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Found a weird trick for getting a clean weld on old wrought iron
I was fixing a 100 year old gate for a client last month, and the wrought iron was full of slag pockets. Every time I tried to weld a patch, it would bubble and spit. After three failed attempts, I remembered my grandpa talking about using borax. I mixed a tiny bit of powdered borax with water into a paste and brushed it on the joint area before heating. The difference was night and day, it flowed smooth and sealed the pits. I've been doing this for 15 years and never tried that old school method before. Anyone else have a go-to trick for welding on antique metal?
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evahart1mo ago
Grandpa's borax trick saving the day after 15 years of fighting with it, that's perfect. Of course the old guys knew the simple fix the whole time. I can just picture you covered in spatter for three tries before the lightbulb goes off. Sometimes the best tools are the ones already sitting in the laundry room.
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martin.margaret19d ago
Honestly used to roll my eyes at those old home remedy tips. Figured they were just stories. But last year my sink was draining so slow, tried everything from the store. My dad said to try baking soda and vinegar, the classic one. Felt silly pouring it in, but it worked in minutes. Changed my whole view on keeping a few simple things around the house.
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