First biggish excavator bucket

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This is the first larger bucket I have rebuilt. I have done a bunch of of smaller ditch type. This is a 36" esco medium duty on a pc150. The owner of the machine had already cut out the breast plate and part of the heel. I with I had done it. It made for a lot more work but overall I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Owner of the machine is very happy. Never realized how much filler these jobs soak up. All said and done I was 3 rods short of 90 lbs of filler. All 7018 1/8" & 5/32". I probably will do a few things different on the next one. For those who do this type of work and advise is or input on how I did are appreciated.
Reply:I tried something a little different on this one will see how it works out. He does a lot of sweeping with the bucket. So I put a pair of wear bars perpendicular to the breast plate to help on the wear of the heel base plate. The new heal is 1/2" ar 400 and wear flats are 1x4 ar 400.
Reply:He wanted as big of a flat area is possible for grading. I wanted to hang the two outermost wear bars further off the side of the bucket but he wanted them tucked in a little tighter. Everything got back gouged for 100% penetration not sure if it was necessary for this sized machine or not but I know the local quarry guys will peal a bucket apart pretty quick if you don't. This is not a quarry machine by the way. Mostly pretty gentle dirt work.
Reply:What type and size rods, AMPs used?  Type welder?I really have no idea what I am doing.Two Shop Cats (not Bobcats...real cats)Miller DialArc 250 AC/DCScratch-Start TIG SetupMIG 175Plasma CutterO/A
Reply:Originally Posted by wannab1What type and size rods, AMPs used?  Type welder?
Reply:What do you mean by 'washing alloy'?What is 1/2 CAC?I really have no idea what I am doing.Two Shop Cats (not Bobcats...real cats)Miller DialArc 250 AC/DCScratch-Start TIG SetupMIG 175Plasma CutterO/A
Reply:Originally Posted by wannab1What do you mean by 'washing alloy'?What is 1/2 CAC?
Reply:Really appreciate you posting that up. Never have done anything like that but have a couple of buckets to work on similar but TLB buckets. Was kinda wondering how to attack them but you've given me a couple of ideas and I'm getting ready to practice over the holiday break.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Originally Posted by sbchp355 Mostly pretty gentle dirt work.
Reply:Wow, reminds me of my first attempt at bucket work (except for being way better than I did).   Look'n good.
Reply:Originally Posted by snowbirdYeah yeah...they always say that.I think you did a fine job, meticulously executed. I wonder why you did not weld completely the teeth supports, was that a spec to go by ?
Reply:curiously cause they are fully wrapped on the inside... guess we'll wait for the voice of experience (i was tempted to say aged, old...but)
Reply:Originally Posted by SlobReally appreciate you posting that up. Never have done anything like that but have a couple of buckets to work on similar but TLB buckets. Was kinda wondering how to attack them but you've given me a couple of ideas and I'm getting ready to practice over the holiday break.
Reply:I was a bit surprised not to see them welded 100% either. With most dirt equipment I've seen, if it's not welded 100% dirt gets forced into every little crack and crevice and starts working things apart. Add freeze/thaw to the dirt that's in there and things get even worse.I've sen wear strips busted right off because of just dirt when some one simply stitch welded the bars on vs running a full bead..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Nice job. What would you have done differently ?  I love doing bucket work, the only thing I do really do differently is I mostly run wire
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWI was a bit surprised not to see them welded 100% either. With most dirt equipment I've seen, if it's not welded 100% dirt gets forced into every little crack and crevice and starts working things apart. Add freeze/thaw to the dirt that's in there and things get even worse.I've sen wear strips busted right off because of just dirt when some one simply stitch welded the bars on vs running a full bead.
Reply:Originally Posted by Firemanmike69Nice job. What would you have done differently ?  I love doing bucket work, the only thing I do really do differently is I mostly run wire
Reply:This is an Esco hard rock edge fit to an 1.5"  T-1 Frog.   Getting ready to pre-heat it to 300 F. before starting welding.   When finished it got buried in kitty liter and left to cool slow over night.
Reply:It looks terrible absolutely terrible All i can say is you need to work on your restarts a littleand don'i use the grinder on youLast edited by killdozerd11; 12-22-2014 at 01:30 AM.Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:I think I would have pulled out some 3/16" or maybe 1/4" rods to speed things up. I think the reason the teeth adapters aren't fully welded could be due to the heat involved in welding them. There is a lot of weld on a relatively small piece. If they are welded solid with all that heat, there is no where for the internal pressure created "inside" the adapters to escape. Kind of like welding a short section of box tube solid and having it crack on cooling or the reason re-pads on vessels need weep holes to release the heated air resulting from the welding. I welded a crack on box tube ripper once that cracked on cooling and it was a fair size tube. Cracking from water inside or frozen dirt is kind of the same thing. I think once the bucket is allowed to cool from the heavy welding, the backs of the adapters could be welded with a single pass just to keep dirt out.  Probably need a little preheat since it's AR plate but certainly not anywhere as hot as it got from the big multi-pass welds.Last edited by Welder Dave; 12-22-2014 at 01:52 AM.
