Help identify cast iron. Spark test.

xwrench · Tue May 23, 2017 3:08 pm

Greetings, y'all. I am hoping one or more of our erudite members can tell me what sort of cast iron I'm dealing with here and the best procedure to weld it. I'm thinking wrought iron from the looks of the sparks. Thanks.

: IMG_0563.JPG (66.37 KiB) Viewed 1060 times

Cheers
-EB

Poland308 · Tue May 23, 2017 5:29 pm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_testing

If you scroll down to the second set of sparks check out G. Mushet steel. Click on that. I'm guessing that you have some variation of that. Especially because it's on that old vise.

xwrench · Tue May 23, 2017 5:59 pm

A little more info. This stuff is very magnetic and will not cut with a torch.

Artie F. Emm · Wed May 24, 2017 7:10 am

xwrench wrote:magnetic and will not cut with a torch.

Wrought and cast are both magnetic. Does "won't cut with a torch" suggest cast?

One of Jody's videos demonstrates a puddle test: use a TIG torch to make a quick puddle and resulting "nodule" of base metal, then use a file to determine the hardness of the nodule to make a filler rod decision. Does a test like that apply in this case?

xwrench · Wed May 24, 2017 4:06 pm

Artie F. Emm wrote:
xwrench wrote:magnetic and will not cut with a torch.
Wrought and cast are both magnetic. Does "won't cut with a torch" suggest cast?

One of Jody's videos demonstrates a puddle test: use a TIG torch to make a quick puddle and resulting "nodule" of base metal, then use a file to determine the hardness of the nodule to make a filler rod decision. Does a test like that apply in this case?

I just did this test. Hard as a coffin nail. A file just skates across it.

Cheers.
-EB