How to Repair Cast Iron Without Welding -Carbon Fibre Composite Repair on Bridgeport Milling Machine

Рет қаралды 104,831

4 жыл бұрын

How to repair Cast Iron without welding is a common problem for many people. In this video I will show you another way to repair cast iron without welding. Composite repair involves using multiple materials to strengthen a broken part. In this case Carbon fibre composite repair is used to repair a broken cast iron lead screw nut housing from a Bridgeport milling machine. Composite repair does not have to be Carbon Fibre though, other materials can be used such as: Fibreglass, wood, metal, plastics; It all depends on the job that you need to do.The Bridgeport milling machine is from my home workshop and the part got damaged while I was ironically trying to fix another problem. Composite repair of cast iron is a simple process where a glue, in this case epoxy, is used to attach carbon fibre to the broken cast iron part. The carbon fibre provides the strength and the epoxy holds the fibres in places and glues them to the cast iron. Normally broken cast iron is welded back together, however, in this case that type of repair was not an option due to the complexity of the part and risk of further damage. Using composites removes the need for welding and the issues associated with it. The bridgeport milling machine is now back together and working again.
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- Handmade Extreme -
Disclaimer: This video is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is in no way meant to be a set of instructions and therefore no attempt should be made by any party to recreate what has been seen in this video. Any attempt to do so is done completely at your own risk.

Пікірлер: 64

@jonstarr7926 2 жыл бұрын

Nicely done presentation. I'd never used JB Weld on a significant repair, and I'm glad I watched this before I tried.

@craigtate5930 4 жыл бұрын

Very clever repair. Would love to hear in the future how it holds up. If you have the time an update vid would be great.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Cheers, I'v done some fairly heavy work on it, well heavy by my home shop standards haha, while making the fly cutter in the latest video and it's not been any issue so far. Touch wood it will last forever. I might touch on it at some point in the future. Thanks for the support.

@BajaBill7 4 жыл бұрын

Got a similar break on my lathe to repair, this has been very helpful, thanks! Would be good to come back to it after a few months of service, see how it's holding up!

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

I'm glad to have helped and good luck with your own repair. I'll give you one little tip. Cleanness and good prep is everything when it comes to this kind of work. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching. Good idea about the follow up! 👍

@tadhgburke9709 4 жыл бұрын

Man that's interesting, I was worried when you used individual strands but seeing how you laid them out makes total sense! Awesome job

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. Carbon is a bit deceptive, we see all these pretty twill weave parts on display but unidirectional unwoven is a fair bit stiffer and stronger as there are no crimps in the fibres just not as sexy looking haha. FYI there might be quite a bit of composites content coming up over the next few years. Here is a link to a paper that discusses the effects in detail. www.hindawi.com/journals/amse/2019/8439530/ Thanks for watching and thanks for the support.👍👍

@damianorourke5109 4 жыл бұрын

Well that's a good trick to remember, as usual an excellent video.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much, I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks again for watching! 👍

@anthonytrodriguez7166 3 жыл бұрын

Your are a genius ,Great procedure ,Great job

@MaturePatriot 4 жыл бұрын

Nice repair. Never saw that type repair before. Looks to be very useful where brazing is not an option.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much great to hear from you again. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

@generaldisarray Жыл бұрын

I've used synthetic non woven fabric and epoxy to fix broken plastic parts, it works a treat and really adds strength to the repair.

@ForestWoodworks 2 жыл бұрын

I am considering this as a possible option to repair a cracked trunnion in a 1940's Walker-Turner table saw that I'm restoring on my own channel. Can you tell me how I would find similar carbon fibers, like what terms I might use in a search query? How's your repair holding up? Thanks for sharing this technique! Cheers!

@TheBrick2 3 жыл бұрын

Hi, nice job. Could you just have filled the holes with plasticine or similar? If so what is the advantage of using the machined plugs you used? Thanks

@stephenquirke9466 Жыл бұрын

This was very useful thank you. I've got a break on a large 4 foot cst iron French 18th century crucifix and one of the cruciform arms has broken off… so can't think of a solution to reattach it as there is such a small surface area between the two pieces… obviously cant weld as its cast iron but this method might help thanks.

@popaki9484 2 жыл бұрын

Did you put any epoxy in the crack before attaching the two pieces or just around it? I have to repair my mailbox where the aluminum pieces broke away from the pole.

@FranciscoMaldonado-zv5re 3 ай бұрын

Hola es tan fuerte que pegaria fisura en llanta de aluminio?

@armandomendoza6675 2 жыл бұрын

Would this work for a car repair? The block of the engine is Aluminum I need to make a repair where you screw & mount the alternator since it cracked off & that’s part of the engine too. Keeping in mind it’s right next to the cylinders that go into the engine & they get really hot when running the car.

@Merlinkatamari 4 жыл бұрын

nice i never seen this method before i think the other option to repair this would be brassing but you need a furnace for that and a torch^^

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I did consider welding or brazing but didn't have the correct size taps to chase the treads or the correct rods for that matter haha. So thought i'd try something a little different. Thanks for watching.

@nickcull1782 2 жыл бұрын

Do you think fiber glass cloth would have similar effect?

@hugoabreu5580 3 жыл бұрын

Try using Belzona 9411 (Release agent for epoxy resin) on aluminum inserts and remove them when the resin is cured.

@jagboy69 4 жыл бұрын

Pre heat, sil bronze, slow cool. I dont think I'd glue my bridgeport, but I would attempt tig brazing it. The OEM part is 680bucks, but you can get a knockoff for $200. $200 is a fair price for a new feed nut bracket and ya should be able to get a used one easily. They made a ton of these.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

I did consider silicone bronze but didn't have any and I didn't really fancy getting any down the locking screw hole or the backlash adjuster hole when I didn't have the right size taps to re thread them. I also had all the stuff for the Carbon method on hand so it was essentially free. Back in the machine now and seems to be doing alright. Did see the $200 ones when I had a look but can't justify that at the moment to be honest. Also getting one over to the UK from the US at the moment the way the world is may have taken a long time. Hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching. 👍

@jagboy69 4 жыл бұрын

@@Handmadeextreme Your local welding shop should have sil bronze in stock. it's running about 20bucks a pound here in the states for tig filler rod.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much, i'm glad you enjoyed it and got something useful out off it. Thanks for watching.

@boldford 3 жыл бұрын

It will be very interesting to see how this repair holds up. I would never consider welding as an alternative. Welding cast iron is fraught with problems. Unless you have access to the necessary sophisticated pre and post weld muffle furnace you will get very hard brittle carbides forming at the edge of the weld area. A far safer alternative is brazing as the iron isn't raised to fusing temperature.

@Handmadeextreme 3 жыл бұрын

Its been in the machine for a little while now. Tends to only get light use as it's in my home shop but it's holding up fine so far. Couldn't agree more about welding cast iron, it's just a total pain. Thanks for the support.

@chuckbailey6835 3 жыл бұрын

o yea when i was a kid my neighbor was an old farmer and i helped him weld quite a few cast-iron things and he certainly had no sophisticated anything first we would get a couple soup pots full of sand put them in his kitchen oven heat them as hot as the oven would go then he would heat the parts up with a torch then he'd weld them then we would pack the sand all a round the weld if it was some thing big and a lot of times we would put a old moving blanket over it he said it helped hold the heat in a litle but mostly to keep the wind from cooling the sand off to fast. he said that was to keep it from cracking and becoming brittle. we never had no problems

@loudevanneaux661 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this! I was trying to figure out how to repair my old treadle sewing machine leg that snapped off, without having to hire someone to weld it. This seems much cheaper lol

@andregunther4200 2 жыл бұрын

We're you able to repair the broken leg I have the same problem was seeing how you repaired it

@loudevanneaux661 2 жыл бұрын

@@andregunther4200 I was able to repair one of the joins but not the other. I used JB Weld on both: the first one worked because I was able to hold it at the correct angle: it’s holding really well. I think the second one could have worked if I had made a mold/splint to hold it while the weld dried. I might try again later. My neighbor also suggested drilling into both parts and screwing a thin plate of steel on either side as a permanent splint, which I think also would work. For now, I’m just using a piece of 2x4 to prop it up and it still sews beautifully :)

@mojorocketman Жыл бұрын

Can you give us an update on how that repair is holding up?

@Lammedreng 3 жыл бұрын

How about brazing?

@stevefrench2276 3 ай бұрын

Tig weld it, yes you can tig cast, you can also use a copper plug to keep the weld outa the holes.

@britishreaction54 4 жыл бұрын

I've never seen that before. I had no idea that it was even possible. I understand about fibres in a matrix ie composites. But surely, all you've done is glue some fibre to the metal? I'm sure I'm wrong.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Carl. In essence yes it's just fibres in glue stuck to the part. In reality it's slightly more complex.. but not much haha. Fibre strength, stiffness and orientation are all significant factors. I didn't really fancy welding the part as I didn't have the right size taps to chase the threads so I needed another way to do the repair. Had all the stuff on hand so thought i'd show another way to skin the cat. I was thinking it might be handy for people who don't have welding / brazing kit. Hope you are well. Cheers

@britishreaction54 4 жыл бұрын

@@Handmadeextreme I am well and thanks for asking. I'm still on a ship off Norway but should be back in the UK early June. Then I've got to work out how to drive from one end of the country to the other and then back to bring my family home, without me or them getting Covid or breaking the lockdown regs. I guess composites are something I'll never understand. I studied them a bit in my aircraft days and didn't really get it then. I understand about the different lay directions etc for the different stresses on your part. It's a great method of repairing that part that I never would have thought of. Thanks for showing it.

@rolfnilsen6385 4 жыл бұрын

Surface prep really needs to get rid of all oil and other lubricants to make the epoxy stick. Then you always use gloves with handling epoxy as that stuff really is not sold next to the multivitamins in the shop :-) Fun trivia - if you let the alu oxidize a bit, overnight or so - the epoxy will peel off even after setting. Might be a bit of shrinkage tough holding the plugs in place. If you want to glue alu with epoxy, you need to wet sand the alu with epoxy to avoid the oxydation issues. Cool repair! Please do report back on any issues later as this is a very interesting method compared to welding or brazing cast iron fittings.

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Rolf, great to hear from you again. Absolutely right! Cleanliness is next to godliness when it comes to composites work. I forgot to mention that in the video, Ooops. Right about the gloves too; Getting hold of them at the moment is a bit of a challenge though. Interesting reading about the aluminium. I don't suppose you have a background in aeronautical do you? Those are words I have had told to me before when I was working with bits of plane. Have you tried using alacrom1200 as a surface prep. After de-ox and clean. Now that's really nasty stuff. Hope you are well, and thank you for the continued support.

@jc_hz4196 3 жыл бұрын

Wouldn’t it have made more sense to glue at least a layer of fiber then add more after adding the resin? Just a thought more control. Good video though, I will use the approach.

@edition-deluxe 2 жыл бұрын

Here we are a year later, has it held up?! I hope so because I'm going for it, on a cast iron part, tomorrow.

@Handmadeextreme 2 жыл бұрын

It has indeed. Good look with your repair.

@rixogtr 3 жыл бұрын

Carbon fibres with JB weld :D :D :D

@siamak1246 Жыл бұрын

I think you need nonstick material (e.g. film) to take off that small piece easily.

@sephangelo4603 3 жыл бұрын

If only there was a basalt or carbon equivalent of 3M's Bondoglass. Bondoglass IMO appears fire retardant because of talc and fiberglass strands.

@victoryfirst2878 3 жыл бұрын

I can not understand why the factory did not fix this design. Remember making one out of steel billet. The piece is just fine.

@Handmadeextreme 3 жыл бұрын

It's definitely a bit of a week point in the system. That said if it doesn't get overtightened I expect it would never break. Either way the repair seems to be holding up well despite a few sceptics saying it will never work. Thanks for the support 👍

@victoryfirst2878 3 жыл бұрын

@@Handmadeextreme Their is always a few naysayers who work with their mouth and not their hands. No worries here Handmade Extreme, it is all good. VF

@shahzaibmalik7938 3 жыл бұрын

Please tell me the name of the chemical

@peperodriguez9961 27 күн бұрын

J b weld liquid metal

@DrakkarCalethiel 4 жыл бұрын

Hate woking with glass fiber matts, those strands get everywhere and itch for days!

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

They are horrible aren't they. I'm a big fan of the resin infusion method of laminating. Does away with all the wet resin and constantly racing against the clock to get the job done before it gels...and the mess..oh the mess.. no more of that either. Thanks for watching. 👍

@DrakkarCalethiel 4 жыл бұрын

@@Handmadeextreme Hahaha, fiberglassing small parts, gets you dirty and covered in resin in no time! Infusion laminating is great if you have the tools, way less messy.

@7duser10 4 жыл бұрын

Personally I don't like the result but kudos for your of the box thinking, but please don't call this 'engineering'. Few tips, when I used to do carbon fibre repairs I used glad wrap at the end over the job and stretch tight plus tape at the ends to seal and it makes the surface all nice and smooth at the end, just have to get the bubbles out before sealing. For odd shapes use condoms as they stretch good. I also think your mix ratio was off, or possibly the shelf life was past as JB weld shouldn't be tacky when it is cured. Also next time consider putting some wax or something on your plugs and leave them in and take out at the end. Could you use body filler to make the finished repair a little more attractive?

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback, what sort of things were you doing repairs on? I like the condoms idea, that's neat, i'll be sure to remember that. I have a few composite jobs coming up. Might be handy. I tend to vac bag if I want to smooth something out or make sure there are no air pockets. For this I really didn't see the need as it's buried down inside the machine and never seen. Form very much follows function for this one. Thanks for watching. 👍

@7duser10 4 жыл бұрын

@@Handmadeextreme kayaks and canoes and associated paddles... So a mix of funny shapes and layups. Not as bad as that shape you have there though. The condoms were used on the 'nose' or 'tail' repairs at the ends. The lube acted as a mould release too hahaha. Thicker plastic than gladwrap is better as it won't wrinkle as easy. vacbags would probably achieve a better result :)

@Handmadeextreme 4 жыл бұрын

Ah, awesome. One of my friends used to be a laminator for valley canoe and kayaks. He comments here quite regularly. You might have noticed my Jackson Superstar in the back of some of the shots in the videos. Always fancied making my own boat from scratch. Maybe one day... I'll just put it on the too do list haha. 👍