Reply:Let me ask you guys a stupid question....  I dont do alot of Excavator repairs but a buddy of mine has a Big Machine (Dont know the model, put he pulls it with his Tri-Axle).  The Bucket needs new Shanks and Heel...What would be the Disadvantages and or Advantages of Running 5/64 (2.0mm) Inner-Shield rather than large diameter Electrodes?  Possibly a 6010 Root and Inner-shield all the way out...  I'd be running my 12VS off my TB302...Im not against Stick Welding but I really have taken a liking to that 5/64" InnerShield.....Some Blue , Some Red & Some GreyProverbs 16:2-3.2 "All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Reply:There is no problem with wire welding - it was done this way from the start. Just need to get proper pre heat . All the buckets and pull pans we build and re-work are completlely wire welded.    I build all my stingers for my pull pans , and they have a 500 hp. machine pulling them in Rock terrain and if i lose a tooth its normally from pulling way to fast and finding a sheet of Granite hidden- then not much of anything will withstand a hit of this sort.   The teeth need a area to release stress, the area not welded allows it otherwise it stands a good chance of cracking.
Reply:Originally Posted by DieselDon16Let me ask you guys a stupid question....  I dont do alot of Excavator repairs but a buddy of mine has a Big Machine (Dont know the model, put he pulls it with his Tri-Axle).  The Bucket needs new Shanks and Heel...What would be the Disadvantages and or Advantages of Running 5/64 (2.0mm) Inner-Shield rather than large diameter Electrodes?  Possibly a 6010 Root and Inner-shield all the way out...  I'd be running my 12VS off my TB302...Im not against Stick Welding but I really have taken a liking to that 5/64" InnerShield.....
Reply:Originally Posted by HT2-4956This is an Esco hard rock edge fit to an 1.5"  T-1 Frog.   Getting ready to pre-heat it to 300 F. before starting welding.   When finished it got buried in kitty liter and left to cool slow over night.
Reply:Originally Posted by DieselDon16Let me ask you guys a stupid question....  I dont do alot of Excavator repairs but a buddy of mine has a Big Machine (Dont know the model, put he pulls it with his Tri-Axle).  The Bucket needs new Shanks and Heel...What would be the Disadvantages and or Advantages of Running 5/64 (2.0mm) Inner-Shield rather than large diameter Electrodes?  Possibly a 6010 Root and Inner-shield all the way out...  I'd be running my 12VS off my TB302...Im not against Stick Welding but I really have taken a liking to that 5/64" InnerShield.....You'd want to make sure to use the correct Innershield wire and not just a general purpose variety. Probably something with low temperature impact strength requirements like NR232 would be my choice but NS3M is used on earth-moving equipment too. NS3M is pours weld as fast as you can move your hand but don't think it would be the best for the teeth as they need to be super strong.
Reply:Originally Posted by snowbirdYeah yeah...they always say that.I think you did a fine job, meticulously executed. I wonder why you did not weld completely the teeth supports, was that a spec to go by ?Attachment 946461
Reply:Originally Posted by Todd496I have seen some  bigger buckets with weld missing on the bottom. I don't understand way.
Reply:[QUOTE=sbchp355;5147251]No problem, my pleasure. If you like this check out some buckets done by Adams Welding he's a member here and appears to be a wizard with these things. "really nice work"           First off Thanks for the props.I have done a few  as many of you here know that follow my threads.If your gonna do these a lot and want to be known as the go to guy for this type of work lose the stinger and rod.Wire feeder is where it's at 100 times faster time is money.If you got the amps I mean big amps 350-375 run dual shield 1/16.your tb should handle innershield at 5/64dia. if not .068Nr-232 Would be my choice.Dual I run Ultracore 71A85.I weld shanks fully that spot you left I run a single pass just to seal it shut.Good luck looks ok not gonna start rippin at your work.
Reply:[QUOTE=admswelding;5157811] Originally Posted by sbchp355No problem, my pleasure. If you like this check out some buckets done by Adams Welding he's a member here and appears to be a wizard with these things. "really nice work"           First off Thanks for the props.I have done a few  as many of you here know that follow my threads.If your gonna do these a lot and want to be known as the go to guy for this type of work lose the stinger and rod.Wire feeder is where it's at 100 times faster time is money.If you got the amps I mean big amps 350-375 run dual shield 1/16.your tb should handle innershield at 5/64dia. if not .068Nr-232 Would be my choice.Dual I run Ultracore 71A85.I weld shanks fully that spot you left I run a single pass just to seal it shut.Good luck looks ok not gonna start rippin at your work.