How to do Cast Iron Welding

Cast iron is very difficult to weld as there are no two pieces which are similar. Cast iron contains a very high content of carbon, which is almost ten times that of steel.

Decatur, IL (prHWY.com) October 24, 2012 - Cast iron is very difficult to weld as there are no two pieces which are similar. Cast iron contains a very high content of carbon, which is almost ten times that of steel. Nevertheless, there are some general practices which you can learn on how to weld cast iron. Most of the cast iron welding incorporates are repairing or building up items to castings like couplings, pumps and others. Cast iron is naturally brittle and most repairs are usually for broken casings or cracks. Cast iron welding is done by using stick electrodes like Lincoln Ferrowed rods or it can be brazed by use of bronze filler rods.

There are different types of cast iron and Gray is the most common type. It is very important to understand the challenges involved in cast iron welding. This will help you in solving the problems whenever they happen. The biggest challenge is the fact that cast iron contains a lot of carbon content, which forms flakes of graphite.

The most important point to keep in mind, when learning how to weld cast iron is the way to apply heat on the material. During and after the welding process, the cast iron being welded is allowed to cool slowly since pre heating is used in avoiding cracks as the weld cools. Alternatively, you can keep the casting in a cool place, meaning that the rate of cooling is not so important. Cooling is done during preparation of casting.

Most cast iron has a critical temperature of about 1450 degrees F, a temperature condition which may lead to cracking. The arc definitely heats the casting iron to temperatures beyond this point. This means that, it is very important to check whether the casting is performed for long time at this temperature. There are two most popularly used methods of cast iron welding. One of the techniques is welding by pre-heating procedure while the other one is welding without pre-heating. Welding through pre-heating procedure is the technique mainly used in most cases.

Heating cast iron repairs

This involves method the pre-heating procedure. The whole casting is pre-heated and this should be done very carefully. This helps in slowing the cooling of the welded part. The temperature for pre-heating should be between 500 and 1100 degrees F. This temperature can be controlled by using special heat crayons. You should also try to keep the welds small and use low current as well as peen the weld. You can bury the casting in sand or use an insulating blanket to help in slower cooling.

Non heating method of cast iron repairs

This method does not involve the pre-heating procedure. It relies on storing the casting in a place which is very cool. Although, getting the repair to around 100 degrees is also helpful. It is also helpful to use certain repair electrodes since they make short welds around an inch long allow for natural cooling. To avoid cracking, you can peen after cast iron welding.

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Bradshaw Consulting, Inc.
Mt. Zion, IL 62549

Office: 1.217.864.6485
Fax: 1.217.864.6350

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Tag Words: cast iron weld, cast iron welding, cast iron rods, cast iron repairs

Categories: Construction

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Bradshaw Consulting, Inc.
Mt. Zion, IL 62549

Office: 1.217.864.6485
Fax: 1.217.864.6350

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