L-66 welded?

[franksshasta]

Has anyone ever had their broken L-66 welded up successfully?

[Red Dirt]

That pot metal is hard to do anything with. I used some epoxy on the outside of the tumbler shaft where there was a crack developing, but it is on the inside, where no one can see it. What part is broken?

Red Dirt

[franksshasta]

The outside handle. Exactly like Shasta Louise's break. What is the metal? Is is aluminum or just regular steel/iron?

[Red Dirt]

You know I have been calling it pot metal for years without ever knowing what it is made of so I looked it up on wikipedia. Here is what they say:

"Pot metal is a slang term that refers to alloys that consist of inexpensive, low-melting point metals used to make fast, inexpensive castings. There is no scientific metallurgical standard for pot metal; common metals in pot metal include zinc, lead, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminium, iron, and cadmium. The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Due to its low melting temperature no sophisticated foundry equipment is needed and specialized molds are not necessary. It is sometimes used to experiment with molds and ideas before using metals of higher quality. It is sometime referred to as white metal, die-cast zinc, or monkey metal.[1] Examples of items created from pot metal include toys, furniture fittings, tool parts, electronics components, and automotive parts.[citation needed]

Pot metal can be prone to instability over time, as it has a tendency to bend, distort, crack, shatter, and pit with age.[1] The low boiling point of zinc and the fast cooling of the newly-cast part often allow air bubbles to remain within the cast part, weakening the metal.[1] Many of the components of pot metal are susceptible to corrosion from airborne acids and other contaminants, and the internal corrosion of the metal often causes the decorative plating to flake off.[citation needed] Pot metal is not easily glued, soldered or welded.[1]

At one time, "pot metal" referred to a copper alloy that was primarily alloyed with lead. 67% Cu, 29% Pb & 4% Sb and 80 Cu, 20% Pb were common formulations.[2]

The primary component of pot metal is zinc, but often the caster adds other metals to the mix to strengthen the cast part, improve the flow of the molten metal, or to reduce cost.[dubious – discuss] With a low melting point of 419 °C (786 °F), zinc is often alloyed with other metals including lead, tin, aluminium and copper."

Anyway, long story short is is sort of a hodge podge alloy that sucks after 50 years. You might talk to a welder about it, but I imagine any fix is only temporary. Best to keep an eye out for a handle on ebay or ust look for a trailer too crummy to rebuild and part it out.

Red Dirt

[Atomic Addiction]

Sucks doesn't it?

Man, If I had the dough I would have a run of new locks made out of billet aluminum. They would be expensive but they wouldn't break.

I wish Bargman would offer parts even if they don't make the locks any more.

I just bid one up to $100 on eBay. That is as far as I will go. .AND that one had a broken inside handle. Thought I could use the inside handle from the one I have. Stupid locks

Brian

[franksshasta]

Oh well. The parts guy at my local RV dealership almost chocked when I told him how much they were getting for these things on Ebay. Of course I help out until I was sure that they didn't have one or 10 in stock. He remembered when they were 20.00. Supply and demand is a tremendous force is it not.

[flyingham]

Brian, did you ever find a handle?

[Atomic Addiction]

Negative ghost rider. I have not.

I refuse to pay out of my rear end for one. I will just wait to find one at a decent price. I can't blow my resto budget on a something so small.

Oh well.
Brian

[flyingham]

If just the pull handle is broken, Fletchers has them new for $100.00!