Keith, I'm 69 and I was taught by a much older guy that did nothing but work with cast iron his entire carreer, he taught me to always after the braze has been done imediately peen the entire braze with a peening hammer to relieve any of the stresses out of the joint, and back then he would cool it in box of sand. He said It always came out perfect. Just passing it along.
The welding videos were excellent - the lower exposure to show the detail of the brazing process works nicely! Gorgeous detail of the stick melting, flowing, puddling. NOT trivial to capture. Always a superb repair!! Thank you Keith!!
I find that after you are up to temp, turn your pressure down some so that it is a more gentle flame. It doesn't blow the braze out quite so much. I'm not talking about neutral/rich settings. you still want to maintain the neutral flame just tun down the regulator (re-adjust the flame as needed) some so it isn't blowing as hard. I've also used a propane hot plate to braze on so that it keeps a good even fire on stuff while you're brazing so you aren't fighting to keep it hot....worked great. for smaller parts I put them in an old cast iron pan on the hotplate kept it good and hot, keeps the chill off then cover with a thick aluminum foil, post heat and let cool slowly. the iron skillet provided the mass to keep the small parts warm while it cooled. So the point of this is to say provide extra external heat, stop extra airflow and provide additional thermal mass. this allows a more gentle controlled flame in the puddle so the torch isn't trying to do double duty of keeping heat in the part and controlling the "weld"/braze bead. BTW 300 series stainless MIG wire (especially flux core rated for dissimilar metals) also make a very good cast iron weld which you can use with the torch or mig. It has a very high nickle content and works great on cast iron. I only ever had difficulty on a thin blower housing and a singer sewing machine treadle....this is where the external heat and mass again saved the day....cheers
Another great video! Tell all the experts to send you a short video of how it should be done! I'd say most have trouble making good coffee! You are the one doing the repair, you are the one that needs to be comfortable with the process.
Thanks for using a filter on the camera so we could see the actual brazing. I watch all of your videos. Thanks also for your help with keeping history of these wonderful machines!
Very enjoyable video of a difficult brazing job. While I was stationed with the US Army engineers in third echelon motor pool in Korea I once saw a large diesel flywheel that had been shattered into many pieces, expertly braised together and machined back to serviceable condition. Beside the flywheel was a hand painted sign with these words; “The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer”.
I agree fully with the advantages of brazed repairs in cast iron. Have repaired cracks in main bearing webs that later withstood racing application (truck pulling). In fact, one of those old GM rat motors is currently powering a medium duty dump truck in the severest climate in North America (northern plains; canada is two hours north at 65 mph). Have no use for nickle electrodes, aside from making finger rings out of them.
This repair, is the one which really shows the difference or reason that bronze will work better than the other types of process repairs. There may be other men that can use the nickle on the electric welder, but this sure does a good repair
5:25 ... cordless tools! ... I remember when we only used them when it was just to far away from power, you had to sign them out separately from regular tools and your brought three batteries :) Now? you rarely see extension cords weaved all over a job ... on smaller jobs plug in tools aren't even on the site! :) I remember taping my company business card to each female male joint in the extension cords travels, so other trades would not unplug my line "just for a quick minute" you could feel the grinder had low power because of a total of, 150 foot 16 gauge extension cords :)
Thank you for the vid. Half a world away and no longer own any gas bottles. Good to see some brazing work. The darker filter allowed a good clear sight to the molten pool. Jim Bell (Australia)
For Aussie hobbyists, it really hurts being raped by (mandatory) CIG bottle rental charges. We could never own them, currently I pay over $200 per year just to rent one D-size bottle! Now days there are a few cheaper ways of dealing with the bottles, but it's still hugely expensive - especially if you need Oxy, Acetylene, and some MIG and TIG gasses..
Good tip Keith the table is a huge heat sink! 7:14 I've set parts on top of a very hot wood stove, for a couple hours before brazing ... nice way to preheat
Really appreciated the "brazing cam" footage, as always thanks for taking the time and effort of making and sharing Your excellent videos. Best regards.
When I had brazed in the past I always thought of it as trying to make an icicle by controlling the dripping of water and blowing cold air on it. At first it was really frustrating to deal with a job where the bronze would start to flow out of some area I had just filled. It is definitely something you develop a "feel" for and is almost an art.
