startrek, damn!

Cheers

[JDarvall]

threads probably got a bit boring so I'll keep it short........I found out what there called .....there 'allweld' rods from CIG .... for welding anything together... and hey,, thanks for your help..

[DavidG]

Just incase anyone is interested in cast iron rods.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=633&item=7513770484&rd=1