Can I Tack A Stainless Bolt with Mig?

Discussion in 'General foundry chat' started by FishbonzWV, Jun 8, 2022.

  1. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    I've got a problem.
    We've got an old buffalo style food chopper and the kitchen help lost the fluted knob that holds the blades on. It's a left hand thread stainless shaft and I was able to get a steel nut from Fastenal today to get it back in use.
    I've ordered some stainless nuts and I was hoping to cast the knob around the nuts in aluminium. To get some purchase, I thought I would use my flux core Mig wire and place a bead on each of the flats.
    I've also got some 6013 rod (?? I'm not home to check) as an alternative.
    Will this either of these put a bead on the stainless?
     
  2. Tops

    Tops Silver Banner Member

    We used to do it with MIG at one shop, mild steel to stainless steel, want to say wire was mild too, where the mild steel was reinforcing a large stainless tub or plate from the outside and then was painted over the mild steel and welds.
    According to this guy's quick test that would not be a best practice:

    If you have any cast iron rod that might be higher nickel. Or buy a stainless TIG person a nice coffee or beer to do them for you. I owe my shop guys some bakery...
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2022
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  3. Melterskelter

    Melterskelter Gold Banner Member

    Bonz, if you have a lathe and want an aluminum knob on the SS nut, turn the nut smooth. Bore a hole in the aluminum for a loose fit---could have a couple thou gap. Using Loctite 609 to fix permanently the knob to the nut. Use IPA to clean the parts prior to assembly. THere are probably other Loctite products that would also get the job done and maybe even one specifically designed for Al/SS bonding. But 609 will do a very good job. Press fit or heat shrink if you want ot get fancy.

    Denis
     
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  4. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Well, decided to come home tonight. Neighbor called and said she ran a thief off trying to steal a bike. It was chained up. Get to sleep in my own bed, first time since December 1st.
    Had to mow the lawn anyway. I’ll break out the Lincoln and do a test tomorrow on the welding, carve a little foam and prep for getting these done.
    Denis, my lathe is a bit wonky (1948 Craftsman 109) but if the imbedding doesn’t work I guess I could give a press fit a shot.
    Thanks
    Bonz
     
  5. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    If the nut is hexagonal you could probably just cast the aluminium around it wihout any modification. I dont think it will pull apart. To be absolutely certain drill a couple of shallow holes in the nut to act like a lock and key.
     
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  6. Jason

    Jason Gold

    The only downside to welding on stainless hardware, you will probably cook the chromium out of it. As Jodi says, keep stainless, stainless!
    But yes it will work. I prefer to weld stainless hardware to avoid the fumes with zinc stuff.

     
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  7. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Ugh, no coffee in the house, I guess a spot of tea will have to do.
    Looks like a mouse was digging in a house plant but found his dead ass in one of the traps I left set just in case.
    Mantrid, I’ll give that shot too.
     
  8. SRHacksaw

    SRHacksaw Silver

    I've cast an aluminum backing plate onto 3/4" steel arbor for a chuck to fit the Gingery lathe, lessee, about 17 years ago. It's still driving a 4" chuck.

    I Just ground grooves into the shaft. Locks it mechanically as well as the shrinkage of aluminum as it cools (considerable, btw) Seems like you could do the same with the nut.

    I've also cast threads into aluminum by smoking all-thread with a candle. The carbon forms a release. Or a left hand bolt, in the case of this particular problem. Or if your lathe has change gears, making a section of threaded rod, then smoking it and casting around it. Or grinding that piece of rod into your own temporary tap using a Dremel

    And of course there's the old buy a left hand tap on Ebay routine -- fairly reasonable, unless it's a larger size or acme.
     
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  9. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    I’d rather keep the threads steel on steel because I’m dealing with a bunch of cooks always in a hurry and their first impulse is lefty loosey when taking the blades off. They’ve had to search for the knob before but always found it.
    I have no clue how old this machine is, made by Mcgraw Edison Food Service Division. I can’t find any reference to it online. Hobart Foods makes a similar one and that is all that pops up.
     
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  10. Tops

    Tops Silver Banner Member

    You could eventually make a set with an arrow going left and the word 'ON' or 'TIGHT'. If they were gas weldors you'd could just put a file mark across the 6 corners...
     
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  11. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Roughed out a couple foamies.
    917AEF1A-357E-4692-8D09-37CF21CD7B31.jpeg
     
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  12. Al2O3

    Al2O3 Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    Sharpie or ball point pen on those foamies would do that.

    Best,
    Kelly
     
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  13. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    I can do that but it’s probably useless. This thing is like a horizontal blender, they stand over it and take the knob off with left hand with the knob facing away.
    It’s worth a shot though.
     
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  14. Jason

    Jason Gold

    If you really wanna trap that nut in the handle, just set it deeper in the knob. Then tig weld aluminum over it trapping it in the handle. It wont go anywhere. Send it to me, if you cant find a guy with a tig machine, I'll do it.
     
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  15. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Thanks for the offer Jason.
    Once the hardware gets here I'll try the dimples first. I bought some cobalt drills last week for another project so I'm ready to drill them.
    The other project involves cutting out a portion of the walk-in cooler stainless sheet floor where it's buckled and rivet a replacement piece in. The freezer door drags on the buckled portion and it's a bear to open. I've also got to replace some of the freezer door extrusions so I can get a gasket to fit. Finding the extrusions has been fruitless so far. Gaskets are a dime a dozen.
     
  16. ESC

    ESC Silver Banner Member

    Bonz, just set the nut a little deeper and add a foam washer. When it casts, it will be sealed in, no welding required.
     
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  17. Mantrid

    Mantrid Silver

    If youplan to sand cast it then you will also need to put a piece of threaded rod in the nut protruding out a few cms to stop metal enter the centre of the nut and also to anchor it to the sand to stop the molten metal displacing it.
     
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  18. SRHacksaw

    SRHacksaw Silver

    Smoke it, if so, or it will stick. You'll need left hand threaded rod/bolt again for that. If flush, and sandcast you can pack it with greensand.
     
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  19. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    It will be lost foam casting.
    Lots of good info coming from the casting community!
     
  20. FishbonzWV

    FishbonzWV Silver Banner Member

    Picture of the Buffalo chopper
    D1EA27EF-1F5C-4158-BC64-D222253D342D.jpeg
     
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