Metallurgist castiron help

[sparcebag]

I have a wood stove and the thin wall blued stove pipe.Where the pipe connects to the stove its loose wobbely fitting.Can I drill holes and use a zip screw or can I tap it and use a stainless machine screw? The cast material where pipe fits is abuot 3/16s-1/4 thick.

[Shack]

Sparce,

I just asked the boys in back (break time) and they all said go the route of Stainless to prevent future corrosion. They didn’t even think about it, it took them 3 seconds to say it.

Good luck

[sparcebag]

Thanks Shack!! Man you got a tough job there,surf FM at work!

[Eric Wettschreck]

You can tap cast, but go slow and you can't use too much lubricant.

Another option is to use self tapping screws.

Stainless. Use stainless.

[Shack]

what boiler said, go slow with cast.

Sparce, I am on computer 90% of day for my job. I leave a window open in top right corner of screen. It is a nice frenge benny.

[sparcebag]

So with self tapping I should'nt use a drill motor? screw them manually? Pilot hole?

[Shack]

I would use a pilot hole and stainless machine screw/bolt. If you use self tappers, just go stright,slow and use correct size pilot hole. Try by hand first and if it does not go easy, start a cordless on light and adjust speed to slow r.p.m.'s. You do not want to bind up and break screw (smalled self tapper could break). Most times if you get the right pilot hole size, by hand you should be able to sink the screw nice.

Good luck and go slow.

[upnorth]

You do need to exercise some caution, cast iron is pretty brittle compared to steel.