need advice on the repair of broken tangs

[ronald mccormack]

I was wondering if anyone has experience repairing broken tangs. I have a couple moulding plane irons that broke right at the blade tang junction. I would like to save them and also I have a can full of tang sized peices and blade sized left over that would be cool if I could use.
Is job weld something that would work here. I'm new to working metal so any advice would be appreciated. Also I do have a forge. I've heard of forge welding, would that be applicable to my situation ?

[David Weaver]

Forge welding works better if you have something to weld to wrought. Carbon steel to carbon steel would be difficult.

I think you're better off making new irons. How did they break, did they get bent and snap before tempering?

Or are these vintage irons?

[george wilson]

The best way to repair the breaks might be to grind bevels on both sides of the break. Get someone to mig weld them while the cutting ends are wrapped in wet cloth. You need to protect the temper. File the weld flush.

I am assuming your blades are mild steel,not old enough to be wrought iron. Wrought iron does not electric weld well. This is a big reason why mild steel took over when electric welding was invented.

Forge welding is very tricky,and only an experienced blacksmith should do it. It will ruin the heat treatment of the blades. You will have to re harden them and temper them. Try the mig welding first. I'd have to examine your blades closely to see in they are wrought iron. Even a mild steel blade can have a bit of higher carbon steel welded into the cutting end.

[ernest dubois]

I hope you have good connections with a skilled and knowledgable blacksmith, then you can get these nicely repaired depending on how good-willing that blacksmith is. I'm waiting the return of three axes, right now in the hands of blacksmiths for a series of repairs, fixes and refurbishments. A forge weld treatment including re-hardening, would be the most desirable and compatible. Another kind of weld might be the most achievable though when you choose to go forward with salvaging these irons.

[Jim Matthews]

Is this an intentional exercise, or due to cost?

http://staging.lie-nielsen.com/tapered-molding-plane-iron-blanks/

[ronald mccormack]

Wow sounds like this would be more trouble then this is worth. They are not vintage blades or anything. One I made myself and the other is a lei Nelson blank. They were broke on my first couple planes, trying to bend out a bend(make sense). This was before I knew much about heat treating and tempering.
I was just hoping to be able to use these irons and the bits I have. Waste not and all that. But sounds like more trouble then its worth.

[Lonnie Gallaher]

RMcC, the correct term would be straighten out a bend;)

No waste, you can still use the blades for scratch stock or something similar.

[maximillian arango]

Since you are considering not fixing this you should give jb weld or something similar a try. I'll admit to using it to save some tools and parts in emergency. I know some people would shy away from this but with nothing to lose it is worth a shot.

[Jim Matthews]

Does JB Weld hold up against shear?

The forces on a blade tang are at
an angle to the cutting edge.

The bottom is trying to go backwards,
while the tang is trying to go "up".

Cheap enough to try, I suppose.

[george wilson]

JB Weld would hold nothing in a case like this.

[Derek Cohen]

I was wondering if anyone has experience repairing broken tangs. I have a couple moulding plane irons that broke right at the blade tang junction. I would like to save them and also I have a can full of tang sized peices and blade sized left over that would be cool if I could use.
Is job weld something that would work here. I'm new to working metal so any advice would be appreciated. Also I do have a forge. I've heard of forge welding, would that be applicable to my situation ?

Ronald, if you cannot weld (or silver solder), you may be able to build a new blade by riveting on a new tang. I did this to extend a short tang ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/Renovating%20an%20infill%20shoulder%20plane_html_7 cd41a51.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/Renovating%20an%20infill%20shoulder%20plane_html_m 1c0ff3bc.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRestorations/Renovating%20an%20infill%20shoulder%20plane_html_m 339cc339.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek