Cast Iron Welding!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:11 pm
(Apologies if you have seen me talking about this before, I have asked on another forum or two...)
I have discovered that my Super A demo has a crack in the block. It is in the same spot where Cub blocks are prone to crack, right in the "corner" where the flange part of the block bolts to the steering housing. (Seems like if A/B/C's crack it's behind the carb due to freezing. Not this one...) It starts where the oil pan meets the block and comes up about 4-5 inches, behind the hydraulic pump. There's a little gusset cast into the block there and it comes just past that if memory serves. It has been welded/brazed some before, but the crack's still there.
So here's the issue. If it were any other Super A, I would just find another block and call it done. But this is aa white demo. For me it is important that the block stay with the tractor. And while it's not running yet, I have no reason to doubt that it has run a long time in this shape--I expect somebody got it stuck once and they "snatched" on it to get it out. So I'm not worried about structural integrity. I have some leads on a couple places that have the capabililty to work with cast iron--they can heat it up and cool it down slowly. But, does anyone else have any leads on shops that could work with it and weld it back successfully? I know of a couple places supposidly here in NC, and there's a guy in MD that is almost a welding wizard that has a lot of experience with old stuff. Has a website with some pics of a manifold he did, and if it were me I would have thrown the thing in the scrap pile...
Is there anything else to watch out for in finding someone to weld on it? I have wondered about distortion of the block from heating/cooling it, but from what little I know about it, I don't think they heat it that hot. Now I know some people are going to say that they wouldn't "risk" it, but at this point I don't feel like I have anything to lose. I just want to make sure no "gremlins" will show up when it is fixed.....all advice welcome!
thanks,
Al
I have discovered that my Super A demo has a crack in the block. It is in the same spot where Cub blocks are prone to crack, right in the "corner" where the flange part of the block bolts to the steering housing. (Seems like if A/B/C's crack it's behind the carb due to freezing. Not this one...) It starts where the oil pan meets the block and comes up about 4-5 inches, behind the hydraulic pump. There's a little gusset cast into the block there and it comes just past that if memory serves. It has been welded/brazed some before, but the crack's still there.
So here's the issue. If it were any other Super A, I would just find another block and call it done. But this is aa white demo. For me it is important that the block stay with the tractor. And while it's not running yet, I have no reason to doubt that it has run a long time in this shape--I expect somebody got it stuck once and they "snatched" on it to get it out. So I'm not worried about structural integrity. I have some leads on a couple places that have the capabililty to work with cast iron--they can heat it up and cool it down slowly. But, does anyone else have any leads on shops that could work with it and weld it back successfully? I know of a couple places supposidly here in NC, and there's a guy in MD that is almost a welding wizard that has a lot of experience with old stuff. Has a website with some pics of a manifold he did, and if it were me I would have thrown the thing in the scrap pile...
Is there anything else to watch out for in finding someone to weld on it? I have wondered about distortion of the block from heating/cooling it, but from what little I know about it, I don't think they heat it that hot. Now I know some people are going to say that they wouldn't "risk" it, but at this point I don't feel like I have anything to lose. I just want to make sure no "gremlins" will show up when it is fixed.....all advice welcome!
thanks,
Al