@@BedsitBob When trying to 'add' a contact to a gold crown or cast gold dental restoration, the graphite pencil is key to helping/saving some build ups.
Well that’s one I have not seen someone attempt to braze with a rosebud torch. I have a couple times used a cutting torch to braze because the mechanic truck I was using did not have any optional tips besides the cutting torch. Nice repair sometimes one just has to be flexible and McGiver compromise to get the job done with what is available. 👍
Keith- I taught myself to braze at the ripe old age of 13. Worked at a used car lot ( later used as a stage for the movie “ Used Cars”) fittingly? Part of the pay was use of the limited tools that were on site. Got so I could run brazeing rod uphill. Heat is definitely the key. Just right makes it so easy, too cold and it just puddles on the surface, too hot it runs off, just right it really looks like a welder did the deed. Really came to enjoy the process and found it very suitable for joining metals of different thickness and or makeup. Never tackled such a large casting as what you were working with, but the process is still the same, just more flame to compensate for the mass. Great example!
Hey, lots of flux, you are the only one who knows, you were running the torch. Brazing can be a very good method of cast iron repair. Hey Keith keep up the goodwork.
Yep, I've brazed a lot of car repairs, and you get good at shrinking the panels afterwards. Then again, the steel was thicker and softer back in those days.
I'm a long time fan. Since the beginning. I've been digging the Packistani Manufacturing on youtube. I feel like it would be good for you to commentary those vids. tell us what you're seeing. what's good. whats bad. etc.
You might want to see if you can get a flexible ceramic heater you can hookup to an electrode welder. Helps alot with pre heating parts like this, use them alot when it comes to pre heating thick aluminum before tig welding it. Lay the heating mat on the firebricks, part ontop of it and then a welding blanket over it and let it soak while you have a cup of coffee/tea. Electricity is also cheaper then oxy/acetylene in the long run.
so far, the most useful metalworking to me as far as filling in my skill list is adam and the three keiths, my own equipment needs an upgrade, looking for cnc stuff now. the comments on this video have some useful ideas.
I have fusion welded cast iron with an red flux and a cast rod, the look of the previous repair look similar to cast weld. Cast weldments have a very sluggish puddle and if the weld prep was not wide enough it will not flow and or fuse in to the bottom of its prep.
This is when Keith should of made his own DIY steel trash can oven on a stand lined with refractory wool and a weed torch in the bottom to heat those big parts. 🤔😉👍
A pit outside and charcoal works a lot better. And after welding yo just put the part back in, Cover it with more charcoal, and cover the whole thing with fiberglass insulation.Stick a piece of sheet metal over it if the weatherman calls for rain,,,,,and leave it until it;s dead out and totally cooled.
My dad was a machinist for GE and I used to pull out metal shavings out of the bottom of his shoes as a kid with pliers. We used to fish at the nuclear plant cooling pond for bluegill and gig frogs. Were still alive but glow at night- a safety mechanism.
Whenever I work with cast I use insulated heat blankets. Any welding supply store should have some. My experience is more leaned towards welding, but I've had to chase enough cracks that I don't take any chances. A good preheat and post heat is important on cast. Edit: I posted before you got to the blanket.
Fascinating series. One thing that does strike me is how much easier those taper calculations would have been in metric. Obviously, I understand that it was made in imperial so that's what you have to stick with.
Great job Sir. You did a excellent job on this repair. I have to say that I would love to see a collaboration with you and Adam Booth, and it seems that the two of you have the same opinion on brazing cast iron.
Great job as usual and with all Keith's wonderful successes brazing, why would anyone question his torch flame? It only needs to work for him, not any of us.
Cast iron has a relative high carbon content that results low ductility so it will crack rather than bend. My point is that when you return that part to service make sure it's mating surface with the part it bolts to are matched so it is not be forced to bend to fit or chances are it will crack again next to your brazed repair or some where else.
Relative to what? Cast iron is loaded with carbon. That's why welding is so touchy. Strike an arc, and the carbon will migrate right to the weld leaving the weld brittle and sketchy! 99% nickel rod helps with this problem but it is still iffy. Silicone bronze is the answer. If the prep is good it will easily stick and the repair will be stronger than the original metal. Keith is correct.
