Filling in Pitting With a Welder?

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I am refurbishing an antique safe and new/replacement parts are non-existent. Unfortunately the safe is badly rusted and many of the parts are pitted. An picture of one of the pitted parts may be seen here:  https://imgur.com/4OzUnp7I own a Lincoln wire welder (no gas shielding connection), an oxy-acetylene torch, and a small torch fitting used for plumbing repairs to which I can attach cans of propane or MAPP gas. I am not "experienced" with any of the above tools but have used them sporadically and am generally very handy. I would like to fill the pitting, sand the part smooth, and then have the part chrome/nickel plated. I do not want to pay someone to do this work for me as it would not be cost effective given the large number of parts that must be repaired. I would appreciate any and all advice on (1) if the pitting can be filled with welding/brazing/solder and (2) how to go about making the repair. Thank you. David
Reply:Welding would take forever and probably warp this parts. I would look up a technique called leading. That's how they filled the seam of old cars between the roof and quarter panels. It should take chrome too.Hobart 210mvp w/ spoolgunHF 4x6 band sawGrizzly 9972zHF mini mill
Reply:Originally Posted by pahunter222Welding would take forever and probably warp this parts. I would look up a technique called leading. That's how they filled the seam of old cars between the roof and quarter panels. It should take chrome too.
Reply:Why not get a get a price to get one Cnc cut .I don't see any thing fancy.
Reply:Blanchard grind?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:I would have a new one cut, or flip it over if the other side is good, or fill it with bondo and paint.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:That small, I would "Lead" it also provided it would take a Nickel/Chrome finish. Second choice would be to grind it smooth.
Reply:Do use a silver solder on it because in plating it they use a hot bath during the plating process.  I think that leading it might run and loosen.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P
Reply:Belt sander, start with 40 grit and move your way up
Reply:If your plan is to plate it, show it to your plating guy before you do anything you might have to undo. He will tell you what he can plate over, and some plating will actually fill in voids. He may come up with some good ideas. For example, I like it when people ask about materials they plan on welding together before the design, purchase, and cut them. Things usually turn out better when they talk to me first. It can save a lot of time, and frustration. Unfortunately minimums on plating are pretty high dollar wise, so it may not be worth it. : Good Luck, and be safe...,
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Reply:All great ideas. Cutting a new piece may not work as I've got several pieces and this was only one example. I've started the back of this piece (to try) with silver solder and it is a time consuming but seemingly viable process. I don't mind as I'm a hobbyist and this safe restoration project will likely take me nine months. I was hoping someone would tell me I could use my torch with a brazing rod the same way I was messing with the solder.  I was sure if the brazing rod would flow like solder. The piece you see is about 3/16" thick steel. Other pieces are thicker.
Reply:When brazing metal gets red hot, may cause warping.
Reply:x2  bring it to the person who will be chroming it and do as they say
Reply:I was going to suggest tinning with silver solder, but that too might get pricey if there are a lot of bigger parts. It wouldn't put too much heat into the parts, but you would need to put a clear coat on it or you'll be using silver polish on it every couple of months.
Reply:How about lab metal? Or some other conductive metal filler.  Www.Alvinproduct.com
Reply:Just got back from the plating shop and the owner said he didn't think the lead would hold up in the plating process. He suggested using bronze to fill the pits. I asked about silver solder and he said that should be fine. I'm surprised the leading process wouldn't work given that Eastwood sells the product as an underlay for chrome fenders.
Reply:Lab metal. It's used for powder coating all the time. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkMiller 211Hypertherm PM 451961 Lincoln Idealarc 250HTP 221  True Wisdom only comes from Pain.
Reply:Some plating shops restore parts like that by plating extra copper to fill the pits then sand it flat and go from there. Probably an expensive process.Ernie F.
Reply:Originally Posted by metalman21Some plating shops restore parts like that by plating extra copper to fill the pits then sand it flat and go from there. Probably an expensive process.
Reply:Thanks guys/gals. Unless you have any other suggestions, I may sand out the pits. This plate is not structural so I should be OK.
Reply:Add silver solder in the deeper areas then sand down the rest. Lead would have been good if you where painting instead of plating.  Now if you had a furnace for heating metal then a little flux and brass or what ever filler you would like to use  that was less than the melting point of the metal you are working with would work too. Just melting a skim coat over the part. By letting heat up  and cool slowly in the furnace you would not warp the parts. This would be the only other suggestion I could make.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P
Reply:Originally Posted by tinker001 if you had a furnace for heating metal then a little flux and brass or what ever filler you would like to use  that was less than the melting point of the metal you are working with would work too.
Reply:Originally Posted by djedThank you.So my wife's oven won't work??? :-)an .
Reply:here is the melting point of Brass (85 Cu 15 Zn) 900-940C 1652-1724Fhere is the melting point of Steel-High Carbon        1353C      2500FSo I do not think the wife's oven is going to get that close or a bbq grill.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/PNow if you could get the piece completely covered in brass would be cool looking  Then polished that up  and clear coated would give you  a nice finished look for an old safe.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P