I have several on my shelf that were repaired that way, long before they were mine. I've also heard at tool collector meetings that the success rate of this repair is fairly low, but you're not really risking anything trying the repair, it's already broken.
I have no experience doing that, and my advice is completely worthless. I have seen several planes repaired that way though. I've never tried them. My concern has always been with potential warping of the plane body. People definitely braze broken plane bodies though. Is it a good idea? I don't know. On the other hand, what do you have to lose? If you do do it, please post pics and your experience with the repaired plane.
I have tried phosphorus bronze on several cast iron repairs with mixed results. Grey iron is a challenge to mend well in my experience. White cast seems a bit easier, but controlling for warp is the hardest part of the repair and almost impossible in some areas with comparatively little mass and cross section thickness.
Utter failure on one plane. Adequate on the other, but it isn't the same as prior to the repair. These repairs were in or near the throat.
All wooden bits have to be removed and reinstalled for heat treatment. Paint can come out worse for wear too.
The plane is currently stripped down to just the bare metal sole so that's no big deal. I wanted to try TIG brazing, seems that less heat would probably be better for preventing warping?
Yes and no. For puddle control TIG is vastly superior to oxy/fuel, but cast welds the best preheated, at least for me...
Anywhere from 350 to 500°F depending on the material thickness and type of cast. Stress cracks are a byproduct of too-cold welds. Preheat mitigates the initial cracks. Slow cooldown and light percussion after the weld helps too. An industrial oven is great for that. Sure wish I had one...
Thank you for all the info!
For the preheat, if I just chuck it in my oven @ 500°F for 30 minutes, would that suffice for TIG brazing, or should I just use a torch anyway?
Light percussion meaning just tap-tap with a hammer as it cools?
Yes 500 is 500 no matter how you get there. I setup everything and plunk the piece down and go to town. A little tap tap and back in the oven for cool down.
I have a low angle block plane that I was using on patio that dropped and cracked in slot for sliding shoe. Brazed it, did some minor die grinding, filing, flattened sole, works great. One caveat, I am good at brazing, and hand machining. So..... If you know what you are doing it may,,, may,,, be repairable.
I have several on my shelf that were repaired that way, long before they were mine. I've also heard at tool collector meetings that the success rate of this repair is fairly low, but you're not really risking anything trying the repair, it's already broken.
I have no experience doing that, and my advice is completely worthless. I have seen several planes repaired that way though. I've never tried them. My concern has always been with potential warping of the plane body. People definitely braze broken plane bodies though. Is it a good idea? I don't know. On the other hand, what do you have to lose? If you do do it, please post pics and your experience with the repaired plane.
I have tried phosphorus bronze on several cast iron repairs with mixed results. Grey iron is a challenge to mend well in my experience. White cast seems a bit easier, but controlling for warp is the hardest part of the repair and almost impossible in some areas with comparatively little mass and cross section thickness. Utter failure on one plane. Adequate on the other, but it isn't the same as prior to the repair. These repairs were in or near the throat. All wooden bits have to be removed and reinstalled for heat treatment. Paint can come out worse for wear too.
The plane is currently stripped down to just the bare metal sole so that's no big deal. I wanted to try TIG brazing, seems that less heat would probably be better for preventing warping?
Yes and no. For puddle control TIG is vastly superior to oxy/fuel, but cast welds the best preheated, at least for me... Anywhere from 350 to 500°F depending on the material thickness and type of cast. Stress cracks are a byproduct of too-cold welds. Preheat mitigates the initial cracks. Slow cooldown and light percussion after the weld helps too. An industrial oven is great for that. Sure wish I had one...
Thank you for all the info! For the preheat, if I just chuck it in my oven @ 500°F for 30 minutes, would that suffice for TIG brazing, or should I just use a torch anyway? Light percussion meaning just tap-tap with a hammer as it cools?
Yes 500 is 500 no matter how you get there. I setup everything and plunk the piece down and go to town. A little tap tap and back in the oven for cool down.
🙏🙏🙏
Ditto, have to pre heat cast iron and hold it there while you weld and even then it's iffy.
Most of the spare planes at my college are repaired this way and they all hold up to the "gentle" hands of the students
I have a low angle block plane that I was using on patio that dropped and cracked in slot for sliding shoe. Brazed it, did some minor die grinding, filing, flattened sole, works great. One caveat, I am good at brazing, and hand machining. So..... If you know what you are doing it may,,, may,,, be repairable.
Yeah, I did it with a scrub plane. Idk how well itd work with something more precise but if you have the tools it's worth a shot.