How Do I Weld a Wrought Iron Railing?

Wrought iron is very weldable.

Wrought iron railings can be welded using several techniques. These include: forge welding, resistance welding, oxyacetelene welding, shielded metal arc welding, thermit welding or submerged arc welding techniques.

Common Practices

Hobbyists and professionals can weld wrought iron railings.

Wrought iron is a soft metal, so the pressure applied to your railing while arc welding should be just enough to create a strong union of the pieces. If using shielded metal arc welders, use a low welding speed. This causes the weld pool to stay in a liquid state for a longer time, allowing gases to escape and the slag particles to rise to the surface of the weld for removal.

Forge Welding

Clean workpieces before you begin.

When forge welding wrought iron, it must be heated to at least 1,350 degrees Centigrade. As with most welding procedures, the workpieces should be cleaned of any dirt, grease, rust, paint and any other debris.

Submerged Arc

To weld wrought iron railings using submerged arc welders, use the same filler weld and flux as for welding low carbon steel (up to 0.15 percent, says "Modern Welding"). Also, during the first run, the welding speed should be kept low to avoid weld porosity.

References

• Welding Technology Machines: Welding Processes for Wrought Iron
• Welding Technology Machines: Weldability of Wrought Iron