Can you weld/braze cast iron to another piece of cast iron?

Answer 1

The reference above to "pre-heating" is correct but you really have to be careful with any welding of Cast Iron. The grain size is very large and as such very brittle and prone to cracking. So because of the grains, you can't allow it to cool too rapidly or it will crack and you cannot let it get too hot or you will have a condition of grain growth and also run into cracking.

I personally use either SMAW (stick welding with Ni rod - nickel rod) or use Oxy-Fuel Brazing with Ni rod....I try to heat it up to about 150 F prior to welding and I weld in small segments, grinding the stops of each weld for a clean tie in for the next weld once the previous has cooled down to the prescribed 150 F. If you are dealing with a crack situation, I sometimes use a drill and put a hole at the end of each side of the crack and then weld from the crack to the hole thus stopping the stress riser at the end of the crack...

Good Luck

Shawn Barrett
American Welding Society
Certified Welding Inspector # 99080511

Answer 2

Should work just fine..certainly worth a try. Got scraps to try it on?

Answer 3

Yes if you use nickle rod and pee-heat.