# How I fixed a broken South Bend Heavy 10 thread dial.



## Thoro (Feb 1, 2015)

I thought someone might find this useful or interesting as I've seen several broken threading dials floating around for sale, and if someone can pick one up on the cheap for that reason, it can be a doable and successful fix!

So, I had this extra thread dial laying around.  Problem, it was broken.  one corer of the mounting portion of the casting was broken off and I did not have the broken piece.

My plan was to square up the broken area, find a suitable piece of steel or cast iron, cut that to roughly oversize of the square pocket I made in the broken casting and attempt to braze the repair piece on.

That's what I did.  Unfortunately I never took before pictures.  But, here is the finished product.  I used flux coated bronze rod to braze it.  Hack saw, grinder and files to cut the pocket and shape the brazed piece of steel after I finished brazing.  Then drilled the bolt hole for mounting to the apron.  It's a perfect fit and I think once it is painted, no one will be able to tell that it was repaired.  Also, the material I used was 3/8" hot rolled steel that I cut off a piece of structural angle iron I had laying around from another project.


The reason the front is brass colored is because the 3/8" material I used was not quite thick enough to be flush and allow me to make the foot on the back side, so I filled it with bronze filler and filed it down.


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## rafe (Feb 1, 2015)

that looks like a great repair , nice


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## Rick Leslie (Feb 1, 2015)

I just completed a similar repair to my SB 10L thread dial. Same scenario, but I used a piece of mild steel and mig welded the tab back in. I've had good success migging cast steel on my machinery so I went with that. I must say though that yours looks much neater than mine. (My dial is in much worse shape.)

Now if I can just remember to loctite the drive gear set screw. It fell off yesterday, luckily while not threading.


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## Ski (Feb 1, 2015)

Very nice job ! I have recently run across some TIG wire from a site called Dans Easy Weld that I am going to try out on cast iron in the future. That said ,brazing is a good skill to have.


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 1, 2015)

Nice work on the repair!


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## Thoro (Feb 1, 2015)

Thanks guys.  Brazing is definitely interesting.  Being that I have not done much, I have just taught myself recently as projects pop up.  Beleive me when i say that it was NOT pretty before I filed and shaped it all down to where I wanted it.  But it seemed to work out anyway!



Rick Leslie said:


> Now if I can just remember to loctite the drive gear set screw. It fell off yesterday, luckily while not threading.


That would be enough to ruin your day!



Ski said:


> Very nice job ! I have recently run across some TIG wire from a site called Dans Easy Weld that I am going to try out on cast iron in the future. That said ,brazing is a good skill to have.



I wonder if that can be used with oxy-acetylene....?


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## Rick Leslie (Feb 1, 2015)

Brazing, or any torch welding is a good skill to learn When I was taught to weld, we weren't allowed near anything but a torch until we could weld with it. I thought that was crazy, but it taught me 'puddle control', which is the basis for any type of welding. Once you learn to use a torch properly, the other machines are luxuries. 

Again, nice job .


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