junk cast iron

[Richard Hed]

I can bid on a mill stand, refer to photo please, whichis basically useless, however, I am am wondering if I could cut chunks off this and use it for cast iron engine parts, particularly if it would be possible to machine cylinders or any other parts from this? There are also some parts that can be used on this, the table, the jack, the two screws. At the present bid (1$) it could be worth getting and taking to the scrap yard and simply selling it immediately. I would rather cut off chunks for engine parts tho'. If one were to buy this, how would one cut it up? Acetyline torch would not cut it would it? (I don't have one anyway). I have a plasma cutter, that should cut it at least in half an inch, maybe more. How about a cutter/grinder? would that be economical? time consuming? I have never cut cast with a grinder/cutter.

 

[ACHiPo]

Depends on the price of scrap I suppose. At ~$0.02/lb for scrap it'll be hard to pay for transportation to the scrap yard ($80 assuming it weighs 4k lbs), if scrappers pay $0.08/lb it gets a little more interesting. Certainly no issue in going after it with an angle grinder and sawzall, but it sure is not something I'd want to do.

 

[Richard Hed]

Depends on the price of scrap I suppose. At ~$0.02/lb for scrap it'll be hard to pay for transportation to the scrap yard ($80 assuming it weighs 4k lbs), if scrappers pay $0.08/lb it gets a little more interesting. Certainly no issue in going after it with an angle grinder and sawzall, but it sure is not something I'd want to do.

Definitely on that cutter grinder bit. What about the plasma, would that be a goo idea? I doesn't know how thick the material is but I mights be able to cut manageable sections (that is, pieces I can lift without damaging myself). Also, the transportation will be covered becaquse I will be hauling another item, maybe two. -- all this is "maybe" anyway. Yes, my son lookt up the price of steel and cast iron. The iron was higher price than steel--figure that.

 

[ACHiPo]

Plasma cutter is not in my arsenal. It should work, though, as could an OA rosebud.

 

[Richard Hed]

Plasma cutter is not in my arsenal. It should work, though, as could an OA rosebud.

Are you sure Oxy will cut cast? I din't thimk it would. Don't have oxy anyway. But do have plasma.

 

[ACHiPo]

Richard,
I’m not sure—never done it. Just figured it would.
Here’s a thread on another forum. Sounds like CI is a mess to cut with a torch.
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...oxy-acetylene-torch-cutting-cast-iron-195329/Evan

 

[goldstar31]

Perhaps both of you are guessing and cannot associate cast iron and steel as being pretty well being the same Fe but with small additions of either impurities or alloying metals and chemicals
usually in a scrap yard it is now oxy/propane because you need acetone to absorb and then release the acetylene- and bottles lying about tend to be rather nasty. With care, however, all will be well.
One can do a lott with acetylene that will prove more difficult with perhaps propane.
However 'cast iron' is absolutely fine to be dropped in a molten state from a cupola but the odds that carving away into 3/4" of the stuff is a worthwhile end product although it is 'hot short' and can be cracked apart in a red hot state.
Unashamedly, I'm not an expert but you would be overjoyed to get Meehanite which is very refined cast iron . Years ago, I bougt a rusted and quite useless worn out marking table and I am still using bits cut off with a 6 x 4" crapy saw. However, be as Not good for welding but delightful for brazing especially with silver soldersured that a tool and cutter grinder will be not only useless but prohibitively expensive as a cutter grinder. They are designed to remove a whacking large cut of a 'quarter of a Thous'!
Apart from the table which may be fine, the cast iron will be riddled with fee carbon and maybe you will find sand too. The table is better but you may find it riddled with oil and perhaps coolant holes.
Again, cast iron is not the best thing to weld whereas mild steel is usually ideal.
Recently, I bought some excellent, easy to machine EN1A steel. The other amusing purchase was 39 kilos of mild steel offccuts which can be machined, welded or fabricated by amateurs like me.
So avoid cast iron,please

Norman

 

[Richard Hed]

Perhaps both of you are guessing and cannot associate cast iron and steel as being pretty well being the same Fe but with small additions of either impurities or alloying metals and chemicals
usually in a scrap yard it is now oxy/propane because you need acetone to absorb and then release the acetylene- and bottles lying about tend to be rather nasty. With care, however, all will be well.
One can do a lott with acetylene that will prove more difficult with perhaps propane.
However 'cast iron' is absolutely fine to be dropped in a molten state from a cupola but the odds that carving away into 3/4" of the stuff is a worthwhile end product although it is 'hot short' and can be cracked apart in a red hot state.
Unashamedly, I'm not an expert but you would be overjoyed to get Meehanite which is very refined cast iron . Years ago, I bougt a rusted and quite useless worn out marking table and I am still using bits cut off with a 6 x 4" crapy saw. However, be as Not good for welding but delightful for brazing especially with silver soldersured that a tool and cutter grinder will be not only useless but prohibitively expensive as a cutter grinder. They are designed to remove a whacking large cut of a 'quarter of a Thous'!
Apart from the table which may be fine, the cast iron will be riddled with fee carbon and maybe you will find sand too. The table is better but you may find it riddled with oil and perhaps coolant holes.
Again, cast iron is not the best thing to weld whereas mild steel is usually ideal.
Recently, I bought some excellent, easy to machine EN1A steel. The other amusing purchase was 39 kilos of mild steel offccuts which can be machined, welded or fabricated by amateurs like me.
So avoid cast iron,please

Norman

I don't intend to weld it--I was wondering if I could use the thikker peices for cylinders on models. Prob is that I don't know how thick this stuff is. I would need stuff at least an inch thick and hopefully thicker than that. I might actually be able to break it apart with a sledge.