@@paulcopeland9035 Relative to steel is what. My point, as I stated, is cast iron is brittle and will crack if put in tension. I made no comment on brazing as a repair process for a cracked cast iron part. I offered no judgement on brazing as a repair method or if Keith was correct or incorrect.
A good point- I'm not going to rewatch the early part of the video, but the part seemed to rock a little on the table like it wasn't completely flat. Of course, like you state, what matters is the fit, not the flatness.
From a voyeur, great improvement in the sound and picture while brazing. I would have liked to see the places you were brazing in regular light so I could interpret the brazing picture. Thanks for the video.
The higher temperature of welding tends to cause cast iron to crystallize along the weld. Combined with the higher contraction of the weld bead as it cools, this makes welding cast iron very tricky and often the result is brittle.
I come from a jewelry making background. We silver solder, which isn't soldering at all, it's brazing. Our mantra is to have little/NO extra space so the silver solder will wick into the joint by capillary action and I'm wondering about the choice to v a groove like you would in welding to create more surface area. Is the bronze rod more viscous and not able to wick into the joint? Are we missing something as jewelers?
Patrick, I think you and Keith are both correct. Silver solder melts at a lower temperature and wicks into the joint easily. It tends to follow the heat while bronze is much harder to flow. The joint needs to be almost red hot and the flame very close to “force” the rod to melt and puddle. That’s why an open joint and plenty of heat is necessary. I have wondered if sprinkling the joint with Borax in addition to the flux on the rod would work slightly better. I’m sure that Keith knows so I won’t question his method.
As Ellie says, silver solder wicks in much easier than bronze, which doesn't really flow at all. The other reason for grinding the crack out is that that it will have inevitably filled up with oil, grit, dirt and other rubbish that will badly affect the joint's integrity.
A needle scaler works really slick for removing flux residue. It also leaves a good peened finish. If done well, when painted, it's hard to tell where the repair is.
ANOTHER GREAT video! thank you - I am curious about that casting with TWO breaks in it. IT seems to be designed as a cantilever, is that right? If so, and I understand this would not necessarily be "period correct" what would you do if you were more concerned with the viability of the machine and "Trouble free" function? (thinking gusset and weld, or ???)
Hi Keith, So what caused the break in the first instance and perhaps as you suggest subsequently? Is there an issue with misalignment of the two surfaces or does the babbit bearing eliminate this? Might be worth checking the flatness of the two mating surfaces?
Is there a machining step now to make sure the casting is flat? Or, do you just trust that its flat enough? My concern is that if the casting is not flat, it will crack again when the bolts are tightened up.
I am not an expert in this, far from it, but from what I have seen in old machinery I think I can explain it a bit, although only to give a basic idea of how these bearings work and not as a guide on how it should be done properly. The two cast iron halves never touch, there has to be a separation because the layers of babbit are thick enough to allow them to be retightened multiple times as they wear rather than having to be poured again after a while. Shims are used to prevent the shaft from binding when tightening the bolts, in the case of a machine like this where the shims are static they can be made of any soft gasket material (cork, paper, etc. even asbestos sheets many years ago) which can tolerate some deformation in the castings. In real life it's not as simple as re-tightening the bolts from time to time, you need to scrape the bearing to keep it true and round and allow good circulation and distribution of the lubricant and so on but it's a lot less work than pouring new babbit from scratch, which would also have to be scraped anyway for the same reasons.
@@ruben_balea The cast iron itself does not touch but, you place shims between the castings before pouring the babbitt. Then as you get wear in the bearings you can remove and rescrape the bearings. So, myself I'd probably throw it in the mill and make sure the surface was flat.
There are two separate bearing caps - one at each end of the casting. Since the ends of the casting are unlikely to have been distorted, tightening the caps shouldn't bend the casting, even if has bowed in the centre.
I wonder if there is a mechanical issue that's causing the area to keep cracking, eg, the lug might not be flush with the mating surface. I wonder if it's worth a skim to get everything flat on all the mating surfaces.
Keith, Any progress on the DiResta Bandsaw project?
Looking forward to seeing it up and running.
Best regards,
Wayne
Patiently waiting for you to finish up the bandsaw project.
Hi Keith - really enjoying the Diresta bandsaw restoration- when will you be uploading more videos?
