Metal that has cracked, snapped, or gone missing a part does not always have to be replaced. At Metal Man Restoration we repair and fabricate metal in our own Mount Vernon shop using brazing torches, Miller MIG and TIG welders, and plasma cutters. We work in silver, brass, copper, pewter, steel, cast iron, wrought iron, and pot metal, and we make replacement parts when the original is beyond saving.
Cast Iron Repair
Cast iron is stiff, brittle, and unforgiving. It cracks at stress points, around old fixing holes, and along thin sections that have been knocked or frozen. Radiator sections, stove and fireplace parts, bench and railing components, window frames, and machine bases all come to us broken in ways that a general welding shop will refuse.
We assess the break first, because the right repair depends on the grade of iron, the thickness at the crack, and what the piece has to do once it is back in service. Some pieces are best brazed. Others need a section fabricated and let in. A few are not worth repairing, and we will say so rather than take the job. We restore cast iron radiators as a dedicated service, so if that is what you have, start at our cast iron radiator restoration page.
Casting Repair and Replacement Parts
When a finial, a foot, a bracket, a rosette, or a decorative mount has been lost, we fabricate a replacement to match the survivors on the piece. On architectural work that usually means copying an existing element, so the repair disappears into the run. We did exactly this on the 1902 bronze entrance gates at the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House, where missing finials were re-cast and the casters rebuilt.
Matching matters more than speed here. A replacement part that is close but not right is more obvious than the damage it replaced, which is why the fabrication and the finishing are done by the same shop.
Soldering, Brazing, and Welding
Different metals and different jobs call for different joining methods, and getting that choice wrong is what ruins antique pieces. Soft soldering suits delicate silver and pewter work where heat has to stay low. Brazing joins dissimilar metals and works well on cast iron and brass without melting the parent metal. MIG and TIG welding handle structural steel, stainless, and aluminum where the joint has to carry load.
Because we also polish and plate in house, a joint we make can be dressed back and refinished, so the repair does not read as a repair. That is the advantage of not shipping work out.
On-Site Metal Repair
Not everything can come off the building. Railings, gates, entrance surrounds, canopies, and architectural ironwork are often repaired in place. We carry portable welding and finishing equipment and work on site across Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester County, and the wider tri-state area. Smaller objects and anything that needs plating come back to the Mount Vernon shop and go back finished.
Our Repairs and Fabrications Department
Our Repair and Fabrications Department is headed by Edwin Dietz, a German-trained craftsman with over 35 years of experience in metalwork, including antique and silver repairs and the fabrication of intricate items. We keep every stage in house, so nothing is shipped to another company and no one else touches your piece.
What We Fabricate
- Soldering, brazing, and welding
- Cast iron crack and section repair
- Replacement castings, finials, and decorative parts
- Brass bed fabrications
- Fireplace items
- Statuary
- Candlesticks and candelabras
- Lamp and lighting fixture repair, rewiring, and conversion
- Architectural ironwork and railing repair
- Custom one-off pieces to your drawing or sample
Common Questions About Cast Iron Repair and Fabrication
These are the questions we hear most from people holding a broken piece and trying to work out if it can be saved.
Can cast iron actually be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
Most of it can be repaired. Cast iron cracks rather than bends, and a clean crack in a sound casting is very repairable. What rules a piece out is widespread pitting, a casting that has already been badly repaired, or a break through a section too thin to hold once it is joined. We will tell you which of those you have before you commit.
How much does cast iron repair cost?
It depends on the size of the break, the grade of iron, and what the piece has to do afterward. A cracked decorative bracket and a structural machine base are different jobs. Send photos and we will quote it.
Can you make a part that no longer exists?
Yes. If one survives anywhere on the piece we copy it. If none survive we work from photographs, drawings, or the shadow the original left behind, and we fabricate to match the period and the profile.
Will the repair be visible?
On most work, no. Because we braze or weld, dress the joint, and then polish or plate in the same building, the repaired area can be brought back to match the surrounding finish. On deliberately patinated or heavily aged pieces we match the age rather than the factory finish.
Do you repair on site or only in the shop?
Both. Architectural ironwork, railings, gates, and canopies are generally repaired in place. Objects, hardware, lighting, and anything needing plating come to the Mount Vernon shop.
Related Services
- Metal restoration in Mount Vernon, NY
- Cast iron radiator restoration
- Metal polishing and brass restoration
- Metal plating and re-plating
- Custom lighting fabrication
- Architectural metal restoration
Send Us a Photo of the Break
If you have a cracked casting, a snapped joint, or a missing part, send photos or call (914) 662-4218. We will tell you honestly if it can be repaired and what it will take.
Projects Like This
Real projects from our own shop and job sites. Every one of these is work we did ourselves.
Yankee Stadium Plaques
In April 2008, the New York Yankees and Skanska Construction Corporation hired Metal Man Restoration to restore two...
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Metal Man Restoration at Yale University's Harkness Tower
Metal Man Restoration was hired in June 2009 to restore the cast iron windows at Yale University's Harkness Tower...
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Franciscan Church of the Assumption Syracuse NY
In August 2014, Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the main and side entranceways at the Franciscan Church...
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We moved into a very old house with radiators that were in bad shape, to say the least! I found Anthony from Metal Man and wow, amazing transformation as you can see in the before pic... Truly we were astonished when they were returned to us. Pick up and delivery by Manny was seamless, with great...
Our Clients
We serve a diverse range of clients, including homeowners, contractors, antique dealers, hardware companies, insurance companies, restoration companies, and collectors.