Looking for some Cast Iron I can Break

riftware

Registered
Registered
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Messages
7
I live in the Tulsa Oklahoma area and I'm finding myself in need of some Cast iron I can break and practice repairing. Unfortunately I have a taper attachment that had the mounting points broken when a cable snapped while moving a lathe. I have a tig welder and I've read up on the technique to do tig brazing on cast iron but I'd like some old junk cast iron to actually practice repairing. I imagine whatever I try the first few times will come out crap so I'm not offering to repair something for anyone just looking for some material that is unwanted or fairly cheap I can drive a few hours in any direction. Southern Missouri, western arkansas and potentially down to dallas are in range.
 
How about checking out the local flea markets and thrift shops for cheap cast iron pans? You could smash up a couple and stick them back together
Even buying them new would not be too expensive
-Mark
 
You could also ask at Goodwills, Salvation Armies,or restore centers, for any broken cast iron. They might be happy to give it to you, since they likely cannot sell it.
 
How about checking out the local flea markets and thrift shops for cheap cast iron pans? You could smash up a couple and stick them back together
Even buying them new would not be too expensive
-Mark
Thanks... while visiting harbor freight just now I noticed their vices are cast iron so I grabbed the low profile $20 drill press vise... figure breaking the bolt downs will actually be pretty close to the parts I actually need to braze.
 
Chinese cast iron might be a bit impure, but if you can braze that you can probably braze anything
 
Cast iron pans are not the right kind of material that will braze like a lathe part. However it won't hurt to practice on them.

Have a look at flea markets for old stuff that might have been motor mounts or parts of a table saw. This will be the same kind of cast iron (grey iron) that is used in machine tools. White cast iron, like in fry pans is different and requires different preheat and brazing rod material and temperature.

For your fix you will need preheat and a fixture to hold all the parts in alignment to TIG braze them together and stay in alignment. Even so, expect to rebore through holes and put bushings in where needed. In the fixes I did with my dad when I was young, Things will move 5 - 10 thou after everything cools down.
 
I started practicing on brake rotors and scrap drain covers that shattered in the street. You can often find small pieces. After that, broken garage sale c-clamps. The bonus is that you have a usable tool when done. It really helps one to learn how the cast iron rod moves with the flux and flame.
 
great idea @ericc local pick a parts will have brake rotors on really cheap! Try a local mechanic for free ones the were being thrown away!
 
What about cast iron drain pipe? My brother is a vp at a large mechanical contractor in Tulsa, maybe they have a scrap piece or two on a job or at their shop.
 
Drain pipe is white iron. Usually with the worst of inclusions and junk thrown in. I removed/busted up a thousand pounds of it in my time. It won't heat like your taper and it will probably crack due to differential cooling.
 
Back
Top