Keith, I'm 69 and I was taught by a much older guy that did nothing but work with cast iron his entire carreer, he taught me to always after the braze has been done imediately peen the entire braze with a peening hammer to relieve any of the stresses out of the joint, and back then he would cool it in box of sand. He said It always came out perfect. Just passing it along.
I was taught the same way. It seems to work.
The welding videos were excellent - the lower exposure to show the detail of the brazing process works nicely! Gorgeous detail of the stick melting, flowing, puddling. NOT trivial to capture. Always a superb repair!! Thank you Keith!!
I find that after you are up to temp, turn your pressure down some so that it is a more gentle flame. It doesn't blow the braze out quite so much. I'm not talking about neutral/rich settings. you still want to maintain the neutral flame just tun down the regulator (re-adjust the flame as needed) some so it isn't blowing as hard. I've also used a propane hot plate to braze on so that it keeps a good even fire on stuff while you're brazing so you aren't fighting to keep it hot....worked great. for smaller parts I put them in an old cast iron pan on the hotplate kept it good and hot, keeps the chill off then cover with a thick aluminum foil, post heat and let cool slowly. the iron skillet provided the mass to keep the small parts warm while it cooled. So the point of this is to say provide extra external heat, stop extra airflow and provide additional thermal mass. this allows a more gentle controlled flame in the puddle so the torch isn't trying to do double duty of keeping heat in the part and controlling the "weld"/braze bead. BTW 300 series stainless MIG wire (especially flux core rated for dissimilar metals) also make a very good cast iron weld which you can use with the torch or mig. It has a very high nickle content and works great on cast iron. I only ever had difficulty on a thin blower housing and a singer sewing machine treadle....this is where the external heat and mass again saved the day....cheers
I (and certainly many others) really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I found it very helpful 👍👍😎👍👍
Any more Diresta bandsaw videos to come ?
Another great video! Tell all the experts to send you a short video of how it should be done! I'd say most have trouble making good coffee! You are the one doing the repair, you are the one that needs to be comfortable with the process.
Thanks for using a filter on the camera so we could see the actual brazing. I watch all of your videos. Thanks also for your help with keeping history of these wonderful machines!
Any idea when the next episode of this will be ready really enjoyed them so far
Hello. Thank you for the videos of the Diresta band saw. Are there going to be more or are you done. Would love to see it finished. Thank you.
Very enjoyable video of a difficult brazing job. While I was stationed with the US Army engineers in third echelon motor pool in Korea I once saw a large diesel flywheel that had been shattered into many pieces, expertly braised together and machined back to serviceable condition. Beside the flywheel was a hand painted sign with these words; “The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer”.
nice repair, Keith. Looking forward to a full reassembly of The Diresta Bandsaw.
This restoration still happening? Great video on your brazing!!!
I agree fully with the advantages of brazed repairs in cast iron. Have repaired cracks in main bearing webs that later withstood racing application (truck pulling). In fact, one of those old GM rat motors is currently powering a medium duty dump truck in the severest climate in North America (northern plains; canada is two hours north at 65 mph). Have no use for nickle electrodes, aside from making finger rings out of them.
This repair, is the one which really shows the difference or reason that bronze will work better than the other types of process repairs. There may be other men that can use the nickle on the electric welder, but this sure does a good repair
Happy Easter. God Bless.
It's nice of you to put John Babbit's shaft back together again.
audio is really good around the angle grinding, voice isn't getting quiet 👍
5:25 ... cordless tools! ... I remember when we only used them when it was just to far away from power, you had to sign them out separately from regular tools and your brought three batteries :) Now? you rarely see extension cords weaved all over a job ... on smaller jobs plug in tools aren't even on the site! :)
I remember taping my company business card to each female male joint in the extension cords travels, so other trades would not unplug my line "just for a quick minute" you could feel the grinder had low power because of a total of, 150 foot 16 gauge extension cords :)
Thank you for the vid. Half a world away and no longer own any gas bottles. Good to see some brazing work. The darker filter allowed a good clear sight to the molten pool. Jim Bell (Australia)
For Aussie hobbyists, it really hurts being raped by (mandatory) CIG bottle rental charges. We could never own them, currently I pay over $200 per year just to rent one D-size bottle!
