Reinforcing mower frame

admin

Yesterday, I was given a mower with a broken frame and engine mount. The owner knew I welded, so he figured maybe I could fix it up. Photos attached show:1) The crack. Several pieces have been un-bolted to reveal the crack, including the fender and a piece of the engine mount.2) My weld. 3/32" 6011 at 75 amps. My vertical up is pretty poor to start with, never mind when I'm kneeling over, looking down on the puddle instead of at it from the side. Normally, I wouldn't work so far outside of my own envelope, but I figure, well, free riding mower, so what have I got to lose? Just get it stuck together already.3) After grinding the excess metal off the weld. I can still see some remnant of the crack, so I'm going to go back and put another bead on it, maybe using something that runs just a little smoother uphill for me, like 7018. Or, heck, TIG it. At least with TIG I can see what I'm doing.Here's my real question: I'm trying to think of ways I could make this stronger, and part of the problem is that I don't want to put a reinforcing plate on the side of the frame. One reason is that there are other things that bolt on there that expect it to be flush. A second reason is that I have heard you're not supposed to weld vertically across a piece of channel, because it creates stress risers. Since that's basically exactly how this thing broke in the first place, it seems like it's not the best idea to set it up to break that way again.I wonder if this would be a good idea: cut a piece of 1/8" flat stock to fit behind the crack. Then drill 1/2" holes in several places along the crack, put the flat stock behind it, and plug weld through the 1/2" holes. That way the reinforcing plate is on the back and there are not long vertical welds to create stress risers. Also, I could be sure that I had melted back the thin edges of the crack and that the weld was connecting with good, thick metal on both the frame and the reinforcing plate.Any other suggestions y'all might have would be welcome. Attached ImagesEverlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:PS: y'all should see the tacks I put on the top section of the frame, where it's flat position. Man. Work of art. I forgot to take pictures, but wow you would be impressed. Flat position, I'm a god.Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:Since you ground it down already, just run another 6011 downhill on the crack to make sure the crack is filled. Grind that down. Bolt things back on. Use it.Its a mower, if it breaks again fix it again. I wouldn't put too much work into something like this unless you plan on selling it. ( Don't repair like this on a car or heavy equipment)Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Can you bolt a piece of angle on top and bottom where the two bolt holes are  ? Drill a few more holes. Add the flat plate on the inside of the channel with longer bolts.
Reply:Man this aint no bolting website! Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveMan this aint no bolting website! Dave J.
Reply:Thanks for the tip on veritical down, SquirmyPug. Don't know if it was that, or just because there wasn't a huge gap to fill, or what, but the second pass looks a lot better than the first. Just sort of raced the front edge of the puddle down the joint. Is it a good weld? Well, it wouldn't pass any tests, but I wouldn't be ashamed to show my face around it in public either.While I was out there, I went ahead and filled up that hole, which I have no idea what it's doing there, and I put a little reinforcing on the bottom of the frame just to thicken it up a little bit. I figure if it breaks again, that's where it'll start, and there's no need to weld on a piece of flat stock or anything when I could just build it up with weld metal. Attached ImagesEverlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwell...I'm trying to think of ways I could make this stronger, and part of the problem is that I don't want to put a reinforcing plate on the side of the frame. ... A second reason is that I have heard you're not supposed to weld vertically across a piece of channel, because it creates stress risers. Since that's basically exactly how this thing broke in the first place, it seems like it's not the best idea to set it up to break that way again.
Reply:Once upon a time, somebody on WeldingWeb posted, asking, basically, "Since TIG is so awesome, why would anybody ever both with stick welding?" This project has really reminded me of that post over and over again. I did some welding on the mower deck today. And yeah, I ground it to shiny metal, but it's a mower deck. There's only so clean it's going to get unless I start grinding out huge chunks of it. No biggie. Fire up 6011 and go to town.I think the guy who made that post must work in a shop, doing fabrication on clean metal.Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwellOnce upon a time, somebody on WeldingWeb posted, asking, basically, "Since TIG is so awesome, why would anybody ever both with stick welding?" This project has really reminded me of that post over and over again. I did some welding on the mower deck today. And yeah, I ground it to shiny metal, but it's a mower deck. There's only so clean it's going to get unless I start grinding out huge chunks of it. No biggie. Fire up 6011 and go to town.I think the guy who made that post must work in a shop, doing fabrication on clean metal.