Repair needed for broken frying pan | Help Wanted or Available | Forum

Well, unfortunately, as far as I know cast iron can be welded by neither forge nor arc welding, and forging it at all might not be possible.

Repair of the cast iron pan handle should be a simple repair for a knowledgeable welder if it is the handle only. If the fracture includes some of the edge or wall of the skillet then this will require a little more care and prep. My first choice of repair process would be TIG. YouTube has several videos. I have used TIG on cast iron numerous times and have been very pleased with the results.
2nd choice would be arc weld with nickel rod. If you have any thoughts about finishing the repair with a file, be sure your choice of cast iron filler material is machinable. Non-machinable cast iron filler metal will eat a file, drill or tap. For TIG or arc process you will “v” the edges of break to prepare for the weld. Using mild steel runoff tab at each edge of the repair will allow start and stopping the weld on a sacrificial piece of material. Grind away tabs and you have a nice crisp edge on your repair. Alignment of the handle could require clamping to heavy backer or purposely misalign handle and allowing repair weld to “pull” handle into alignment. When working with cast iron you do not have the option of heating it up and smacking it a couple times to adjust the alignment.
If the fracture has proceeded into edge or side wall of skillet look close to see if there are crack(s) traveling out from fracture. If there are, locate the end of crack and, as suggested by an earlier reply drill a small hole at end of crack(s). If the sidewall of the skillet is part of the repair, a preheat of the whole pan may be required. Cast iron does not respond well to intense heating of a localized spot when there are diameters, radius, thin edges and heavy cross sections such as corners involved. Prep and tack for alignment then preheat whole pan and weld (larger projects can require maintaining the pre-heat while welding), then protect and allow the object to slow cool. Once cool, finish the cleanup, etc. I didn’t talk about brazing process which has successfully repaired cast iron for ages because of the rapid heating of a localized area of the pan and I don’t know the skill level of the person attempting the repair.
Good luck,     Lyn Cane