Can this be welded?

zmansmac · Oct 17, 2015

About 45 years ago my brother gave me a made in Poland (we're Polish) vice for Christmas. This 6 inch jaw heavy duty monster has served me well over the years taking all the abuse I could dish out. But today I think I pushed it a little to far, or maybe it's just getting old and weaker like me. I had some 1/2 inch, 1/16th" wall tubing that I wanted to flatten the last 2 inches of. Started out OK but then I realized that I needed a little more leverage. So I grabbed an 18 inch long pipe to help crank her in. It did flatten the piece out enough to put the jaw teeth marks in it but I could still see a little gap and so I cranked a little more and snap (refer to the picture). I can tell it's some kind of cast metal and there's plenty of room for some surface weld to stick out but I'm not sure if this kind of metal can even be welded. Or should I turn it into a boat anchor and look for a new vice. Comments (satirical ones also welcomed) please.

4570Man · Oct 17, 2015

I don't know about an an anvil, but we have both broken a vice.

Shield Arc · Oct 17, 2015

It looks like it is cast iron. Have you determined if it is cast iron, or cast steel? If cast steel, you can preheat, and weld with 7018, and wrap in house insulation for a slow cool down.
If it is cast iron. a lot of options.
Cast Iron Welding - Turlock, CA - LOCK-N-STITCH Inc.
Cast Iron Flux and Filler Metals for Gas or TIG welding
Stick Electrodes - Welding Cast Iron

CCWKen · Oct 17, 2015

That's scrap. You better box it up and send it to me. I'll dispose of it for you.

That looks like cast iron but you could grind on bottom for a spark test and see if it's cast steel. Either "can" be welded. If you've never done it, pass it off to someone else to weld.

Edit: Ops! Looks like I was a minute behind.

zmansmac · Oct 18, 2015

Thanks for the replies so far. These might seem like a dumb question to some of you , but how do I tell if it's cast iron or cast steel? And I should have mentioned that I only have a Mig welder and an AC arc welder.

ruffdog · Oct 18, 2015

Today, we normally have vises made from either ductile iron or gray iron. Good vises you will find are ductile iron and you will pay much more for them. I have worked on repaired vises before and have always been told to be easy on them. Here is a thread that talks about repairing vises.
Everything you need to know about bench vises... - The Garage Journal Board

Arc weld · Oct 18, 2015

Likely cast iron. Another way to tell is see if you can cut it with a cutting torch. I think a good lasting repair will be questionable at best.

Tor Arne · Oct 18, 2015

Take Your angelgrinder and do a spark test to determine type of metal

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My personal preferans on cast iron is silver solder, if cast steel 7018

Egon · Oct 18, 2015

Any chance you could fabricate a new piece from steel using the broken end clamp piece being held in with steel??

Jorville · Oct 18, 2015

I would bet it is cast iron but too know for sure you would need to do a spark test. I have a color chart like the one posted here but I don't know where mine is. I have welded a lot of cast with nickel rod (ni-rod) and have had good results, the best results ??????????? I feel the best way to weld cast is with oxygen/acetylene and cast iron rod. The cost is prohibitive though unless you do a lot of it. cast rod is $8.00 a pound and comes in 50 pound boxes and I have not found a welding supply that will break a box. In one of shield arcs links you can buy one pound for $29.00, sounds a little like robbery to me. What ever method you choose you will need pre heat and a slow cool down. Many years ago I once put a cast piece in my kitchen stove for a slow cool down.