Restoring the Queen City 12 in grinder

do you have a brazing rig???
i have put together many cast iron Humpty Dumpty's with LFB brazing rod (low fuming bronze) over the years,
maybe you can too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 18w
Thankfully this happened before the guard needed to do its job. I have two suggestions depending on funds available. First look into Cattail Foundry. Amish owned foundry known for one off castings using your old part and reasonably priced. Lots of info on them at vintage machinery.org. I have replicated parts like your guard and yours is a good candidate because its shape and features are easily fabricated in mild steel. I would turn the clamping portion, weld on a piece of round stock where the clamp bolts go, drill for clamp bolts and then slit the whole assembly. Burn out the sides, top and weld everything together. Make up some round and square pieces and weld them on to replicate the various features on the casting. Grind and blend your welds and then if you have access to a needle scaler, peen the dickens out of the whole affair. This gives the fabricated piece the texture of a casting. Done, jobs a good un, and you can start looking for another project to restore.:p Mike typed faster than me...brazing is a good option also.

Regards
Darrell
 
do you have a brazing rig???
i have put together many cast iron Humpty Dumpty's with LFB brazing rod (low fuming bronze) over the years,
maybe you can too.
Brazing on it for an hour is what got me to this point. lol. I think the problem is it has been welded and brazed many times in the past and it's stressed quite a bit. It's got me frustrated to say the least. I'm going to step away from it for a bit and give it some thought.
 
Thankfully this happened before the guard needed to do its job. I have two suggestions depending on funds available. First look into Cattail Foundry. Amish owned foundry known for one off castings using your old part and reasonably priced. Lots of info on them at vintage machinery.org. I have replicated parts like your guard and yours is a good candidate because its shape and features are easily fabricated in mild steel. I would turn the clamping portion, weld on a piece of round stock where the clamp bolts go, drill for clamp bolts and then slit the whole assembly. Burn out the sides, top and weld everything together. Make up some round and square pieces and weld them on to replicate the various features on the casting. Grind and blend your welds and then if you have access to a needle scaler, peen the dickens out of the whole affair. This gives the fabricated piece the texture of a casting. Done, jobs a good un, and you can start looking for another project to restore.:p Mike typed faster than me...brazing is a good option also.

Regards
Darrell

I've thought about Cattail. They are here in PA, somewhere. May need to take a road trip to see them. I need an outer cover for the other guard as well. I hesitate to make one from mild steel While I don't do concourse restorations, I like originality. Would like to have original parts.As for looking for something else to restore after this is finished. I don't have to look far. 5 feet or less to be exact,lol. My shop and another building have many possibilities to keep me busy long after I'm dead and forget to lay down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 18w
Put some single phase power to it for a few seconds and it runs! I then wired in the switch and a power lead and put the switch back in the base for what I hope is the last time. My rpc panel from American Rotary, arrives today. Hopefully I'll have it powered up by the weekend. Stripped the paint off the cracked guard to see how bad it is. Going to try another brazing repair when the weather warms up. I think I need a better preheat and a longer, more controlled, cool down. IMG_20150217_094929.jpg IMG_20150217_094953.jpgIMG_20150217_095044.jpg
 
She lives!!!! Temporarily hooked up my newly aquired rpc and powered up the grinder. Smooth as silk. Can't wait to grind something. Sorry no video, but do have a couple pics. Be assured the hookup was very temporary and was removed right after the run. Will wire it properly before it runs again.IMG_20150221_114231.jpg IMG_20150221_114307.jpg
 
For brazing complex shapes that are hard to control the pre/post heat on, I use my old gas grill. Can get it to 500°F easily as long as it fits with the lid down.

Nice job on the grinder.
 
Back
Top