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Chrome shaft pitting repair back yard

Dunclare

Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2021
Messages
8
Location
Australia
Occupation
Fitter and Turner
Hi All
Has anyone, tried to repair chrome pitting on hydraulic cylinder shafts.
(Weld, paint, solder, tin, lead etc.)
Cheers
 

Delmer

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
8,891
Location
WI
If it's just the thickness of the chrome, sand the edges smooth and polish it up. If it's deeper pits, Jbweld, TIG stainless, SS or nickle stick weld it, or even nickle plating is not that difficult. Anything that sticks up, use an oiled file the long way on the rod and it will slide right over the good chrome to smooth down the weld, then polish.
 

Welder Dave

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Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,572
Location
Canada
I knew a place that used a stainless stick electrode to repair an elevator cylinder. They had a die grinder with a threaded head and made a special jig with small rollers for grinding the weld down. The last little bit they hand filed.
 

Coaldust

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
3,357
Location
North of the 60
Occupation
Cargo Tanks, ULSD, RUG, Methanol, LPG
Seriously, I’ve seen good temporary permanent repairs done with 60/40 acid core solder, or silver solder. I’d be worried about the solder falling out and contaminating the system on a high pressure, expensive machine.
 

.RC.

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
775
Location
Central Qld, Australia
Backyard you say?,


ROFL, notice when they are straightening in the press the press operator has the sense to at least try to hide behind the press uprights. Meanwhile the camera operator is just standing there ready to be a target should the dodgy extension piece come flying out. Now that's dedication to getting the right shot.

But the next group, working with chrome fumes like that, their health is going to be stuffed.
 
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Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,572
Location
Canada
I think after using heat and that much of a bend the rod is going to be slightly stiffer than a wet noodle. Maybe that's why it bent so much, it wasn't the 1st time it was straightened.
 

Coaldust

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
3,357
Location
North of the 60
Occupation
Cargo Tanks, ULSD, RUG, Methanol, LPG
I grew up fairly close to C.B. Bumper in the 80’s-90’s. This dude started a chrome plating business and restoration company in his barn. It was great for the local hot-rod and car community. Not so good for the neighborhood.

He dumped the waste on the ground or in his septic tank.

He skipped town and abandoned the 40 acre parcel. Left Thurston County on the hook, for the cleanup and Wa. EPA. Eventually it became a Super fund site.

 
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Welder Dave

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Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,572
Location
Canada
Also notice how wallowed out the pin eye on the rod is. Amazing that a poorer country can neglect expensive machines so much. I wonder where the money comes from to buy them in the first place? You'd think they'd really take care of them.
 

.RC.

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Messages
775
Location
Central Qld, Australia
A lot of their stuff is just older stuff they import from places like the UK, USA etc where no one wants them.

Old dozers in the USA really are dirt cheap or used to be compared to other parts of the world where there are less of them. Even here in Australia for decades we have had dealers who buy used machines in the USA and import them and sell them for profit. I know a contractor/cattle owner who got a D9G freshly imported in the late 1990's, they were pretty obsolete even back then.

In the UK for the past decade or longer there has been plenty of people from India buying up manual lathes, mills, borers, grinders that would sell for scrap at UK auctions, stuff them in shipping containers and send them on their way.

From memory when Australia shut down their entire car manufacturing industry the mains parts like big clearing presses and other lines of machinery went to a third world country.
 

thepumpguysc

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Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,543
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
I’ve read somewhere, probably on this site, where someone suggested to use super glue to fill in pits.. let it sit and sand it down when dry..
I thought it was a good suggestion..
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,572
Location
Canada
Devcon and others make epoxies for building up wear surfaces but not sure how well they would stick when in a small spot. On things like shafts they recommend turning them down, however some people have had success with epoxy on pitted cylinders. I guess it's kind of a take your chances kind of thing.
 
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