MTFCA Forum

I accidentally dropped my KR Wison transmission jig and broke it. Looking for someone to expertly repair it. Any suggestions?

OH CRAP Richard !

Thanks Steve, it ruined my day!

Perhaps the stitch-n-loc on the larger pieces & weld the smaller pieces but I think the integrity of the mandrel might be compromised. I don't recall if they are cast iron or cast steel - used to be a method to verify by the color of the spark it throws off when hit with a grinder wheel.

#&@%X!!! More like shattered! I wish I knew how to help or what to say. Good luck.

I would agree that lock n stitch is the way to go. They are in Turlock a couple of hours from you. Welding is too iffy regarding distortion and finding an experienced cast iron welder who understands the heat process would be difficult.

http://www.locknstitch.com/cast-iron-welding.html

Can you put it back together tight, glued with epoxy and the pieces clamped in place, then v out the cracks on the inside as deep as possible without compromising the repair then take it to a machine shop that has experienced welders to fill the V’d out cracks, then machine the weld smooth. Once the inside is done you can do the same procedure to the outside of the part. Machine shop workers like a good challenge. Jim Patrick

Please indulge me, what does this fixture/tool do? In 50 years I have never seen one.
Thank you

From the 1926 KRW catalog.

Respectfully Submitted,

Trent Boggess

These are cast iron- cast steel would not break like that. Any welding is going to distort the fixture and destroy the precision needed for it to function properly without remachining the casting, and that simply may not be possible.

Trent
Thank you. Now I understand

Since the broken part is the clamping part of the fixture could a band be rolled out of steel with the lugs fabricated & welded on. Remove the
leftover band. Weld the fabricated band on except for where the clamping part is then index the fixture & turn the band. That would be a lot
of work but these tools are made out of unobtainium. Just a crazy thought.
Erik Barrnett do you think your metal spry system will fix this?
Craig.

It’s grey iron. Even if it could be welded it would be more fragile than it already is. It needs to flex a little and with worn undersize drums it needs to flex a lot. I’m afraid any repair is unlikely to hold up. If a professional could fix it, I would bet the repair would be more expensive than buying a different one at the going rate.

Epoxied back together, it would make a pattern for a new one to be cast in steel. You might even find a market for a couple of extra castings to help with the costs. I broke an early Stevens drive shaft puller once. I know how it makes one feel.

Allan from down under.

Unfortunately it would Not make a good casting pattern as there would be no “casting shrinkage” or machining allowance.

Richard, we have a couple iron foundries within a short drive of us… unfortunately, we have run out of pattern makers and also foundries willing to deal with a loose pattern

It would be quicker and less stressful to machine the face of the fixture completely off, then make a new “drum” to replace it, attached with screws or even crack pins. The damage to your original is unfortunate, but with some careful machine work could be brought back to life

Here is a 10” x 1-3/4” iron disc that could be easily waterjet into a rough shape to make machining easier

https://www.mcmaster.com/product/8926K15

Returning this to functionality would be prohibitively expensive. I’d braze it up, cleanup the repair, paint it and call it a display. There are other ways to fit the bushings. Like Dan pointed out it would be really difficult to repair it to the accuracy it needs.


Andy

Why not epoxy it back together give it some extra coats and use it for a pattern to machine some new ones? I have a local foundry that enjoys making things for me from all the old broken T iron I give them.

I have been welding for over 45 years. I also was one of two certified braze welders at Arkansas Nuclear One, and also certified to weld cast iron with various techniques and procedures.Nobody else wanted to even try. After we retired, as far as I know there are none left. In my well seasoned opinion this is un-weldable to make a useable tool to do what it is designed for. I used to have this tool and fully understand what it is supposed to do. It can be put back together to use as a display or it can be used as a pattern to cast out of steel instead of cast iron. It would be a easy matter to add build up for shrinkage in the points needed. I have welded many questionable things thru the years, and I have very seldom ever turned down a challenge but this one I would not attempt to make useable again. This is all just my opinion to be taken for whatever it maybe worth. Sorry I can not give a better prognosis.
On a side note. When I used my reaming fixture I would measure the worn drums OD. I then would figure the wear and add a strip of brass shim stock around the outside of the drum to bring it back to real close to a new drum OD. By doing so it takes all the strain off the fixture when trying to "over clamp" to a worn drum. The strip keeps the drum centered in the fixture and worked real good.