so.my $99 gun is here! and i've done few things to it.

The safety on my Type 54-1 is the same type of crap...rattles lose from recoil from "fire" into "safe" and I've lost one of the screws. I'm tempted to pull it out and leave the holes.
 
I personally don't think that this "touch up" weld will change anything on the frame that would result on frame failure of any kind, welded area is too small to begin with
 
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No it should be fine.... that being said I think the temp should be brought down slowly.

When I took a welding course, they taught us (if I remember correctly) to place the object being welded into a warmed up "bucket" of "sand" to keep metal from getting brittle, so don't put it into water to cool it.

All of my test pieces for my CWB test were to be place in the "sand" to cool, other wise they would not pass the stress test, as they would be too brittle when they were bent over a round object...... (my memory is fuzzy)

Here is what I would do. (I am planning on doing... if & when I get mine! lol)

-Take a cake pan (approx. 8x12x4")
-Fill it up with a fairly small grain size sand (ie:sandbox sand you can get from Home Depot) Make sure to sift it and remove any "gravel" and make sure it is dry, dry dry!
-Put in the oven for an hour @ 400 to 450 (leave it there)
-Weld the frame and immediatly (using gloves of course) insert it into the cake pan filled with sand (while it is still in the oven) and cover it with sand
-turn off the oven
-Wait an hour and remove the cake pan and let cool on the counter

It has been years since I took that course, I know this will not make the metal brittle, but I am unsure it it will make it too soft.......

I think I need some clarification from a blacksmith/gunsmith/welder before I try it.....

Don't try this untill someone who actually does this for a living tells us otherwise (my ticket has been expired since 2002)

Advice anyone?
 
The heat treatment temper around the weld spot will definetly be affected. But judging by the neat job he did this was a quick spot sort of weld that he put down in a hurry and then left it alone. Chances are the softening due to the additional tempering in that area is limited to around a loonie or twoonie size portion of the frame with the old hole at the center. So likely there's no big deal about this.

I'd still like the option of using it for some match work. So I'll see if I can't work on the safety to make it more useable. If it's too tight to work it so it's slop free but easier. If it's a rattle fit then to bush or otherwise give it more support and a nice slick snap feel that makes the shooter smile.
 
Looks much better now. I was just wondering about one thing right from the start, as I was thinking of doing the same weeks ago... what about metal hardening?

From what I was told, welding crucial parts on a gun (like the frame or bolt) changes the metal structure and cancels the hardening process it underwent at the factory, thus making the metal brittle again. This could *possibly* result in the frame cracking while under load (ie. shooting) and pieces of it flying in your face.

Did you re-do the hardening procedure as well (heat to something like 1700F I believe + submerge in an oil bath)? I was just wondering... maybe it's not necessary, but I wouldn't chance it (I also have this tok with the fugly safety + a mig welder).

:confused:

i dont think the gun was ever hardened in the first place. the metal is so soft i could sand it down with just sand paper. that's why i went ahead and weld it. besides, it's only couple spot welds, wouldnt weaken the frame by too much .and that area doesnt take much stress.you could weld it then hammer the weld while it's growing red to harden it a little.
 
something about making a silk pursejumped immediately to my mind after reading the above,starting with lesser quality and trying to make it very special is usually very expensive and not always successful, but it can also be funto make something into the way you personally want it .
 
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