Welding procedure......

[skippy]

I just finished building my front 60 truss. I just have a question about welding it to the cast center section. What is the proper way to weld mild steel to cast??? My plan is to pre heat with the torches weld it up good and hot "peen" the welded area and wrap in a welding blanket to cool down. Does this sound like a feasible plan???

Here is a pic of the above mentioned truss and axle......I know the proper way would be to arc weld it with nickel rod but that isnt really an option for me......



WILL IT FAIL OR NOT???? That is the million dollar question.......

 

[I Lean]

It'll work, and you're right....nickel rod would be best.

I've done several the way you say, with no issues yet. There's a lot of weld area to the cast, so even if it's marginal it's still pretty dang strong.

 

[Caleb]

I think what you're planning will work fine. Making sure it cools slowly is the key.

 

[skippy]

I was hoping you would chime in Carl you should cut these out on the plasma table it would have saved me hours.............

 

[skippy]

I think what you're planning will work fine. Making sure it cools slowly is the key.

I only have one welding blanket so wrapping it up is really my only option I hope it cools slow enough

 

[I Lean]

I was hoping you would chime in Carl you should cut these out on the plasma table it would have saved me hours.............

I would have been happy to....but this is the first I've heard of them.

I only have one welding blanket so wrapping it up is really my only option I hope it cools slow enough

You can use fiberglass insulation to wrap it with, too...like the kind you put in your walls.

 

[skippy]

do you have a file drawn up to cut them out or would you need measurments????

 

[I Lean]

do you have a file drawn up to cut them out or would you need measurments????

I have no file, never cut one of those. I'd need everything. The hard part is getting the contours of the centersection right--might take a trial-and-error cut to dial it in first, too.

 

[Tacoma]

I think you'll be fine. You're doing the right things to give it every chance to live.

 

[MikeGyver]

What are you going to weld it with? You can usually find small quantities of Ni-85/99 on ebay, but personally I wouldn't bother, I'd just use 7018 stick.

 

[Hickey]

I've seen nickel wire spools at Airgas. I've never used it, but I've done a couple cast iron welds with the nickel rod and it welds quite differently so I assume the nickel spool in a mig situation would be different too.

 

[skippy]

I am just mig welding it with my Hobart Ironman 230. I will give it hell tonight when I get home from work and report back with pictures when its done

 

[skippy]

I was pretty confident in my plan. Then I post a pic of the truss on facebook and I let Tacoma get into my head on the subject........

So in all reality this thread is all Tacomas fault....

 

[Venture13]

Just weld the damn thing... Gee Some many paranoid people out there. Yes, preheat cast and use high nickel rod, also shot peening helps with slow cooling. If someone has a DXF file with diff casting outline I would be interested.

Oh, don't get all crazy and weld that axle tube up in one sitting, might have a banana on your hands when done if so..

 

[Gravy]

Cast steel. Not cast iron. Like I said before: cast is a process, not a material.
You've got the procedure right, burn it in.

 

[skippy]

Just weld the damn thing... Gee Some many paranoid people out there. Yes, preheat cast and use high nickel rod, also shot peening helps with slow cooling. If someone has a DXF file with diff casting outline I would be interested.

Oh, don't get all crazy and weld that axle tube up in one sitting, might have a banana on your hands when done if so..

I am gonna try to weld the whole front piece in one continuous weld will that cause a warping issue??? I really havent given it much thought.....

 

[Venture13]

Stitch weld in segments for the axle tube. Sequence welding will keep things straight, tacking the truss really good will help out.

 

[skippy]

Stitch weld in segments for the axle tube. Sequence welding will keep things straight, tacking the truss really good will help out.

Good deal thank you for the heads up

 

[mesha]

That is a long hot weld to do all at once. I would weld it in several shorter beads. I don't think you will gain anything by welding the whole thing. Warping is ghey. I have a stick welder and some nickle if you are super paraniod. I would just weld it with you mig though.

 

[skippy]

Well I welded it all up last night and it appears to be strait still!!!!! I ran my laser level across it and it all looks good!!!! Although welding to cast is a little different ballgame and takes alot more patience to lay down a flawless weld........