[Bill w]

Anyone have any ideas on the best way to weld a broken die?

[Bill w]

Material is d2 die is split in half 13" wide 7" thick.

[Coldman]

I looked up D2 steel and if i'm right it's 1.55% carbon, 12% chrome, 0.8%moly and 0.9% vanadium which gives a carbon equivalent of 4.29% - worst possible scenario for welding.
You would need a prep like a double U (weld from both sides)
preheat would need to be 300*C (and interpass as well) using lo hydrogen rods

Distortion would be the result. The D2 temper would require re-treatment. No guarantee that it wouldn't crack again.

My conclusion is it's a throw away. Machine up a new one.

[Bill w]

My conclusion is it's a throw away. Machine up a new one.[/quote]

That's not an option. So I guess I'm going to swing for the fences and hope it holds.

[Coldman]

I'd be interested in how you go and end up so please keep us posted and pics would be great too.

[Bill w]

I have been researching this for about a day now. And found a lot of info on this. But haven't found a lot of people willing to try. So I will take pics and do a full right up and fingers crossed that it works.

[GFab70]

I am curious to see the fixture you build to help with distortion. That's gonna be a lot of passes. I wish I had some good advice on D2, but I have no experience with it. Please keep us informed of your progress.

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

[Coldman]

I've been doing a bit more reading up too.
For d2 steels preheat and interpass temp is 900*F.
Use E11018 rods.
No weaving, stringers only and peen each run.
The part must annealed prior to welding and heat treated after to restore temper.
The repair by all accounts is considered temporary only which means it will crack again.

[Bill w]

I'm sad to say guys I won't be doing this job. The machine shop this happened at has decided to try and find a new die. I was really pretty pumped about doing the work. But after explaning the weld procces to the owner and told him I could not be for sure it would even work. They decided against it.

[Coldman]

I think the right decision was made. Grief would have been the result otherwise I feel.

[Bill w]

I think the right decision was made. Grief would have been the result otherwise I feel.

I agree. But sometimes it's good to try things out of your comfort zone. And I haven't really welded anything like that in about 5 years.

[LtBadd]

I think the right decision was made. Grief would have been the result otherwise I feel.

I agree. But sometimes it's good to try things out of your comfort zone. And I haven't really welded anything like that in about 5 years.

Well if they're going to scrap it, why not give it a try? For this or other future tool steel work give Weld Mold a call, they can provide solutions