Is it possible to weld laminations onto a cast jaw? For example can I weld inside laminations on the jaws of a MB650C?

IMO welding on any cast jaw would be a real bad decision, even with todays metalurgy aspects, doing so may well lead you to the junk pile.

I think it would be ok. My mb650 has inside lams tacked on.

Yea one can do it for sure, but why would you want to sacrifice the jaws like that? It's only a matter of time before they take the right amount of stress in the wrong place and break.

Mine came that way, I don't know if they are all cast jaws or not. If they are not, I would think cast would be bigger and not really need lams. If you need them anyway, I've welded cast iron stoves before with nickel rod, and alot of torch heating before and after welding.

I thought the welding would cause the cast jaws to crack. I wish they'd come out with a regular jawed MB550, that'd be perfect for what I wanna do.

If you heat before and after welding it will not crack. You can weld cast, I've done it. If you can weld or heat, cut and bend your own jaws. Pretty simple. If the jaws are offset, they'll never slam shut and touch anyway. No stress.

What Joel said, you can braze them on too.

That is what I did welding cast iron. It was a much bigger piece though. I would heat the crack with a torch, and tap the living crap out of it with the slag hammer after welding a 1/2" to 1" bead, at a time, a guy told me this relieves the stress in the metal. I was using cast iron welding rods.

I/ve welded cast steel without issues. Cast iron is a different story. There is a difference.

calvin is correct, and many of todays cast jaws arent iron, theyre cast steel, and very easily welded. personally, i see no need to laminate a cast jaw though.

They are.Coming out this spring.

Are you sure it is cast? Part of the reason of going with cast jaws is that they basically have all the benefits of lams. I am wondering why you would want to laminate cast jaws. Not questioning you, just curious-

Brazing and welding is a different process still the heat is the problem, and sorry I made a mistake between the statement in context verses steel and iron. Was thinking iron the whole time.

Steel is a better alloy than the iron and the biggest reason why it will hold up better to the stress of the un even heat during welding.

Pre heating any cast material will help the process allot. however it's still an iffy deal if the material gets to hot and cools to quickly though the steel is a lot more forgiving than iron.

Have at it for the steel stay away from it with the iron !!

Well if you do weld on them and ruin them a dozen new jaws would only cost, with shipping about half what a dozen new 650 casts would be.....that is if you didn't need new springs also.LOL

If you see a welding bead the odds are great the jaws are steel the cast jaw is about 3/8 of an inch......if needed can measure one of mine.