Dear: Expert Handyman --Melvang--
In your opinion , Do you think I could reliably weld this, given this small surface area...
I only have access to an electric cheapo welder atm..
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No way you'll be able to weld that, it's cast steel.
why can't weld cast steel ? Show Image
The resolution / focus of the original image isn't good enough for me to really tell if it is cast or not. If it is cast, it *can* be welded, but it will require preheat, welding rod with a high nickle content, arc welder with DC, and then a post heat and wrapped in either weld blanket, or buried into half burned out charcoal to drastically slow down the cooling process. The reason for all this is because of the metallurgy and structure of cast. Any cast metal is full of small air pockets. This essentially acts as tiny heat insulators and you get a very drastic heat change in the material and this creates stress points and can cause cracks, both along the weld, and into the surrounding material. The pre heat, post heat, and slow cooling attempts to minimize it. Even if it can be welded, i am very doubtful that the threads will line up close enough to work properly. Even if you were to find a bolt with the same threads, you get enough movement with the heating and cooling, it just won't be the same. Best bet if you do want to weld it, would be to try and find a helicoil of the proper size and have it drilled and fixed that way after welding. Either way, since you had to ask about welding it, you will be much better off taking it to a shop if you really want this done.
I think this part was weakened due to the chroming.. Damn you Hydrogen..
What did hydrogen ever do to you? :p
Hydrogen doesn't play a part in chrome plating. It is an electrochemical bath dip process. Minimum 3 steps if I remember right. Chrome won't stick to steel but will stick to copper, copper won't stick to steel, but will stick to nickle, and nickle will stick to steel. So it is a plating process that dips in nickle, then copper, then the chrome. I could be off on this, but if memory serves correct, this is how it goes.
If it is powdered metal as jaffers suggested, you are totally **** out of luck here.