Gas welding real wi

[Dave Leppo]

Is it possible to gas weld real wrought iron, and how tricky is it?

Oxy-acet.

I assume i neet to find som off-cuts to use for filler; the same material

[irnsrgn]

It gas welds and arc welds just like mild steel. I used 7018 to weld it with the arc mostly, lots of old horse drawn machinery was made from it and a lot of the machinery was converted and modified to fit the 3 point hitch on little ford tractors in the early years.

In those early years, we used almost exclusively 6013 electrode and we never had a problem with it, and I have gas welded hundreds of chain links in old WI chains that were pulled in two using modern high powered tractors.

Edited December 3, 2008 by irnsrgn

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Thinking out loud here, but would it be possible to raise the piece to welding temperature with the torch on a neutral flame and just kind of "forge weld" it sans "forge"?? Any thoughts Jr. or anyone else??

Thanks,
-Aaron @ the SCF

[irnsrgn]

Forged Weld, LOL, its best to heat in a forge so you have residual temp on each side or the it may crack in the weld or at one side or another, as with a torch you have a more localized heat.

[Daryl]

Preparing to forge weld using O/A torch would be the same as baking a cake with a bic lighter.
Maybe it can be done - but it sure would be difficult.

[Dave Leppo]

Thanks for the info. this is a wrapped tommahawk head in which the forge weld keeps opening back up at the eye. I think that the forge weld never really took well to begin with, and I've tried to re-weld it w/ the forge so many times now that I'm running thin on material.
I will try the O/A flame on a test piece first to get the feel of it, and weld away!

[highlander]

ive tried forge welding with an o/a rosebud and all its good for is wasting gas and oxygen. you dont get enough heat on the whole piece and by the time you put the torch down safely and pick up a hammer its already cooled.

[devon blacksmith]

yes it Is possible to gas weld real wrought iron but it depends on the quality of the iron as to how tricky is it, some of the low grades have a lot of slag in them that can melt at a lower temp than the iron and start to run out so you need to match the wrought iron filler rod to the iron of the piece you are welding.if you use mild steel filler rod the iron melts first.

[Ten Hammers]

I recently was putzin around with some wrought. Forged a piece down to roughly 5/8 square and decided I might make a celtic cross. I have made several crosses. Gas, coal and charcoal. I made this one in the gasser and my mind immediately kicked into the not too hot mode ( with steel). Hence, when I opened the cross the bottom part broke off. I went ahead and tapped both pieces out relatively flat and gas welded ( stout tack really ) together and back to the forge. Welds held nicely and was able to finish the project. This was a very small piece and it welded nicely. I learn as I go.