Now days there are a few cheaper ways of dealing with the bottles, but it's still hugely expensive - especially if you need Oxy, Acetylene, and some MIG and TIG gasses..
Rumor has it Keith is the best brazzer in the country!
Good tip Keith the table is a huge heat sink! 7:14 I've set parts on top of a very hot wood stove, for a couple hours before brazing ... nice way to preheat
Are there more Diresta bandsaw restoration videos yet to be released?
Really appreciated the "brazing cam" footage, as always thanks for taking the time and effort of making and sharing Your excellent videos.
Best regards.
Happy Easter from Dresden!
Happy Easter from Dresden Ontario!
Happy Easter from Dresden (Saxony) to Dresden (Ontario)! The best wishes to all of you!
When I had brazed in the past I always thought of it as trying to make an icicle by controlling the dripping of water and blowing cold air on it. At first it was really frustrating to deal with a job where the bronze would start to flow out of some area I had just filled. It is definitely something you develop a "feel" for and is almost an art.
I've seen people use a piece of graphite, to act as a dam wall, to contain the brazing material.
It's an art.
@@BedsitBob When trying to 'add' a contact to a gold crown or cast gold dental restoration, the graphite pencil is key to helping/saving some build ups.
Well that’s one I have not seen someone attempt to braze with a rosebud torch. I have a couple times used a cutting torch to braze because the mechanic truck I was using did not have any optional tips besides the cutting torch. Nice repair sometimes one just has to be flexible and McGiver compromise to get the job done with what is available. 👍
I have picked up old caste iron welding where they built FIRES over the damage and then welded.
Video appears to be working well - especially the filtered shots that show the detail - I for one appreciate your skill set :-)
Keith- I taught myself to braze at the ripe old age of 13. Worked at a used car lot ( later used as a stage for the movie “ Used Cars”) fittingly? Part of the pay was use of the limited tools that were on site. Got so I could run brazeing rod uphill. Heat is definitely the key. Just right makes it so easy, too cold and it just puddles on the surface, too hot it runs off, just right it really looks like a welder did the deed. Really came to enjoy the process and found it very suitable for joining metals of different thickness and or makeup. Never tackled such a large casting as what you were working with, but the process is still the same, just more flame to compensate for the mass. Great example!
Hey, lots of flux, you are the only one who knows, you were running the torch. Brazing can be a very good method of cast iron repair. Hey Keith keep up the goodwork.
You always do great brazing. I think you have made me a believer in brazing. Thanks for the video.
Really liked the filter on the camera sir. Very nice being able to see kinda the same thing your seeing.
Keith, did you ever finish the Diresta bandsaw project?
22:46 if you sand blast the surface it blends better with the porous structure of a cast piece under paint
In the 1960/70s we used to braze rust under cars we havnt even dreamt of mig and tig. It sure makes you good at filling holes
Yep, I've brazed a lot of car repairs, and you get good at shrinking the panels afterwards. Then again, the steel was thicker and softer back in those days.
I'm a long time fan. Since the beginning. I've been digging the Packistani Manufacturing on youtube. I feel like it would be good for you to commentary those vids. tell us what you're seeing. what's good. whats bad. etc.
Good job thanks for sharing
I am very impressed that you figureed a way to aim the cameera through your welding glasses! That is quite a complex repair on the cast iron part!
Thanks, Keith.
You might want to see if you can get a flexible ceramic heater you can hookup to an electrode welder.
Helps alot with pre heating parts like this, use them alot when it comes to pre heating thick aluminum before tig welding it.
Lay the heating mat on the firebricks, part ontop of it and then a welding blanket over it and let it soak while you have a cup of coffee/tea.
Electricity is also cheaper then oxy/acetylene in the long run.
Great Job!
Awesomeness Extreme
good video keith
so far, the most useful metalworking to me as far as filling in my skill list is adam and the three keiths, my own equipment needs an upgrade, looking for cnc stuff now. the comments on this video have some useful ideas.
I have fusion welded cast iron with an red flux and a cast rod, the look of the previous repair look similar to cast weld. Cast weldments have a very sluggish puddle and if the weld prep was not wide enough it will not flow and or fuse in to the bottom of its prep.
