cast steel welding

Hey Max. I searched and saw alot of post regarding shortening cast steel spindles, but I am looking to extend a spindle to fit a bigger rim. My first question is if there are any sites that you would recommend that I can use as a reference for a step by step process regarding welding cast steel. The info I am curious about is actual tempatures and times for heating and cooling. I understand the need to pre heat, then weld to it, but then what about stress relieving the part? Then the time for cooling. What type of welder to use. Mig? tig? stick welder? Second is in regards to the actual material to use when plating and extending. How does welding the 2 different metals together affect it? Steel plate to cast steel?

If i know all the steps required to do it correctly I can decide for myself if it is something I am capable of doing. If I take a spindle to a welder, I am worried that they may not take the necessary precautions and steps needed to do it correctly.

Thanks

This is not something that I am comfortable explaining in a pulic forum. It is a lot like telling you how to build a bomb in your kitchen.

Very true everyone will feel they can do it and that would be very scary.

Would this be explosive welding? I've been searching around and stumbled upon this. Is it that dangerous, building a bomb in the kitchen?

Edited: 11/18/2008 10:04:28 AM by Barely Legal Welding

Here you go, First you need the wire or stickes i use crown royal 220 you can get the filler in eather mig wire or tig rods. Crowns phone number_248-588-3790 they can also give you the procedure on how to weld it if i dont make sence(horable typer)

clean the weld area, it its thicker i V-Grove for full penatration. high carbon steels like cast and tool steels, preheat the peice,cast diplaces heat kinda like aluminum so if you pre heat you get a nice hot weld area.they call for a 300 - 500 degree preheat but if you can get it to 200 degree you will be fine too. if you can get some junk peice and try it out first if you feel comfortable then weld up the parts you will be riding on. but like i said before, if this dont make sence call me 989 671 3729 or call Crown them selfs they have a great tech guy.

hope this helps Richie

So where's the danger come in?

the danger is probably in the liability if max tells you how to do this and then the peice breaks killing someone. i dont think there is any danger in actually process.

the danger part is if cast isnt welded right or pre-heated enough the weld will fail and break or the cast can crack from the heat of the weld. causing the part to break, i welded cast all day long at the factory i worked at and i used a bake oven for cast to heat it and after welding i wrapped it in a aluminum blanket and put it back in the over and slowly turn the heat down to let it cool down. most of the parts i welded was for press dies for making car parts and air craft parts.

^^^ Exactly

And on top of that, I have seen so many obvious stress-risers built into parts that someone thought they were making stronger that it is rediculous! Cast is "notch sensitive" and should not be addressed ignorantly.

Next time I choose not to tell someone how to do something because I don't feel that it is safe, PLEASE don't tell them how to do it in my forum! I don't think that the general public needs to know how to weld cast. I have always felt this way and always will.

Edited: 11/18/2008 12:32:10 PM by iLLblazer

max's first response should have been the end of this thread in his own forum.