[SEL] Sticking lead to cast iron

[Jack Watson]

Howdy Rick.

I've never tried to stick lead to cast iron, but I have done plenty of
re-metalling (babbit) bearings in cast-iron. Would this be much different?

I would clean the casting, heat it up plenty, and "tin" it with ordinary 
solder. (Thin coating of solder)

Tin it using zinc chloride for flux ("Bakers Soldering Fluid" over 
here), otherwise make your own "killed spirits" - Hydrochloric acid 
(HcL) into which sufficient pieces of zinc have been added until it 
stops fizzing.

Once tinned with solder, I'd expect the lead to "stick".

BTW, if it only "sticks", you've failed.  It has to bond intermolacularly.

Hope this helps.

JW²
===

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard Strobel" <Richard_Strobel7 at msn.com>
> To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:26 AM
> Subject: [SEL] Sticking lead to cast iron
> 
> 
>>  Howdy all;
>>    Is there something special about getting lead to stick to cast 
>> iron....like a flux of some sort?
>>
>>   I've removed the counterweights off a fairly large crank and the 
>> mounting hardware was "leaded in."
>>
>>  Thanks much!!
>>
>>  RickinMt.
>>
>>  PS: The counterweights had to be removed in order to fit in the Crank 
>> Doc's machine where the rod throw will be cleaned up.