Everything Mac Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Hi guys. I'm working on a project that would involve welding some RR track to a bar of scrap steel. (Assuming mild) Can anyone suggest the best way to go about this? I have a mig and a stick welder is available. If stick is the better option, what rods should I be looking for? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 7018 is what i would try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 7018 is good and preheating the rail to a couple few hundred f. is a good idea too. Are you going to be hardening it? Treat it like low alloy 1085 and you should be just fine. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 I had a feeling 7018 would be the way to go. And yes I'll be hardening it. It will be a long while before I can get the project sorted but I will post pictures when i do. I HT'd some rr track a few years ago by dunking it in a barrel of water. It came out pretty tough and has seen quite a bit of abuse since. I believe the track we get here is slightly different to the US stuff but I could very easily be wrong on that one. Either way, much appreciated as always gents. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Must be different steel, I quenched rail in water once and it was as brittle as ceramic, just a moderate tap with a hammer broke a large piece from one end. I annealed it and used something else. That was years ago and was my first experience with trying to heat treat rail. I do much better now I know a little bit. You might want to see if you can find the data on your rail, better safe than sorry. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I think that I would cut a small slice off one end and try some heat treatments and weld tests on that, before I committed too much time in the project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Yes that is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 T 11 Steel is / would be a perfict start for this project IMHO and 7018 welded out . However , I would use NIClad as it is what we use for "ARMOR plate repairs on Tanks" (Military) ****Note your work must be Clean and Properly prepaired for welding the two together.**** IE ( Bevaled and pre-heated to dull red before welding with NIClad rods ) once welded you can heat Treat and Temper back (a must for this ) and you will have the equilivent to an "ARMOR" Anvil . < Grins> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 That does sound like epic win but is that not overkill?? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 No Not at all it works very well and is a stout anvil for working most all metal . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Fair play. I'll look into it. Cheers bud. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Naw, if you have a source of T-1 it will at least make an excellent face plate. I'd be seeing how it brazes to an ASO face and maybe turn ASOs into real anvils. Something with the quiet of a Fisher and maybe good rebound. The horn would still be a weak sister but a brazed face could give a decent anvil face without having the hassle of trying to weld to cast iron. It's been on my back burner for some time now, since a guy gave me a pristine ASO, may be worth the experiment. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Here are the precautions for welding up ,on,and working with "T 1 Steel " . http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/welding-solutions/Pages/T1-steels-detail.aspx Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I beveled the RRT, preheated severely and then welded with MIG. Works good; lasts long time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtownAndrew Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Be sure to preheat the RR track before welding. I didn't and after my RR Track anvil started developing cracks during use I realized my error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Naw, if you have a source of T-1 it will at least make an excellent face plate. I'd be seeing how it brazes to an ASO face and maybe turn ASOs into real anvils. Something with the quiet of a Fisher and maybe good rebound. The horn would still be a weak sister but a brazed face could give a decent anvil face without having the hassle of trying to weld to cast iron. It's been on my back burner for some time now, since a guy gave me a pristine ASO, may be worth the experiment. Frosty The Lucky. Interesting thought there Frosty. I have a nice size chunk of 3/8" T-1 I inherited I haven't had a use for yet. I'll have to keep this idea in the back of my mind in case I come across a cheap ASO to use with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 I'll be sure to post pics when I do eventually get round to getting this done. The track is at my folks place and I had to go offshore before I could take the welder down there to get it done. Hopefully it will happen soon. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Before I knew better, I welded this together with 6011 with a Lincoln 220 stick without any preheating. Guess I got lucky as it's held up well under intense hammering, including a 10 lb sledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 So guys the plan is to weld this piece of RR track: To this length of steel. In such a way as it resembles a viking style anvil, such as this one I saw in a museum in Stavanger Norway. That anvil is obviously a reproduction too, which was loosely based on a historical anvil they had on display elsewhere i n the museum. To my amazement it actually had a tiny 1/4" or so Pritchel hole - which I will replicate. I stupidly cut the track a bit short. It could do with being an inch longer really so I might have to try and forge it. The question is do I use the fatter part of the rail or cut the wide base off and use that as the face plate... Also I want a small horn on there too, so I wondered about mounting it vertically with the T section forming a horn. Or, do I use the fat part, and weld on part of the base to form a horn? It's all going to be a heck of a lot of welding no matter how I do it. I've got 5kg of 7018 rods to get me started. I'm hoping that will do the bulk of the work... Any ideas gents? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 use a DC welder for 7018, a large one pref forge the top to shape before welding to draw out the horn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 I'll be using an Oxford bantam welder. Forging the rail seems to be the way to go. Though that's going to have to wait until I can get a striker. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 nearly all 7018 rods are DC only, you will find it difficult on AC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted July 16, 2014 Author Share Posted July 16, 2014 Oh shoot. I hope I have the right rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 right rods but maybe wrong welder if it is just a transformer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 have got 5kg packs of 7018 for 2 uk pounds before because others cant use them, if you can get to my part of the country you can do it here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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