I like the new cameras nice job
This is when Keith should of made his own DIY steel trash can oven on a stand lined with refractory wool and a weed torch in the bottom to heat those big parts. 🤔😉👍
A pit outside and charcoal works a lot better. And after welding yo just put the part back in, Cover it with more charcoal, and cover the whole thing with fiberglass insulation.Stick a piece of sheet metal over it if the weatherman calls for rain,,,,,and leave it until it;s dead out and totally cooled.
Wow. That looked really difficult to do . Great job as always !!!
Hey Keith, any updates on the Diresta bandsaw project? Really looking forward to it
love the shows! i personally would make a brace for this part it has failed many times already
My dad was a machinist for GE and I used to pull out metal shavings out of the bottom of his shoes as a kid with pliers. We used to fish at the nuclear plant cooling pond for bluegill and gig frogs. Were still alive but glow at night- a safety mechanism.
Haha
I just stick stuff together and hope for the best! In the end it is whatever works for you to get the job done. 😀
19:38 I've used a big box of Vermiculite for this as well .. works pretty good
Bentonite (cat litter) works also.
I learned to position the valves on the torch in the downward position, permits adjustment of the flame
Happy easter to you and your family. Greetings from germany.
Your video on brazing was excellent! Thank you and Happy Easter to you.
that was some great footage of brazing. Love it. please keep the videos coming
Happy Good Friday Keith.
Great video Keith!
You are an artist with a brazing torch!
Nice job Keith. As usual. Thanks.
Whenever I work with cast I use insulated heat blankets. Any welding supply store should have some. My experience is more leaned towards welding, but I've had to chase enough cracks that I don't take any chances. A good preheat and post heat is important on cast.
Edit: I posted before you got to the blanket.
Happy Easter, Keith..
Great video work on the brazing.
The video picture quality is great 👌
You're right. I don't believe a properly brazed job ever failed. Old school techniques sometimes are the best.
Fascinating series. One thing that does strike me is how much easier those taper calculations would have been in metric. Obviously, I understand that it was made in imperial so that's what you have to stick with.
It’s like watching the old Batman serials. If you want to see the inside surface repair you’ll have to tune in next week. Outside looks good though👍.
Thanks for sharing
Hiya Keith
Repair it then cast a new one or two. It has more than four cracks. Bad shape !
Use it for a pattern and re-cast .Make extras. Hoppy Easter 🐰.
Hi Keith, any clues in the design/manufacture/use of that part indicating why it broke in the first place.
Thanks for sharing! Great work.
Great job Sir. You did a excellent job on this repair.
I have to say that I would love to see a collaboration with you and Adam Booth, and it seems that the two of you have the same opinion on brazing cast iron.
Tanks for the brazing lesson. Not likely to take place in a shop kept in a kitchen...
Great job as usual and with all Keith's wonderful successes brazing, why would anyone question his torch flame? It only needs to work for him, not any of us.
Thank You !
Cast iron has a relative high carbon content that results low ductility so it will crack rather than bend. My point is that when you return that part to service make sure it's mating surface with the part it bolts to are matched so it is not be forced to bend to fit or chances are it will crack again next to your brazed repair or some where else.
Relative to what? Cast iron is loaded with carbon. That's why welding is so touchy. Strike an arc, and the carbon will migrate right to the weld leaving the weld brittle and sketchy! 99% nickel rod helps with this problem but it is still iffy. Silicone bronze is the answer. If the prep is good it will easily stick and the repair will be stronger than the original metal. Keith is correct.
@@paulcopeland9035 Relative to steel is what. My point, as I stated, is cast iron is brittle and will crack if put in tension. I made no comment on brazing as a repair process for a cracked cast iron part. I offered no judgement on brazing as a repair method or if Keith was correct or incorrect.
A good point- I'm not going to rewatch the early part of the video, but the part seemed to rock a little on the table like it wasn't completely flat. Of course, like you state, what matters is the fit, not the flatness.
So much easier with a Puddle Torch, best thing i ever bought.
From a voyeur, great improvement in the sound and picture while brazing. I would have liked to see the places you were brazing in regular light so I could interpret the brazing picture. Thanks for the video.
The higher temperature of welding tends to cause cast iron to crystallize along the weld. Combined with the higher contraction of the weld bead as it cools, this makes welding cast iron very tricky and often the result is brittle.
Wonder if babbit material supply scarcity are what's holding up the pour?
