How to Weld Cast Iron Pans
There are many disadvantages to welding cast iron pans, but it can be done. Cast-iron pans are frequently hand-me-downs, complete with emotional attachments and family history. Welding can sometimes be the only way to extend the life of an otherwise permanently damaged keepsake pan. Exercise additional caution when using a cast iron pan that has been welded.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Fully equipped weld shop
- Torch with rosebud tip
- Large metal container of vermiculite
- Right angle grinder
- Cutting wheel, wire wheel
- Welder, wire or stick rated for cast iron
- Welding helmet, gloves and full leathers
- 80-grit mop disk
- Vegetable oil, paper towels
Instructions
-
-
1
Heat the pan in a forge or with a torch with a rosebud tip until it turns gray. Allow the pan to slow cool in vermiculite. This normalizes the iron, making it softer.
-
2
Wire wheel the entire pan using a right angle grinder. Attach a cutting wheel and grind a shallow channel along the length of the crack to create a chamfer for the weld. According to Engineer's Edge.com, a chamfer is "...a welding contour, other than for a square groove weld, on the edge of a joint member."
-
-
3
Preheat pan to 500 degrees F. According to the Guidelines for Welding Cast Iron at Lincoln Electric.com, "Typical preheat temperatures are 500 to 1,200 degrees F. Don't heat over 1,400 degrees F since that will put the material into the critical temperature range. Preheat the part slowly and uniformly."
-
4
Weld the crack in the cast iron pan with a wire or stick rated for cast iron.
-
5
Grind welded area smooth using an 80-grit mop disk on a right angle grinder.
-
6
Reseason the pan using your preferred seasoning technique.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
A cast iron pan will not season properly across the weld, which means that food will stick. The weld will never be a load-bearing or structural weld, therefore, handles cannot be reattached by welding them. The weld is only filler in the cracked area. It will crack and fall out if the pan is thrown into dishwater while hot.
Warn anyone using the pan to heat and cool it slowly. Stress from rapid heating and cooling may cause the weld to fail.
