This is drive housing on a light Brown Boggs set of rolls. The casting holds the opposing rolls together so is subject to the forces on the rolls, and some rock star busted it.
We are a fab shop so have good welders, but we make new equipment; not maintenance and repair and almost never need to weld cast iron. I'm sure they can do it, but what seems the key to success is the preheat, rod and cool down which they don't have the cast iron experience with. As its a bit out of our wheelhouse, I figured I'd get some good advice here. The part takes a lot of force and we want to get this machine back up quickly. I've thought about fabricating a replacement but that will take a lot more time.
casting is as per pics, material is about 1/2" thick
Can you advise what temp to preheat to and the cooling procedure? do I need an oven or is a blanket and maybe a bit of propane enough? V out the weld as usual? Nickel rod - anything specific for the big win?
What about Mig silicon bronze? I guess thats a brazing process? Where would you use that over welding? easier/harder? stronger/weaker?
thanks for any help you can give
We are a fab shop so have good welders, but we make new equipment; not maintenance and repair and almost never need to weld cast iron. I'm sure they can do it, but what seems the key to success is the preheat, rod and cool down which they don't have the cast iron experience with. As its a bit out of our wheelhouse, I figured I'd get some good advice here. The part takes a lot of force and we want to get this machine back up quickly. I've thought about fabricating a replacement but that will take a lot more time.
casting is as per pics, material is about 1/2" thick
Can you advise what temp to preheat to and the cooling procedure? do I need an oven or is a blanket and maybe a bit of propane enough? V out the weld as usual? Nickel rod - anything specific for the big win?
What about Mig silicon bronze? I guess thats a brazing process? Where would you use that over welding? easier/harder? stronger/weaker?
thanks for any help you can give