Can you weld pot metal

However, we are confident that our guide can help you weld pot metals satisfactorily. Don't forget to read more of our articles on this niche. Last Updated on 7 months by Richard Boyer. Richard Boyer has been a professional welder for over 27 years of his life, and now he is a trainer and blogger providing critical information to anyone interested in welding. He is helping out both hobbyists, novice and professional welders to learn newer and better techniques.

Read more about me. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They have low melting points and high volatility. They are inexpensive materials for cast products. During the old foundry processes of rapid casting, manufacturers use iron and other alloys to create cast items. However, they were mindful of the mixture's concentration because iron increased the melting points of these alloys.

They are prone to weather effects like oxidation, corrosion, wear and tear. They may be durable, but show signs of bends, and crack over time. Their weak material strength comes from the manufacturing process of adding bubbles. Their surface areas don't retain paints for a long time.

An amperage of about 80 amps is ideal for this base metal. Before you weld, it might be necessary to clean and grind the cervices of pot metal parts. Be careful when penetrating the weld area, and remember that pot metals need strong joints. Select the right filler rods electrodes. Don't forget that high-quality rods for pot metal restoration projects prevent a bad weld.

You can get a pot metal restoration kit from local shops. If you use TIG welding techniques, the non-corrosive flux can guide the recommended. Also, the rod and flux protect base metals from having bad welds. TIG welds for pot metal can use the Zinc aluminum brazing rods too. Since pot metals lack high tensile strength, heat and thermal stress could ruin your weld. After welding any section of pot metals that contain aluminum, wait for about 10 seconds and let it cool.

Maybe somebody will pipe up and tell me how stupid I was and what I did wrong, this place is usually good for that. I have never found what I consider a good way to weld pot metal. I hope you have better luck that I did. Joined: May 10, Posts: 3, Profile Page. Joined: Jan 28, Posts: Profile Page. This issue comes up around once a month, there's a lot of information on the Hamb if you do a search. Best answer is to talk to Cecil Muggy, I called him, told him the problem and he sent me what I needed.

You need to follow the instructions exactly, to include cleaning the parent metal with a stainless, not regular steel brush. You only have a few moments to weld before the part oxidizes and needs to be cleaned again, best of luck with your project. Harms Way likes this. Joined: Feb 7, Posts: Profile Page. Had a 70 Corvette with a broken pot metal outside door handle. The small lever that accepts the operating rod broke at the end.

Figured I had nothing to lose by attempting a repair. As everyone has said, clean thoroughly with the stainless steel brush and be vigilant: the melting blow away temperature of pot metal is just a few degrees more than the fusion temp.

When you see the pot metal begin to bubble, join the parts and move the torch away. Of course if you know someone with a TIG unit, that would likely be the cat's berries. In my case, I didn't know any better and so I got away with it. Good luck. Joined: Feb 6, Posts: 11, Profile Page.

Blue One , Sep 25, Joined: Sep 17, Posts: 4, Profile Page. Joined: Nov 14, Posts: 1, Profile Page. Thanks for the link to MuggyWeld Joined: Mar 14, Posts: 1, Profile Page. The problem is that there is no clear definition of the alloy. It is an undetermined combination of zinc, lead, copper, tin and other metals.

I have been welding for over 45 years and have never been successful in any pot metal repairs and won't even attempt it. No you cannot TIG weld pot metal. I have seen the so called "miracle rods" at car shows but have never tried them. Good luck, let us know how it turns out. Joined: Jul 16, Posts: 1, Profile Page. I've been welding pot metal for 40 years with a torch and it is a pain in the Ass. Melts around degrees.

You can buy rod at the welding store, sorry I'm not at the shop to give you part number. Some times I will make a backing plate out of copper or steel to support the parts while welding.

It is like aluminum and doesn't change color, you just look for a slight liquid effect and add the filler, some times you just stir it around a bit. The bad part is when the parts are cast air bubbles get trapped and when you heat it up they float to the surface causing many pits that have to be filled. I have only done one part that didn't have the casting bubbles and that was a '57 hood bar. It flowed out nice and smooth. That's one part in 40 years. The joint also tends not to be as strong because where you weld it with the new material is good, but the transition to the original casting is still somewhat crystallized and weaker.

You can weld with a tig, but for me the hood makes it hard to see. There are many who will say that they have been working with pot metal for half a century or more. And they will tell you all sorts of things about how to do it. They talk about welding the pot metal and all sorts of things like melting it and the like. In reality repairing pot metal does not involve the melting of the original material, and is not really welding at all.

Good Can join copper, brass, and bronze to other metals? Yes All position? Yes Can be plated? Most metals except aluminum Can be polished? Yes Takes powder coating? Yes Pre-cleaning necessary? Yes, with a wire brush, sanding, Dremel etc.