Apologies to Wardner...

I hope you've got your water outlet together that you posted about a few day ago. I would have never thought a simple question would turn into such a ridiculous debate. I do apologize for it getting so silly. The biggest reason I was pointing out wrong information was so that other's wouldn't ruin their parts using the wrong information. I'm certain that you knew the outlet was cast iron and that's why you asked how to join the steel pipe to it. Hope your project is going well. I think I need a hair transplant after scratching my head so much the last few days. Dave

Dave, you are apparently a very good person.

No, he's just trying to be accomodating so they don't revoke his parole. JUST KIDDING, DAVE- I'm sure you're a fine fellow. I believe we should all just ignore what those other people say. . .

Thanks for thinking about me.

Seems to me that the easiest way to tell the difference between cast iron and steel, when in doubt, is to machine it or drill it.

I checked into the plastic solution. Epoxies, such as the JB Weld product, are good for 500 degrees. Another product called Lab Metal is a single component and good for 350 with twenty minute exposures to 425. They also have a product called High temp Lab Metal good for 1000 degrees. All three products are machineable and adhesive. The joint is around .015-.020. I bought some JB Weld and will give that a try as epoxies don't shrink. The joint is at the highest point in the cooling system. It should be easy to detect a failure prior to any damage to the tractor.

My oxygen/propane set up is good (and cheap) for cutting but is very slow for brazing. I have no confidence it will do the job. I do have a Miller Heli-Arc with torch and water cooler, but only use it for stick welding. Wouldn't use it enough to pay for the cylinder demurage.

I have often wondered about distinguishing the difference between forgings and cast steel. Both can have parting lines and are steel. Everybody calls the frame joints, on old Harleys, castings but I think they are actually forgings. All those fittings were joined by furnace brazing prior to the mid '50's. When I look at something like rockshaft arms on a tractor, I can't be sure what they are.

Here's another picture of the tractor. Showcrop will probably see it someday as we are not that far apart.

<a href="http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r16/Wardner/?action=view&current=W-400120-1.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>

Forgings could be cast steel. Forging basically means it's squished together when hot(steel) for even greater strength. Cast iron is much less prone to rust than cast steel, another reason a water outlet would be cast iron. If possible try to cut just a tiny bit of a piece with a cutting torch. It will tell you for sure if it's cast iron or cast steel. Cast iron won't cut with a cutting torch. Cast steel will cut just like steel plate. Dave

Apparently cast steel has better weldability than forged steel but forged steel is still weldable with the proper procedure. Also forging is mostly done from steel billets. I know cast aluminum is forged into a finished size and suspect that complicated and large steel pieces would be as well. Dave

Gents,
I"ve been watching this post for several years now,and wonder why we didnt hear from T Bone. This would be right down his alley. I heard that he had some health problems, I fear the worst. Again the subject was, at times very humorus.( "all tractors are cast steel") Thank Goodness that no one mentioned Meehinite. (I may not have that spelled correctly.) In any event we surly would have been on a real tangent.