Welding Cast Iron with 7018 (Video)

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Goodevening everyone So, a little while back I picked up this broken in two Chas Parker vise from a local scrap aka "salvage steel" yard and brought it home for a whopping $20. I know, I know, looks like I paid $19 too much but I really wanted to try my hand at welding cast.I got it home and took a look at it, and discovered my first problem... I'm a cheapskate. Spend $23 on a pack of electrodes for a $20 vise? Naaaa, I'll just use some of this here 3/32" Hobart 7018 thats been sitting in the open air since last may. I fired up my nice little StickWeld 250, set it to 86 amps DCEP (intentionally ran kinda cold) and away I went!Okay, truth be told the special electrodes weren't going to break me if I shelled out for them, but the main thing is I really wanted to try my hand at welding Cast Iron with 7018. Back in high school, our old teacher gave us an old handout on the electrode before we ran it in the lab, and that handout said that 7018 can be used to weld certain kinds of cast.So, if anyone's wondering why I'd ever try this... Thats my story and I'm stickin' to it! All I did was beveled the joint, and tacked it up. It welded like crap but the tacks held. Next stop was the BBQ, then the welding bench. The video tells the story better than I can:Long story short... I can't believe it held! I put a cheater bar on the handle, and it still held!Im pretty happy, and I thrilled with my $21 vise lol. Im gonna paint it up and use it. Hope you guys enjoy the video, happy welding everyone [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:Annnnd of course, some pictures:[Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:"It ain't purrrdy, but it holds" [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:Good job. I agree, as long as you are using it to hold things and not for a press you should never have a problem. That should hold from now on unless its abused and misused. Which would probably be the outcome in my shop, LOL.Making as much progress as a one legged duck in the middle of a pond, just going in circles.
Reply:Lanse if you ever run across one of these for a good price, they work great for peening welds. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Most excellent!  Great before and after pics.  The after pics were outstanding Lanse!  Thank you!  I'm gonna have to practice on my wife's cast iron skillet!  lol.....Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:I don't think your vise is cast iron but cast steel. If it were cast iron, I don't think it would have worked.
Reply:Good save Lanse. As some said already, it may have been cast steel which welds easily. It also could be nodular iron which is much easier to weld than grey iron. I've seen the 7018 thing but have never tried it. Lincoln makes a cast iron steel rod that I use on the "cheapo" jobs like that. It will weld through rusty, painted, oily crap. Look it up, I found some for less than three bucks a pound. I use nickel rod for more delicate work.As always pre/post heat, length of weld, thickness of part being welded all play a part in your success or failure of a particular weld on cast iron.PeterEquipment:2  old paws2  eyes (that don't look so good)1  bad back
Reply:castweld are you talking about Ferroweld? http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...on-detail.aspxDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPcastweld are you talking about Ferroweld? http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us...on-detail.aspx
Reply:I have repaired several vises broken in that spot but they were cast steel and no problem to weld.  At least one was broken by hammering on it trying to loosen up a part held in the jaws.  No  I wasn't doing the hammering, I was the one saying "I told you that would break the vise".
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749They work great for putting a hammered look on forged metal art.