TELL ALL HELLO, GREAT JOB, GREAT VIDEO, SEE YOU NEXT TIME...
Nice job I've done alot of brazing I will guarantee cast iron is no joke
Just an idea. Put part in molding sand. After the weld .sand will hold heat. Pull out and cast that sucker .
Thank you for sharing.👍👀
Great video Keith, keep'um coming.
looks great !
@VintageMachinery hey Keith, where are you at with this diresta restoration progress? Just curious
Yiu should make certain that the flange is flat . Is it breaking because of the pressure applied by the bolts .
I come from a jewelry making background. We silver solder, which isn't soldering at all, it's brazing. Our mantra is to have little/NO extra space so the silver solder will wick into the joint by capillary action and I'm wondering about the choice to v a groove like you would in welding to create more surface area. Is the bronze rod more viscous and not able to wick into the joint? Are we missing something as jewelers?
Patrick, I think you and Keith are both correct. Silver solder melts at a lower temperature and wicks into the joint easily. It tends to follow the heat while bronze is much harder to flow. The joint needs to be almost red hot and the flame very close to “force” the rod to melt and puddle. That’s why an open joint and plenty of heat is necessary. I have wondered if sprinkling the joint with Borax in addition to the flux on the rod would work slightly better. I’m sure that Keith knows so I won’t question his method.
As Ellie says, silver solder wicks in much easier than bronze, which doesn't really flow at all.
The other reason for grinding the crack out is that that it will have inevitably filled up with oil, grit, dirt and other rubbish that will badly affect the joint's integrity.
At a glance, it looks like brazing a gusset between the Babbett-holding part and the "L"-arm that sticks out may be called for to add support.
A needle scaler works really slick for removing flux residue. It also leaves a good peened finish. If done well, when painted, it's hard to tell where the repair is.
For this size weld a finer needle gauge would work best.
ANOTHER GREAT video! thank you - I am curious about that casting with TWO breaks in it. IT seems to be designed as a cantilever, is that right? If so, and I understand this would not necessarily be "period correct" what would you do if you were more concerned with the viability of the machine and "Trouble free" function? (thinking gusset and weld, or ???)
Thanks for sharing 👍
Job well done👍👍👌👌
Hi Keith, So what caused the break in the first instance and perhaps as you suggest subsequently? Is there an issue with misalignment of the two surfaces or does the babbit bearing eliminate this? Might be worth checking the flatness of the two mating surfaces?
Agreed - it looks like that bottom mounting surface is about as straight and flat as a dog's hind leg.
A hundred years of various maintenance guys and moving from area to area will lead to a crack or two.
Is there a machining step now to make sure the casting is flat? Or, do you just trust that its flat enough? My concern is that if the casting is not flat, it will crack again when the bolts are tightened up.
I am not an expert in this, far from it, but from what I have seen in old machinery I think I can explain it a bit, although only to give a basic idea of how these bearings work and not as a guide on how it should be done properly.
The two cast iron halves never touch, there has to be a separation because the layers of babbit are thick enough to allow them to be retightened multiple times as they wear rather than having to be poured again after a while. Shims are used to prevent the shaft from binding when tightening the bolts, in the case of a machine like this where the shims are static they can be made of any soft gasket material (cork, paper, etc. even asbestos sheets many years ago) which can tolerate some deformation in the castings.
In real life it's not as simple as re-tightening the bolts from time to time, you need to scrape the bearing to keep it true and round and allow good circulation and distribution of the lubricant and so on but it's a lot less work than pouring new babbit from scratch, which would also have to be scraped anyway for the same reasons.
@@ruben_balea A very good answer to a poorly understood repair.
@@ellieprice363 Thanks!
@@ruben_balea The cast iron itself does not touch but, you place shims between the castings before pouring the babbitt. Then as you get wear in the bearings you can remove and rescrape the bearings. So, myself I'd probably throw it in the mill and make sure the surface was flat.
There are two separate bearing caps - one at each end of the casting. Since the ends of the casting are unlikely to have been distorted, tightening the caps shouldn't bend the casting, even if has bowed in the centre.
I wonder if there is a mechanical issue that's causing the area to keep cracking, eg, the lug might not be flush with the mating surface. I wonder if it's worth a skim to get everything flat on all the mating surfaces.
100% agreed.