repairing a crack in an old cast iron pot

[Grizzled Roberts]

I found an old pre revolutionary war cast iron pot at a antique shop last month. It looked real good and I had visions of cooking in this pot at my events. When I got home I cleaned out the pot and when I tried to boil some water in the pot I noticed a hairline crack with water dripping out.

I would like advice from people who have repaired an old pot in this condition. As I will be cooking food in this old pot I am not interested in repairs made with epoxy like products. First hand accounts please Gentlemen.

 

[Mort Scott]

someone with good welding skills could weld it , Not with stainless arc rod but with good old cast iron metal. weld, ground and refinish to look good as new.Call around to some welding shops, tell them you have a challenge, I bet they will take up on it.

 

[Flint311]

Mort has some good advise. It can be hard to weld, once it starts to cool, it can split further or somewhere else.

Once welder I heard of through my bro-in-law, saves scrap cast and fills in a crack like this. He fixed a JD block on his old tractor using this method. Good luck!

 

[Woods Dweller]

I know little on welding, Being that your pot is an antique I might suggest you go to an manufacturer of cast Iron pots and ask them this question.

Lodge Manufacturing Co http://www.lodgemfg.com/contact.asp

cast iron http://www.answers.com/topic/cast-iron

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I always thought that the traditonal repair was brazing of cast or wrought iron cooking items before the second half of the 20th century.

LD

 

[Pigman]

Wouldnt the repair method depend on if the pan was cast iron or cast steel? Most of what people call cast iron is realy cast steel. A pan that old may just be cast iron and notoriously hard to repair.

Foster From Flint

 

[JMinnerath]

In my work career I repaired a lot of cast iron.
heavy equipment parts to no few cooking utensils.
First thing you ought to think about is the value, if it's as old as you say a repair may ruin the antique value.
Find a good welding repair shop, ask around about their work if you can. Be prepared to spend some money. A good cast iron repair is time consuming and expensive.
Any good shop is going to have dozens of different materials on hand for cast iron and the way they go at a repair is going to depend on what they decide after a good look at the piece and just where the damage is located.

As far as cast steel, not likely and any good welder will check just in case, an easy test.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Thanks for the advice I have a couple of clear paths to follow. Also I should take the age of the pot into consideration. I might end up trading this pot to a Friend of mine who collects cast iron pots and pans. But I would like to take this 1760 pot to a 1760 event!
Thanks a bunch!

 

[ericb]

How 'bout a pic, grz? Like to see it....

Eric

 

[gizamo]

Retire the old gal....

Or do a traditional repair, forget the welding shop.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Traditional repair? details please.

I will try to get a picture or two tomorrow.

 

[Comrade Coffin]

I always thought that the traditonal repair was brazing of cast or wrought iron cooking items before the second half of the 20th century.

LD

Good day gents, I have to concur withte above post an say that brazing is a safer bet. Less heat will be put into the old iron with that method. The project is raher dependant on the nature of the crack and the metallurgy of the pot. Rivetted repairs (using copper rivets and sheet) can also be found on old pots. Requires some skill to prevent leaks though - the rivets have to virtually overlap.

 

[Coot]

I would shy away from trying to repair an antique pot. There is a distinct possibility of the heat used in the process to spread the crack - you might wind up with two half pots. I have had mixed luck with having cast iron tool & car parts repaired - in these cases, I was not risking anything as the broken or cracked parts had no historic, collector or display value. Best results were had when the cracked or broken pieces were slowly heated to a high temp in an industrial oven & worked (welded or brazed) while very hot to minimize heat distortion. Sometimes worked, sometimes did not. If you insist on trying, find a welder who has experience with cast iron

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

The pot in question.

 

[ericb]

Thanx grz - other than the crack you mention, it appears to be in pretty nice shape...

Eric

 

[Trench]

What is it about this pot that dates it to Pre-Rev? I'm just getting in to collecting some original cookware. I got what I thought might be an early 1800's spider skillet, but more knowledgable friends dated it closer to 1850-70. Still, fine with me. I think it's cool to continue to cook with useable original cookware like what you have.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

My cast iron collector friend said the roundness of the body, the three lines were his primary points for aging the pot. It is also very thin compared to later pots. There is a great deal of ware on the lips of this pot.

 

[Trench]

That's great! I look forward to hearing about some future stew that you cooked in it! I'm REALLY looking forward to getting my original piece over the fire, myself.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Click the upper left photo for slide show.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/an-early-revolutionary-war-cast-iron-cooking-pot
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/revolutionary-war-era-cast-iron-field-kettle-with
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rare-large-revolutionary-war-era-antique-cast-iron

 

[Rifleman1776]

That strongly resembles a lot of inexpensive African trade ware. I can't comment on the three lines thing. (yes, the basic style is Rev. period correct. Some things don't change much with time.)
Personally, I don't know a welder who would do anything other than try brazing it. The cast iron jobs I have sought to get fixed were simply turned away by my local welders.
If it is an African repro, it will make an interesting flower pot. If really a Rev. period original, sell or trade to your collector friend and buy another pot for cooking. I get mine from antique shops and flea markets.