 

[SmithDoor]

I can bid on a mill stand, refer to photo please, whichis basically useless, however, I am am wondering if I could cut chunks off this and use it for cast iron engine parts, particularly if it would be possible to machine cylinders or any other parts from this? There are also some parts that can be used on this, the table, the jack, the two screws. At the present bid (1$) it could be worth getting and taking to the scrap yard and simply selling it immediately. I would rather cut off chunks for engine parts tho'. If one were to buy this, how would one cut it up? Acetyline torch would not cut it would it? (I don't have one anyway). I have a plasma cutter, that should cut it at least in half an inch, maybe more. How about a cutter/grinder? would that be economical? time consuming? I have never cut cast with a grinder/cutter.

Needs a head and cleaning
It can be like new but rusty

Dave

 

[Richard Hed]

Needs a head and cleaning
It can be like new but rusty

Dave

Got an extra hed?

 

[SmithDoor]

It was sold 20 years ago.
Use Machinery dealers have just setting around. Some shops will have heads.
I have purchased 2 over years for a plane mills

Dave

 

[Apprentice707]

I am a great believer in recycling, but I think I would draw the line at this one unless you intend to get a head for it then you would have a very useful tool at a reasonable cost.

For some of my small engines I recycle cast iron window weights which are about 1.25" in diameter, if you do the same watch out for inclusions and be prepared to reject at least half the material. Having said that it is still a useful source of material.

Merry Xmas and a Prosperous New Year to everyone.

B

 

[Richard Hed]

I am a great believer in recycling, but I think I would draw the line at this one unless you intend to get a head for it then you would have a very useful tool at a reasonable cost.

For some of my small engines I recycle cast iron window weights which are about 1.25" in diameter, if you do the same watch out for inclusions and be prepared to reject at least half the material. Having said that it is still a useful source of material.

Merry Xmas and a Prosperous New Year to everyone.

B

I tried to use some window weights but they were so hard I could not cut them.

 

[Charles Lamont]

In spite of it's weight, it would be unlikely to yield solid chunks of sufficient size for anything but the smallest jobs. The saddle, perhaps, but mostly there will be a ruling section of something like, say, 1/2". The designer and pattern maker try to avoid thick bits: one reason being that they cause problems in casting, with different cooling rates causing internal stresses, and even voids.

An angle grinder cuts cast iron like a knife through butter.

My time and my tools are too valuable to waste them on sash weights.

 

[Richard Hed]

In spite of it's weight, it would be unlikely to yield solid chunks of sufficient size for anything but the smallest jobs. The saddle, perhaps, but mostly there will be a ruling section of something like, say, 1/2". The designer and pattern maker try to avoid thick bits: one reason being that they cause problems in casting, with different cooling rates causing internal stresses, and even voids.

An angle grinder cuts cast iron like a knife through butter.

My time and my tools are too valuable to waste them on sash weights.

That's exactly what I would expect. However, I thimk I will go look at that and some other items tomorrow.

 

[Apprentice707]

I tried to use some window weights but they were so hard I could not cut them.

Interesting, I have never had a problem, perhaps if you take the skin off with an angle grinder and then use your bandsaw. I will watch out for the problem in future.

B

 

[Badhippie]

I got a 3h/p head laying around how much they want for the base. And how big is the table
Thanks
Tom

 

[Chiptosser]

Save your money, buy known good quailty cast for your cylinders.

Unless you just want the learning experience in tearing it apart.
You may can get some thick sections out of the ram, the base is cored and ribbed inside, varing thickness.
The table is the better piece of material but full of design features as mentioned previously.

Do you have a large mill to machine the rough chunks down to useable pieces?
Most yards will bust up the base into smaller pieces. You don't have a large enough plasma cutter to make a dent in any of this. Just being realistic.
You would really need to be able to saw the areas to get good usable chunks.

 

[Joe Mantle]

Remember, that thing is hollow, most of it not over 3/4" thick, it probably won't weigh a ton in it's current state. And cast iron cuts like butter with almost anything, sawzall, plasma, cutting torch, even a good circular saw with a ferrous blade (not the abrasive kind) will chew through it pretty good, you could probably bust up most of it with a sledge hammer.
That being said, if you do some cleanup & check the thing out it's possible with a replacement head you could have a very usable mill for a couple grand.

 

[L98fiero]

That being said, if you do some cleanup & check the thing out it's possible with a replacement head you could have a very usable mill for a couple grand.

Just my opinion but if it's sitting out in a yard covered with rust and no head, it's quite likely that the head was the only worthwhile part on it so the rest was 'retired'.