I just did a spark test with the grinder and it is cast iron.
R-Tech recommend MMA welding of cast iron, but f#@! the rods are expensive: these ones on R-Tech's site are just over £100! "2.5mm Pure Nickel Cast Iron MMA Electrodes 1KG".
Further research gives a clue as to what type of cast...
One story I heard was that Record were unhappy about being told by the wartime government to help Paramo make vices!
Thanks for the advice about identifying the material. Here is a pic of the static jaw from when I first started restoring it:
Thanks. That's my plan :thumbup:. Just waiting for the copper now.
Someone once told me you can't weld to cast iron as it will go "glass hard"... :dontknow:
I'm not painting the vice. Whatever I do will be part of its history and add to its "patina" :D
Also, I want to be able to still remove the jaw. Would brazing against the jaw as you suggest not permanently fix it to the jaw base?
Is it cast steel? Very good question. When I bought the vice (£80...
I’ve got some flat bar copper on the way and will give this a go sometime next week. If it goes well, I’ll post about it. If it goes badly, I’ll keep quiet :D Thanks for everyone’s input. Much appreciated :thumbup:
Haha. Thanks. I think the chances of me getting everything flat (no milling machine) are about the same as me winning the lottery :laughing:. Most of the face of the jaw support is flat and it holds the new jaw square to its oppo.
Ah! Sorry. It shows how little I know about this game :doh: I remember seeing a video of an American guy spray welding onto a huge shaft in an industrial lathe. Serious stuff, that's for sure.
When I restored it originally, I was going to paint it blue. But it's still got some of its original paint on it and I thought it would be a shame to cover it up :thumbup: