I have a remote property where the previous owner welded a steel sliding lock (see pic) onto the metal door of an outbuilding. The part that sticks out (handle) broke off.
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the nearest/only electricity source is 120v and probably 5-10 amps max (15a circuit, but several hundred feet of underground cable that I suspect isn't sized properly for such a long run)
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Welding the pin back on inside the narrow groove has to be done fairly precisely to avoid welding the sliding pin to the chamber (or door). I love the ASMR Tig pulse welding videos on youtube, but my best understanding is that a portable Tig rig (tig welder and large enough generator to run it) could be thousands of dollars – that's a lot for me, especially if I only need 2-4 pulses total for this project. Also, I've done a very small amount of (bad) stick welding, but never have had the opportunity to Tig.
It may be that the best option is to pay hundreds of dollars to a professional welder to drive out, set up, and tack the pin back in place… but before I do that, is there any DIY option that would be under ~$500 total that would allow me to DIY?
I did try JB weld (the part that sticks out is actually a pin that fits in a hole in the sliding rod) but that only lasted a few uses, so I think that a real weld is the only long-term solution.
I've considered a cheap wire welder from my favorite import store (~$100, works off 120v), but this is a large sliding bolt and I'm not sure the wire welder has the power to melt enough of the steel to be a permanent fix (I'm under the impression those cheap wire welders are for much thinner metal)
Thank you for your suggestions! If there isn't an option within my skills and price range, then I'll go with the mobile welder option.
Best Answer
I would look at drilling and tapping the hole then screwing a new handle in.