Bridgeport 9X42 Table needs to be Re-Ground

Stupid thought of mine for beautifying old tables; how about silver soldering the holes and gouges then sanding them smooth?
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I think it is a idea that is pondered by a lot of guys. I agree with woodchucker, and worry that using enough heat to make it work might have some unintended consequences for the straightness of the table.

If your surface is pitted it may be enough to ensure all the upraised burrs are stoned flat. You only need 4 good points on the table to get it right, any intermediate points and pits are a pain, but don't matter so much.
 
If you have drill marks or worse slots or sorts. Mix up some good high strength epoxy and grind up some cast iron and mix in with the epoxy then fill voids. Follow up with sanding and stoning. Might not see depending on your mixture?
A rotor will get you in a good ballpark. But not dead on! Your table is trammed in the spot you performed it,when you move the table depending on wear your tram goes out. Just something to think about. Fill the voids if there,stone the table,mount the vise and make some chips. We'd all like a freshly scrapped table:cool:
 
I have epoxied and milled or drilled out and made cast iron inserts and pressed or epoxied them in. If you only have a few I would recommend Devcon Aluminum metal filler as it shines like cast iron. If you used plastic steel it turns black and it is easy to see it's a fix. I have had bad luck with Belzona and it is spendy as heck. Recently I have filled voids in Cast Iron with Muggy weld alloy 5 solder. It melts with a propane torch. With all fillers you need to open the bottom of the hole wider by grinding it like a cone or bottom is wider then top to help anchor it in. Also you should use a heat gun or propane torch to sweat out any oil that has crept into the pours of the iron. I use a propane torch and after it cools wipe with white cloth and use brake cleaner or an arosol that gets cold as it evaporates. BE SURE IRON IS COOL or you may burn down your shop...lol.

If you mill or drill out the table and your going to use an insert, be sure to drill a small hole thru the table so the air can escape as long as it's not thru and into the ways. I have also mixed cast iron into epoxy and I never heard back from the machine owner. In my business, no news is good news.
Rich
 
Great ideas and thank yo Mr. King.
I think I will try to find a couple points on the table that aren’t marred. It should be doable to tram that way.
I have decided to get to know this old girl a bit more before I spend the money. Heck, ugly makes good stuff right?
 
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