Forster CO AX pits in metal

[Gil P.]

Should I contact Forster about all these pits? I'd hate to get rust in any of them. I do a pretty good job of keeping the bare metal parts oiled. I bought the press new a few years ago.

 

[hpshooter]

Should I contact Forster about all these pits? I'd hate to get rust in any of them. I do a pretty good job of keeping the bare metal parts oiled. I bought the press new a few years ago.

View attachment 1289564View attachment 1289565

Some of these areas are porosity and inclusions in the casting uncovered by machining. Don't know what Forsters current acceptance level is for such things. May send them a picture ad see what they say. Doesn't speak well for the foundry doing the casting based on 30 years in GI and DI foundries.

Other areas are rough machining most likely from a combination of dull tooling, speeds and feeds.

Functionally the press is serviceable but for what they cost it is aggravating.

 

[Gil P.]

I agree. It does work, but I'm wondering if this is the norm from Forster. I'll take your advice and send them pictures. Do you have any experience with their customer service?

Some of these areas are porosity and inclusions in the casting uncovered by machining. Don't know what Forsters current acceptance level is for such things. May send them a picture ad see what they say. Doesn't speak well for the foundry doing the casting based on 30 years in GI and DI foundries.

Other areas are rough machining most likely from a combination of dull tooling, speeds and feeds.

Functionally the press is serviceable but for what they cost it is aggravating.

 

[acloco]

Could be the result of a dull bit or less than ideal feed/pressure when that cut was made.

 

[JimSC]

like hpshooter said it is gas porosity which was uncovered by the machining process. There are a dozen possible causes all having to do with the casting process. The main cause however is low velocity and pressure of the molten metal during the casting. Not the best machining either

 

[hpshooter]

I agree. It does work, but I'm wondering if this is the norm from Forster. I'll take your advice and send them pictures. Do you have any experience with their customer service?

No first hand knowledge of their customer service or current fit and finish standards. My only experience with a Co-Axial goes back to the Bonanza days and it was very nicely finished up.

 

[kvd]

It may be worth sending Forster your photos (excellent macros) and see what their take on this pitting is. There doesn't seem to be any active corrosion at this time and although it looks pretty rough, nothing looks to be more than a few thousandths deep and will not hinder the function of the press.
I snapped a photo of my press for comparisons sake.

 

[wkdickinson]

I have one that is 25 or 30 years old and here is what it looks like:

 

[cwebster]

It's just machined cast iron, what do you expect??

 

[hpshooter]

It's just machined cast iron, what do you expect??

So are the cylinder bores, brake calipers and master cylinders in most American V8's, ways on lathes and most brake rotors and drums not to mention many crankshafts and cam shafts and cylinder heads. Point being, finish depends on the quality of the casting and the machining parameters as well as the functional requirements of the part. Grey (or Gray depending on whose foundry or country you are in) and Ductile iron castings that are properly manufactured and machined can have excellent surface finishes.

 

[Twdmar]

So much steel production has gone overseas and with increased demand, I would imagine quality has suffered too. Prices are sky high too and that may affect decision making on what and manufacture uses. Cast stuff looks this way sometimes.
I don't think that it should hurt anything. I would get some good quality car wax and wipe a couple coats on. Recoat once or twice a year.

 

[jelenko]

I have one that is 25 or 30 years old and here is what it looks like:

View attachment 1289674

I've had mine 29 years - looks very similar to this one.

 

[M-61]

Send them your pictures. Ask if this is acceptable to them.
I don't own one but it would drive me nuts.

 

[Hohn]

Some of these areas are porosity and inclusions in the casting uncovered by machining. Don't know what Forsters current acceptance level is for such things. May send them a picture ad see what they say. Doesn't speak well for the foundry doing the casting based on 30 years in GI and DI foundries.

Other areas are rough machining most likely from a combination of dull tooling, speeds and feeds.

Functionally the press is serviceable but for what they cost it is aggravating.

Looks mostly like porosity to me too. Poor casting quality indeed, probably de-molded before it was solidified all the way through. Some of this could be oxide inclusion (ie a bad heat) but looks more like porosity.

 

[6MMsteve]

Brake castings have to be leak ckd the press will be fine that's just fly poop posity as we use to call it, bad on brakes but ok on non pressure cast

 

[hpshooter]

" just fly poop posity "

Been years (early 70's) since I first heard that description of porosity!

 

[1911nut]

That surface will hold oil

 

[rijndael]

So are the cylinder bores, brake calipers and master cylinders in most American V8's, ways on lathes and most brake rotors and drums not to mention many crankshafts and cam shafts and cylinder heads.

Right. And they too have occasional issues with porosity. On GM's 1.4 cylinder engine, porosity in the head is one of the causes of their vacuum leak problems. On the V8s, they had engine oil leaks from it, at the rear cover.

 

[JSH]

This is the kind of thing that happens when we get to the fall lull in range time. We sit and stare at the bench and start analyzing things to why once again ALL of my rifles are not shooting in the .1’s?

Coffee is done this AM (03:15,:-o) I need to go inspect my RC and COAX, maybe the culprit of why the 22BR shot like it did yesterday. Speer’s shot well as normal, snuggled into a nice cluster @200. The Barnes shot low and way left, but clustered well.
May now need to examine threads on my front rest for inclusions as there is some cast material there.

 

[danny]

Agree with a lot of what has been said about porosity, machining feeds, speeds, tooling states, but in my opinion, it is not an issue as far as fitness for use goes and for the final product.

Danny