Can this be brazed ???

[Screwdriver]

Why do people on here think cast steel is common, it is rocking horse poo, Why, because it is b awful stuff to cast. Far more likely to be cast iron. If it needs strength, malleable cast iron or SG.

I don't see anyone suggesting it is common.

Having said that, it is fairly common around here because I look out for cast steel versions of vices (like the Swinden's) because of its superior properties and ease of welding.

They can sometimes be identified by the "poor quality" of the casting since as you suggest, it is apparently a b_st_rd to cast...

 

[maroon]

If it's steel i would weld it but gouge out a kind of "v" into the crack with a burr. perhaps clamp it together and tack the top and bottom first. then gouge into the crack. do the middle, then take your tacks off and do the same on the end. weld it whilst its still butted up to to the other flange to transferrer the heat away. take it off then join/fill the other side (braze or weld) and flatten off. not all in one go.

Cast iron forms kind of a honneycomb effect under heat.

from what i can gather looking at the picture. it would of been a bit more helpful if you wire brushed it before you took the pic.

 

[Screwdriver]

Yes cast iron contains so many impurities, carbon among them, that it acts like a "super high carbon steel" and welding a small section allows it to chill super fast from being super hot and it goes super hard! I think this is why there are special rods dedicated to stick welding cast iron. I assume the high Nickel content (?) helps with the potential for cracking and high graphite content stops the carbon from migrating into the weld. That what Google suggests, I have no idea because I haven't used them myself, they're way too expensive for the sorts of repairs I do. @Brad93 is yer man (among others on here)

Bizarrely, for some technical reason, I actually brazed up my cast steel Swinden's. I bought one the seller had cleverly hidden a snapped off jaw!

Repair a broken vise

Some time ago I got stiffed on Gumtree. Bought a Swindens vice only to discover one of the jaws has snapped off and is missing. It was cheap enough to break for parts or sell on as a "project" but I quite fancy having go at building up the missing piece. I have MIG, TIG, stick or Oxy at my...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[James1979]

Just to jump in with both feet. I brazed this up on a printing press. God know what it was cast from but it was like an aero bar.

There’s a lot of stress on it. Back in service and still working as far as I’m aware.

Edit - oxypropane

 

[Screwdriver]

Wow. I wonder why it broke there....