Is this a stress fracture on my Wedge.

[looking up]

Hello
I was checking my setup today and notice this ( Not sure if has always been
their no visible cracks on Wedge ) Im running Meade 14 SCT with Meade Wedge with permanent Pier.
The other side looks fine.
Anyway will show you some pics.
Your comments would be appreciated.
Kind regards Steve :)

[Leo.G]

Steve the 4th image looks a lot like a stress fracture. They use magnetic paint and some system to identify them but if it's possible it may be worth taking it to an engineering shop for an inspection (they spray some type of paint on which reveals cracks somehow, I only got to play with it once when studying welding too many years ago) or to a dealers who should know. If it is a fracture I'd suggest it should be possible to have it ground and TIG welded I should imagine, it looks like a cast alloy.
I knew someone in Lithgow who would have been able to do it but he's recently closed up shop and Lithgow Valley Engineering also closed down. I have nowhere to go myself. I'm going to have to learn how to TIG weld alloy again soon, I have the 200 Amp AC/DC TIG welder (and 200 Amp MIG) and gas and filler rods butover 20 years of not doing it and, poor eyesight doesn't help.
In saying that I wouldn't be learning on anyone else's equipment but I will get it out soon and do some mild steel and stainless before progressing to alloy again.



Good luck!

[leon]

Hi Steve, there is a fair bit of weight hanging on that point and I have to think that maybe that is a weak spot in the assembly, I would certainly keep an eye on it, it dose look like a small fracture in the wedge.

Leon

[JA]

Hi Steve,

I don't think you have any form of fracture there, more likely a minor casting defect, resulting from a small defect in the mold and/or casting process, which may have needed to be hand finished. If you are concerned it might be a crack you can do as suggested by Leo (Hi Leo) and have the casting Dye-Penetrant tested to potentially reveal a minute crack (unlikely).

I don't think there's a problem, but if you're handy and concerned you could make a custom well fitted pair of triangular steel plates with thin (~1mm) sheet rubber attached which bolt together through the triangular space between the wedge's webs and strengthen that section of the web somewhat. As per sketch below...

Best
JA

[looking up]

:thanx: