Pot Metal Repair

rockfla

rockfla

Well-known member
Has anyone here on the Barn have any recommendations of a company or individual that repairs "Pot Metal". In particular I have a window winder handle that is broken, its chromed, so it needs to be stripped of the chrome and repaired. Thanks in advanced for any suggestions!!
 
I don't know where your handle is broken but I don't think I would get a part like that repaired unless it was super rare. I'm guessing any repair would be weaker than the original part and it would likely break again. What's it for?
 
1932 Coach built German Ford!! Trying to decide A) If anyone can repair it B) IF so C) How much? Then I can decide whether to have my machinist make me two out of brass or fix this one!!!!
 
How about posting a good close-up picture of it? Someone might recognize it as being identical to an earlier or later Ford window crank.
 
Would seem that casting it would be cheaper than machining one. You could glue the original one and then use it to make a sand mold.
 
You might try to use "Muggy-Weld" rod and fix it yourself. I repaired a pot metal headlight bezel on my '68 Corvette years ago and it's still looking good. I would advise practicing on some scrap before you do it unless you're really experienced, though.
 
A good plating shop that does zinc die cast work can do some repairs. Muggy Weld solder and flux seems to do a good job on some zinc repairs. A window crank can have a lot of pressure on it if the regulator and tracks need to be cleaned & lubed for best possible function. It's always a crap shoot on an item like that. If it has a plastic knob then that would likely have to be removed to do a solder repair in order to prevent damage. Casting one in brass & having it plated might be one way to go but it gets expensive if a person doesn't have the where with all to do it themselves.
 
If you go to the trouble of casting the handle, cast it out of a stainless steel alloy that will polish up like chrome. I did this for the winder handles on my 40 Woodie front doors as well as the escutchen on the header for the radio knob. That way you can skip the chroming step and it will certainly be strong enough. These were cast in a lost wax method, not sand.
 
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You are just spinning your wheels. A good plating shop can acid copper plate the pieces and then silver solder them together for a fantastic repair before the chrome. Acid copper is perminant and can only be removed by grinding and not by a chemical or electrical process. Do your homework and check this out.
 
I have thought about and researched the "Muggy Weld" system and like it and could also build up the handle diameter where it broke a little thicker even, my problem here IS I have no one locally that can strip the chrome off for me in order to have a "clean" base to work with. @Clem Clement-As you see by my picture we did go your route at first BUT as you see to NO Avail. My machinist is doing the job for me at a "Friends" rate and not his $100 per hour charge BUT If I can save a $100 or even as much as $200 on fixing what I have obviously I would prefer to do that.....otherwise I'll have them done in 51-50 Navel Brass.
 

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I think silver soldering takes a bit more heat than the zinc alloy can take. You get that stuff too hot and the whole thing will melt into a puddle before your very eyes. I have some extra easy silver alloy that melts at 1175* F. The high melt point zinc alloys are ones that have a high percentage of aluminum and it melts around 846* F so I don't think silver alloy will work. Muggyweld Super Alloy #1 has a melt point of 350* F so that give a large margin of error on alloys that melt as low as 725*F. The next one up is Super Alloy #5 for aluminum soldering and its melt point is 600* F so there is very little room for error there on any zinc alloy.

It's kind of hard to look at an alloy and tell what it is. Zinc alloy varies a lot depending on aluminum content as well as other trace metals. Muggyweld seems to be the preferred alloy for folks that repair that type of stuff. Just the reverse plating process can remove a lot of base metal. After cleaning the rest off and polishing, even more base metal is removed. Repairing die cast zinc automobile trim parts is not an easy process. There have been some recommendations for folks that do this on here before but it's been a while. It generally has to do with the restoration of plated parts and folks that do that stuff don't work cheap.
 
This subject has been kicked down this road many times on this and other sites. Bottom line is that it's almost impossible to repair something like a pot metal window crank. Yes, I know that several "experts" will chime in and tell you that they "too it all the time", but any part that will need to be stressed (window crank) will fail. Don't waste your money on repairs. I would take post #8 & #10s advise and cast a few and sell what you don't need.
 
Rock, Hold everything!

I did a search of 1932 German vehicles. Check upper right side. Looks close.


uboat interior.jpg
 
Looks like it was pinned together before. With the design of the handle you may just be able to pin it back together and solder it. Probably just a mater of time before somebody grabs it and snaps it off again. Check the cost of chroming. If its pretty high you may as well start with a new casting. Cool looking handle.
 
try JB weld, NOT JB quick weld, but the Original strong JB weld.
Glue Clamp together somehow clean off excess and in a day or 2 it should hold.
5 dollar repair
 
if it really is pot metal it can be tig welded I have special rod and have done many mustang pot metal parts for my buddys. then a chrome shop can rechrome..last time i bought the rod it was $60 / lb.
 
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