I have a small TS. When I bought it at very low price I had in mind its 14 Amp motor to make DIY tools. Now I have a small 1/2 hp motor that will work well in cutting thin material. I want to use this saw.
It has a cracked part (the part that elevate the arbor) and I want to see if I can weld to repair it. (If not weldable I would use plenty of epoxy. It is not hopeless because it has “ribs” and plenty of surface area for the glue.)
The metal is non-magnetic. It is very common and used in many places. I believe it is similar metal to tables of miter saws, tables of low-priced bench top tools, such as stroll saw and some small band saws. Also the material for low cost pulleys. It likely is cindered and when cracked as a powdered appearance.
It is stronger, less malleable, than aluminum.
I know this is a vague question, but what is the name of this alloy. Can it be welded with ordinary arc (stick welding) or fluxcore wire welding?
Thanks
Replies
It is probably pot metal, a term for a variety of non-ferrous metals mixed together to make cheap items like pulleys. You may be able to braze it using aluminum brazing rod. There are You Tube videos on the subject. Be very careful with the heat. The pot metal has a very low melting point and will be destroyed at a temp not much higher than the melting point of the aluminum rod. It is doable, however.
Really cool that you created this post.
Working with metal requires great care and skill from you so as not to get hurt. But besides this, it is worth protecting yourself from injuries with the help of reliable equipment, not only in order to keep yourself safe, but also so that your product turns out to be good. One of the most sought-after pieces of hardware for working with iron is the sleeves. Do not confuse these sleeves with those on the jacket or on your favorite sweater, these are welding sleeves, and you can buy them easily and simply and get advice on which is better. The site afterpaints.com will help you choose the best welding sleeves at the best price.
I suspect the part may have been cast from A356, a common aluminum casting alloy. It is possible to weld it using the right filler material, tho the weld will be weaker than the base material. see, for example: https://www.thefabricator.com/thewelder/article/aluminumwelding/aluminum-workshop-matching-filler-alloys-with-a356#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20A356%20is%20the,what%20filler%20alloy%20you%20use.
However, the fact that this part cracked indicates that it was either defective to begin with, or that the part is highly stressed, or both. Repairing the part so it does not break again might be difficult unless there is room to add extra material to strengthen the area of the crack.
Good luck.
If it is, in fact, aluminum then you can use these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu-VZ5K79pY
I have successfully made strong repairs in aluminum alloy parts using these materials and all you need is a torch.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled