Is this fatal?

[Paul Steiner]

I am fixing a jointer at the school I teach at. I was checking the motor today and found this crack. I am thinking this is fatal, the piece on the top side of the crack looks too thin to weld. Getting things straight may be impossible. What do you think? Anyone made a repair like this?

[John Coloccia]

No such thing as too thin to weld. Worst case is you have to splice it with a reinforcement. It might be too thin to stick weld, but an Oxy/Acytelene or TIG guy can weld some pretty thin steel.

How straight does it need to be? I'm thinking that it just needs to be close, and then you'll adjust the beds. When they're initially bending those frames at the factory, believe me they're not hitting any milestones of precision :)

The real question is cost. It may take a guy a day to fix that thing. It just may not be cost effective depending what model we're looking at.

edit: noticed it's cast. A local guy might be able to fix cheaply. There's a machinery repair/refurbish/sales place near every city practically. I'd call them. They're pros at knowing what's worth it, what's not, and can probably fix it or recommend a guy.

[Paul Steiner]

If it can be fixed I am now getting into cost of repair v. replacement. The school will pay for parts and may pay to have the weld done. The thing is the disassembly, hauling, reassembly, and tuning has to be done by me. If you read my other thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=121575) I have a shop full of nice equipment all of it needing a repair.

[Jason White]

Is that a Powermatic? If so, they might have a replacement casting that would fit.

Call their parts department at 800-274-6846 and talk to Russell.

Jason


I am fixing a jointer at the school I teach at. I was checking the motor today and found this crack. I am thinking this is fatal, the piece on the top side of the crack looks too thin to weld. Getting things straight may be impossible. What do you think? Anyone made a repair like this?

[Scott Perkins47]

Depending on how it works mechanically etc. if there
are no interference problems you can build splints and
braces.
In other words, drill some holes and bolt some heavy metal
straps or plates along the sides and over/ across the crack
to support and reinforce. It might not look pretty but if it
works you have nothing to lose. If there is a crack there
now, it should have been reinforced there from the
beginning.

IF the whole machine is going to otherwise be tossed,
grab it for yourself out of the trash and reinforce it
for personal use only

[Thomas S Stockton]

I don't know if it can be repaired but it looks like you have a second crack on the other part of the way the section that has the table.
Tom

[Paul Steiner]

I called powermatic, they said that welds or replacement parts will never make the jointer the same...

[Paul Steiner]

Yeah I was looking at the pic and noticed that also.

[lowell holmes]

Isn't it normal to braze cast iron?

[harry strasil]

Just clamp it back into place, drill and tap some 1/4 inch holes along the crack about 2 inches apart, screw in some short 1/4 set screws with locktite applied, then make a narrow strap for the very end, bore and tap the Cast iron body and screw in some short 1/4 inch grade 8 bolts with a lock washer and paint over it. the strap kepts it from expanding and the set screws keep the crack aligned. And drill a small hole just beyond the end of the crack to keep the crack from progressing.

I spent 55+ years as a blacksmith, weldor, machinist specializing in repair work on just about everything.

[harry strasil]

There is also a process known as Cold Welding developed by an old Blacksmith used to repair engine blocks that had either frozen and/or part of the block was busted out by a Rod, but it uses some very caustic acids, etc.

[Lee Schierer]

Cast iron can be welded, but to do it right the casting should be heated. There are two cracked parts so you really need to weld both pieces. Once they are welded, some machining will be needed to get clearances and alignment just right. You might be money and time ahead looking for a new or used jointer of the same size in the used equipment listings.

[Sam Layton]

From the photo it looks like the upper and lower sections are cracked. It also looks like it is the infeed side. If welding is out, and as a last resort, I think Scott is on the right track. Set the infeed table where you are happy. Place a strap/plate across both the upper and lower sections and bolt in place. You will not be able to raises and lower the infeed table, but the jointer will work.

Sam

[Pete Bradley]

Dovetail cracks are not uncommon on school machines where a student overtightens the gib screws. This is a bad break though, maybe the jointer was knocked over? Forget about welding it, this is a precision machined piece of cast iron that defines whether the table is aligned or not. I'd try Harry's band aid approach. If this is the outfeed side and you can align it up, it could last a while. Otherwise it's a parts machine.

Pete

[Steve Clardy]

I'd just do the band aid approach that Harry suggested

[Alan Schaffter]

Based on the photos- both the upper and lower dovetail ways on at least one side of the infeed table of that jointer are seriously cracked. For that to happen it must have experience a significant blow, been knocked over, something heavy was dropped on it, it was dropped or run into by a fork lift, etc. I would think it would be difficult to fix properly and then difficult to align unless welded then all four mating surfaces reground. By the looks of the damage, I suspect close inspection will reveal other damage as well.

Frankly, it is not worth the time or money to repair. RIP

[Keith Outten]

Paul,

I would have someone braze weld the crack and drill a hole at the end as a stop. Find someone who really knows how to gas weld, don't settle for an inexperienced welder. I expect that you can find someone willing to do the job for free since it is for a school. We have some guys here in our area that work for Newport News Shipbuilding that are incredible tradesmen, my Dad was one of them. My Dad repaired jobs for me that were in much worse shape, he was a Master at it though.

If the repair fails you haven't lost anything, the odds are it will hold for many years.
.