[TheForge] Re: Repairing pot metal: Is *anything* reliable?

[Mike]

Cameron Stoker wrote:

> Many people consider West System epoxy to be about the best. 

Why didn't I think of that?  There's a boat shop right down the road
that makes West System wooden boats and I know the boss.  I'll go ask
him what he thinks about using it on metal.  The URL you gave says,
"It is designed specifically to wet out and bond with wood fiber,
fiberglass, reinforcing fabrics and a variety of metals."  Sounds
good.

I've used it on a couple of bits of my house that were original
woodwork but so badly battered and splintered that I couldn't do
anything with screws, dowels, ordinary glue or other common
techniques.  Also worked great to refurbish the tacking strip on an
antique walnut chair that had been re-upholstered so many times that
there was no longer any place to drive an upholstery tack.

> You do have to be careful with this type of epoxy - keep it in a
> flat pan while applying and only mix small batches. The reaction
> generates a lot of heat and will catch on fire if it doesn't have
> enough surface area to cool the mixture.

Polyester fiberglass resins too.  They burned down part of the
fiberglass plant here by ignoring the buildup of drips under a lathe
for laying up big bore pipe.

Thanks all for your help and patience with this off-topic thread.  

In Yet Another Desperate Attempt to Remain On Topic....

Back in August 24, 2003, rw wrote: 

> Mike, is the "hammer driver" position filled?  I believe I could
> handle it with the appropriate tunes and a malt beverage allowance.

Sorry.  The position has been eliminated with latest in very shaky
technology.  The malt beverage budget has been retained should you
drop in for a social call. :-)

The A&O air hammer now has a treadle so that it no longer requires a
hammer driver.  The old Chevy has an external, friction-held throttle
so it no longer requires a power plant driver.

The car is tethered to the hammer with a 1-1/2" bolt and some tire
tread, the steering is locked with a 1/2" adjustable bolt, the leaky
radiator replaced with an oversized one and the same woman who sold me
the old car is now junking another and will give me a good battery
next week.

I might actually hit a piece of hot iron with this thing before the
month is out.  Only 6 months behind schedule.  Not bad.

- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer@tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^

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