Peter at restorative welding (815-732-1249) is a great source and does very good work.  But, depending on what you are wanting done, laser might be a better way to go.
Bob

Tony Stouth laser welding (269) 668-2760.

I have always used (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) in Maple Grove, Mn.

This is laser.  I’m sure others can give more detail than I.  This was to repair a messed up Ballard in both lockup and firing pin strike. I ask for enough weld so I could finish at .014, and with a material that was hard, but not so hard that it couldn’t be machined.  I’m sure there’s some heat but not enough to cause problems and no cratering around the edge of the weld.  Worked perfect for this Ballard.  Tony South did the work.

As said before, it depends on what you are doing, each type has its place.
Bob

I assume that laser is for smaller,more precise less volume situation.  I;m thinking greater volume and grinder finish up.  Maybe heat treating -case hardening as well.

ascast wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2024 at 5:23pm:


Well, these days, that covers a lot of very interesting territory.

Traditionally, laser welding uses a laser beam (or beams) to apply specifically controlled photon energy to a material in order to weld it together.

With laser light, you can manipulate the amount of energy on target very precisely and even change the amount of energy applied to the target over time to give you a very precise weldment and heat affected zone.  Too, there is no need for a filler material and you can weld in butt, lap, and fillet styles.  You can also control the weld environment to a point where you can truly weld dissimilar materials together. 

Nowadays there is an even more interesting form of laser welding where the laser not only creates the weld pool but can also feed a filler material into that pool like traditional welding except that by using a laser you can control your heat affected zone unlike any other type of welding.  This allows for some amazing restorative work that was very difficult to accomplish in the past.

Hope this gives you an overview of the process.

desertmoon wrote on Nov 28^th, 2024 at 8:47pm:


I would start a new thread here in the Gunsmithing about your project. Folks here will be very interested in it and offer good advise if you need it.