The easiest and most effective repair is to simply replace the housing with a replacement. We are lucky to have people like Hoye (and the many other fine suppliers) that can help us with these challenges. That being said, a welder with good cast iron experience could easily fix that housing. The problem is finding someone with that type of experience. Cast iron welding is not the mysterious, voodoo type skill that everyone thinks it is. It takes time, patience and good technique - a lot of peening and someone who knows what they are doing. A local mine here in B.C. with a high line ore car system had a major failure. The ore hoppers were moved up and down the mountain on a high line driven by a large hit and miss engine, with large pulleys at the top and bottom end. The spoked cast iron pulleys, made in England at the turn of the century were fine until one seized and broke from lack of maintenance. A local mill wright was brought in and welded the entire pulley together (about 12 feet in diameter), buried the entire thing in lime for 24 hours and after cooling slowly was as good as new. The high line worked hard for another 25 years before shutting down. Cast iron is not for beginners, but there are still good welders in the world that view a repair like that as a challenge, not an impossibility. If a replacement part is available, take advantage of it, but never be discouraged. Anything that can be built, can be repaired. Keep in mind that at the turn of the century, entire automobiles, from the frame, body and engine up to the convertible tops were made in home shops. Casting, welding, fabrication and machining were done with some pretty crude machinery compared to today and they still are running. Nothing is impossible for those who are not discouraged.
nasty break ! I hate that happed 