Brazing cast iron

One thing that helped at the time was following professional advice that getting the cast iron body hot before brazing was wise. You may try a little spell in the oven first to accomplish that. Someone on RCM would know on the rod.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

Take a look at this site:

Good luck!

----------------------------------- Let's see,

Friday is payday. Crap doesn't flow up hill, Never bite your finger nails,

and last but not least,

Never eat the yellow snow.

Devil made me do it with cudos to Flip.

Lew

I was thinking MAPP gas & Oxygen. That would most assuredly do it, right?

Bill

Good link - I have a project where that info will come in handy. Thanks for posting it.

It's not worth the time and effort. There's a strong possibility that the heat from the brazing will distort the body and it will be a nightmare to get the plane to work properly. Salvage whatever parts you can and toss the rest.

If he's never brazed anything before and likes to try new stuff then brazing the plane is worthwile as an exercise--if it ends up unrepairable he's no worse off and has learned a new skill. If it ends up usable then he's ahead of the game.

I have a nice old Depression era Stanley #4 that has a piece broken out of the side. It has been repaired by riveting the broken piece back in with a steel backing plate. I love the plane, it is filed smooth, works well, and it means something that a previous owner cared enough about it to go to a lot of trouble with the repair.

Why, because of the quick heatsinking of the stuff? I've seen several nicely brazed plane repairs, so I know it's doable. And MAPP will easily get a small cracked section of a plane to red-hot temps. I don't see the big deal, clare. Heatsinking might be a problem on a thick tablesaur top, though. I think a second MAPP torch would fix that if push came to shove.

From

-- That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way. -- Doris Lessing

Yep. Cheap tuition!

Lew, you know how to tell the difference between a pipefitter and a plumber?

Stand them both up to their chests in a septic tank and swing a 2x4 at their heads. The pipefitter will put up his hands and the plumber will duck.

With a mapp/oxy torch it would be do-able, but I've attempted brazing with my turbo-torch on MAPP with much less than successful results. I just haul out the oxy-acetylene for most brazing jobs - and for finer stuff, haul it out to the hanger to the TIG torch.

Note that MAPP no longer exists in the market. The patent holder went under and the patent has another 10 years or so to run before somebody else can start making it. I believe the replacement is propylene, which supposedly burns about 50 degrees cooler.

If you're looking for a MAPP torch and can't find one that's the reason.

OK, but what size object were you brazing on?

Planes such as the #10 usually crack in the cheek, so heatsinking is minimal. Have you tried a cheek repair with the turbo mapp?

-- That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way. -- Doris Lessing

To all who said you can't braze with MAPP gas, you were right...

Did you remove the wooden pieces and toss it in the oven at 400 degrees to warm up the casting first, just before brazing?

-- "I probably became a libertarian through exposure to tough-minded professors" James Buchanan, Armen Alchian, Milton Friedman "who encouraged me to think with my brain instead of my heart. I learned that you have to evaluate the effects of public policy as opposed to intentions." -- Walter E. Williams

I suppose I could try that one day when SWMBO is not home...

I tried using an older BernzOmatic TS4000 that is good for MAPP and propane but does not have the newer 'swirl' tip. Could not get the bright red color needed on the thicker piece. I have googled but have been unable to find a source to buy just the screw on tips. Does anyone know where I can buy just the screw on swirl tip?