Question for Welders

[Electrican]

I am currently building a wrought iron style fence from metal tubing. I want to weld up some cast iron décor on the metal gates and not sure how this will work. My welder is a Lincoln 3200hd and using flux cored wire w/ no gas. Will welding the cast iron to metal work with this set up? Any tips or techniques I need to know? The décor is not real heavy and just for looks. Thanks in advance.

[Mr. Whiskers]

You should be fine

[nimrodajh]

Yes. As long as it's just to hold them in place and not part of the structure you'll be fine.

[Electrican]

Yes no structure at all, just decor. So it will be just like welding regular steel? I would assume you want to work the puddle mostly on steel and bring it up to cast, correct? Does cast melt fast, pop, etc.. I dont know what to expect. Thanks for the info

[txfireguy2003]

Are you certain it's cast iron and not cast steel? If it's relatively recently made, it's probably steel, in which case, it'll weld just like any other steel. If it's older stuff, like antique, then it may be iron, and yes, you can stick it on there but pulling a pool into it, but it will be brittle and not structurally sound. It may also crack the decoration if it cools too rapidly.

[sqiggy]

Just weld it like you would everything else. You won't even know the difference between the 2.
I might add since it's just for décor, just put on spot tacks. That's all you really need.

[thor0812]

Are you certain it's cast iron and not cast steel? If it's relatively recently made, it's probably steel, in which case, it'll weld just like any other steel. If it's older stuff, like antique, then it may be iron, and yes, you can stick it on there but pulling a pool into it, but it will be brittle and not structurally sound. It may also crack the decoration if it cools too rapidly.

^^^This^^^
I used to do a lot of the ornamental stuff. You can use a small torch (propane plumbing torch will work if you don't have a big torch) do a preheat on the cast then weld. I had good results with this process alleviating cracking

[Electrican]

Are you certain it's cast iron and not cast steel? If it's relatively recently made, it's probably steel, in which case, it'll weld just like any other steel. If it's older stuff, like antique, then it may be iron, and yes, you can stick it on there but pulling a pool into it, but it will be brittle and not structurally sound. It may also crack the decoration if it cools too rapidly.

No not certain of that. I just bought it from metal distributor and description says cast iron metal star. It looks like cast iron but dont mean it is. Sounds like i will be good to go and just weld up like normal steel.

[Draco]

It is probably cast iron. You can get either from King Archetectural, SSS and others. After you put a couple good tacks on it, just tap on the weld with a chipping hammer a dozen times or so. Cast iron can't stretch and the tapping will relieve the stress put into it when you welded it. Small tacks are the way to go.

[Electrican]

Thanks for the help. I will be trying it this weekend.

[Eric T.]

It is probably cast iron. You can get either from King Archetectural, SSS and others. After you put a couple good tacks on it, just tap on the weld with a chipping hammer a dozen times or so. Cast iron can't stretch and the tapping will relieve the stress put into it when you welded it. Small tacks are the way to go.

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[Tubby]

It is probably cast iron. You can get either from King Archetectural, SSS and others. After you put a couple good tacks on it, just tap on the weld with a chipping hammer a dozen times or so. Cast iron can't stretch and the tapping will relieve the stress put into it when you welded it. Small tacks are the way to go.

"peening"

[fred]

should be ok just watch for brittle fracture in the heat affected zone!!!!

[BUCKENVY]

use small tack welds, cast gets too hot it can crack