I saw several references to micro welding on the Pre-16 thread and didn't want to hijack the thread but I would like to know more about this process. Is it prohibitively expensive? I have three 1911 slides that are cracked at the ejection port, sounds like micro welding could save them, if it is financially feasible.

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Old paratrooper in NC

Hi,
I've used Pullman Arms to repair a small part. Kyle Mann is their welder/gunsmith. They are very professional with a quick turnaround time.
A 1911 slide crack like you describe should be a fairly easy fix.
The process is very cost efficient. At the time, the shop rate was $50 an hour, including set up.


>> Gunsmithing Services

Best Regards,
Jim

I own the pre-16. One of the guys that come to the NE Ohio Bunch had 2 Guns micro welded. One had a rust area with deep pits on the bottom of the trigger guard. Wicked welding in Dayton did the job, 3 hours away. It was 50.00 to weld it up but Marty had to file the welds down himself. He did a fantastic job filing and touching up with cold blue. Marty said the person used a metal compatible with the gun metal. He had some kind of magnification with a welding helmet. The welding wire was very thin.

There is a thread here in the forum where someone had a slide lazer welded. It may be a better welding process for your needs. Others will chime in that are more familiar with the welding process. Good Luck, Larry

Found the lazer weld thread. Go to Target Talk and click on the Olympic pistol area. Abt 3-4 threads down is one on the Unique DES-32-U, click on it and read. Abt half way down someone has a cracked slide and people tell him abt Lazer welding. Good luck, Larry

Larry's got a good idea with the lazer welding.
I'm also on the TargetTalk forum. Those Unique DES-32 pistols are quite cherished by those lucky enough to own one. The guys that have them are serious competitors that put a lot of demand on their guns.
For anyone who might question the integrity of welding a 1911 slide, bear in mind that Jim Clark used to make up 6" long slides for bullseye use with the 1911 by welding together front and backs of cut up scrap military slides back in the 1950s-60s.

Please keep us posted of your progress!

Best Regards,
Jim

Metals like 4140 (normal ordinance steel) are very weldable. With a proper weld they should be as strong as every. Some applications should be stress relieved, but that isn't a difficult process with the correct equipment.

These guys have been very good:

TIG Welding, Micro Tig Welding, Mold Welding, Micro Laser Welding | Micro Precision Welding

Micro TIG,, & Laser Welding, and they work on firearms.

Email them with pics of your project and all the questions you want and they will get back to you with opinions, options, costs, turnaround ect.

Not the only joint in town, but one I know of.

Also not to hi-jack a thread but I was amazed years ago to hear about "spray" welding where they can build up a surface by spraying weld. I'm not sure how they performed the task but what they did was build up the surface of a drag link ball for a hard to find vehicle part, then turn it back to factory specs. From the way he tried to describe it to me it almost sounded like the welding material was literally sprayed onto the item being built up, I was wondering if it worked in a matter similar to powder coat where they use electro-magnetic forces to get the powder to stick to the item being coated. Always fascinated with the welding arts, never mastered, just a jack.

Anybody have info on who can weld up cracks, etc. in an alloy fame ( like a Model 37) ? I have a US Air Force Baby Aircrewman demilled frame that is reasonably complete except has some cracks and part of a recoil shield broken, that needs to be built up and reshaped. Ed

The aluminum alloy used in model 37s and other aluminum framed S&W revolvers is not considered weldable. (6061-T6 or 7075) It is similar to aircraft aluminum which is riveted for the same reason. The T6 stands for heat treatment which will be negatively effected during the weld process. The problem isn't that the weld itself will crack, but, the parent aluminum will be effected in the heat affected zone. This isn't a big problem in larger section areas, but the area under the barrel in S&W revolvers is very thin to start with. An outer edge of a recoil shield could probably be repaired. Low stress area. You might get away with it using the proper filler and post weld heat treatment if the frame is 6061. If it is 7075, a stronger aluminum alloy than 6061 there is no way.

Steelslaver, Thank you for the informative response. My Baby Aircrewman frames' loss of heat treatment by crack welding would not be concern as the gun would never be fired. If welding the small cracks will provide a cosmetic cure, I'm for it from the standpoint of restoring a very rare S&W. So, does anyone have a referral of a workman competent to do such a restoration weld ? Ed.