caotropheus Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Greetings. Can I arc weld wrought iron with 6010 or 7018 electrodes? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Traditionally, WI was welded with an oxy-acetylene torch. The self-fluxing nature of the silica strands made it flow well. 7018 seems to work a little better (for me, YMMV) than 6010 because it should be run about 25-50% hotter for a similar diameter, and has powdered iron in the flux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 It can be arc welded but I find the strength is not great.. Unless there is enough Linear inches into the wrought iron when the weld fails it just pulls the top layer of wrought iron off/up/out. A full penetration weld with even weld metal dispersal on the end grain is about the best.. if the part will see much flexing at the weld joint, the weld itself needs to be looked at carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted February 9, 2020 Author Share Posted February 9, 2020 Thank you very much for your kind advice. I thought I got a complete German blacksmith vice, I would make only a clean up, reassemble, but it seems I am missing some components related with the thrust washer and screw shield. You can see the thread here https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/64779-got-me-self-a-german-blacksmith-vice/ Even though the vice construction points to an "old" model, it looks like it is made of mild steel. I will make a spark test and an acid test to confirm. I want to plug this hole it is 25 mm deep and 18 mm wide. So, what is your opinion? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 Oh, yah, that is a perfect one to weld up with no problems. I would open it enough to get in there and lay some solid beads in, then just weld it up as I go. That round hole is perfect for a repair of this nature.. Looking forwards to the repair photo's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba682 Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 You can buy the proper cast rods from your local welding supply shop they work good and you don't have to worry about a pre and post heat to much ,i still like to sweat it out before i weld cast.If 7018 is all ya got for that plug weld and the part is cast take your time and hopefully it doesn't become brittle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 It isn't cast iron. 7018 Will work fine, 6010 will work but not as easy as 7018. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 6010 has more penetration and has a tendency to have a little more sticky flux. Either/or will work well as will mig welding. A dual shield welding wire will give you the cleanest results but for the hole thru any wire or today should offer good results. Wrought iron has a tendency to erode the metal strands and float the flux in it so just be sure to clean and prep, and remove any inclusions if you get them. I had a batch of wrought iron that everytime I heated up with a torch it smelled like burning soft coal. Would smoke the same to. Was cool. Turns out there was some coal stuck between the filaments and slag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba682 Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 2 hours ago, arftist said: It isn't cast iron. 7018 Will work fine, 6010 will work but not as easy as 7018. LOL now he knows about cast iron as well, i got to quit drinking and typing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 21 hours ago, caotropheus said: i I know what that is.. That is the retainer for the spacer on the vise.. That hole was for a blind rivet.. the rivet went thru the spacer and held the spacer in place so it would be loose enough to pivot but not turn. This would keep the face of the screw parallel to the screw even when at an angle.. I went and looked at the vise thread.. I would go back to a blind rivet and fix it as it came from the factory. It is the spacer that needs to have the ears fixed. Or make a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Thank you very much @jlpservicesinc. I saw what you describe in pictures people sent me and in pictures I saw on the internet. Also yesterday I visited again the blacksmith antique seller and there was an example similar to my vice I could inspect in "person" but the washer was secured by a bolt, not a rivet. Also, when I place correctly the thrust washer it sits nice and flush with the movable jaw, even with the apparent bent claws (ears). So the two protruding bits of metal in the washer are in contact with the screw's head and allow the face (of the screw's head) to stay straight. What puzzles me is that the contact point between the thrust washer and the screw head is minimal, so my question is, is this small contact enough? I have a bit of bronze, probably I will make a bronze washer I will insert between the thrust washer and the screw. About the blind rivet, instead of locking a blind rivet in that hole, I can weld plug the hole and then weld a stopper for the thrust washer. It will strengthen the movable jaw for sure and less prone to loose components. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 I 99% of the time will fix it back to exactly what they did at the factory if possible. I made the mistake of thinking I knew better on a piece of equipment I bought and repaired it with a modification thinking it would work better.. It completely made it unusable.. I then had to spend the time fixing the, fix I had done.. So, after doing that a few times I never assume that making it better is the way to go.. I just fix what was there and replace the worn parts with newly forged ones if that what it calls for. A bolt will work to.. it just looks from the photo like a blind rivet, but it might have been a bolt. Looking forwards to your repair.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 To me the picture looks like someone tried to drill out a broken bolt/rivet and drifted off center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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