Box Grader repair

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I got my welder because I wanted to do some repairs myself instead of paying someone or bumming off one of my neighbors and this is my first repair attempt.As you can see from the photos, the box grader is broken at the welds in two places and the arms are bent.  I hit a stump with it while backing up.  I've already moved the top pieces that were bolted on out of the way and I've broken those little 45 braces off that are welded on in the picture.  I'm in the process of straightening out the bent pieces and will grind down the old welds and attempt to weld it back.I'm planning on using flux core wire and my Pro Mig 180 to do the job.  Any help appreciated. Attached ImagesLincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:Clean everything well with the grinder and bevel the top of the 45 deg brace so you get good penetration on the joint. Crank up the heat and wire and burn it in well and you should be good..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:I straightened and cleaned everything up and finished the repair.  I'd like some critique on the welds.  I stayed on high heat but varied the wire feed between 4 and 7.  I never did hear the frying egg sound like I did on the smaller stuff I practiced with. (I didn't have anything this heavy to practice on before trying the repair) Also this was the first flux core welding I've done since I got the welder. Anyway, the welds on the original job were really sloppy and the ones I broke to get the small brace off broke easily; I think these will hold but I'm not really satisfied with them. But the good thing about it is if they break I can redo them. Attached ImagesLincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:Well when comparing the factory weld (yellow) to your repair weld, I'd say you should be very pleased.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Well when comparing the factory weld (yellow) to your repair weld, I'd say you should be very pleased.
Reply:looks good..get your biggest hammer and hit  it as hard as you can...
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadlooks good..get your biggest hammer and hit  it as hard as you can...
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWI think thats how he broke it in the 1st place... When the machine hammered it into the stump.
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Well when comparing the factory weld (yellow) to your repair weld, I'd say you should be very pleased.
Reply:Originally Posted by GWDI'd be tempted to tie in that bottom weld in the photo that duaneb55 touched up. Looks like a couple of passes should do it. Good practice anyway.My choice would be to stick weld farm equipment but that's just me. With the proper prep MIG works.
Reply:Note and reminder:Lincoln's Innershield NR-211-MP fluxcore wire (the 'common' Lincoln FCAW wire that comes in the package with their 'small' wire-feed welders and is commonly available in many stores) has a listed  workpiece thickness limitation (right from Lincoln) of 5/16 inch MAX in the 0.035 and 0.045 wire sizes.I can't tell from your pics how thick those pieces of steel are.  Next, although your welds look generally more consistent than the factory welds  , I can't tell if that is some porosity in the welds or just some really-really-really agressive slag removal with the pick end of a weld's hammer.  Although usually the slag from NR-211 comes off with a quick wire brushing and doesn't need to be beat on to come off (usually more of a 'dust' than a thick hard glassy slag coating that needs to be hammered on anyway).Surface porosity is one sign that the voltage used was too high for the WFS setting.Practice, and watch the puddle (not the arc) as you weld.Last edited by MoonRise; 01-10-2011 at 11:58 AM.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Stump?You didnt hit the steering wheel did you? OUCH! Yours look much better than the factorys. And I dont have a clue what Im doing. This is the same reason I got my welder was to build repair my own stuff. I thin its fun, and I spent al day yesterday building bracets for my loader project on my garden tractor.
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseNote and reminder:Lincoln's Innershield NR-211-MP fluxcore wire (the 'common' Lincoln FCAW wire that comes in the package with their 'small' wire-feed welders and is commonly available in many stores) has a listed  workpiece thickness limitation (right from Lincoln) of 5/16 inch MAX in the 0.035 and 0.045 wire sizes.I can't tell from your pics how thick those pieces of steel are.  Next, although your welds look generally more consistent than the factory welds  , I can't tell if that is some porosity in the welds or just some really-really-really agressive slag removal with the pick end of a weld's hammer.  Although usually the slag from NR-211 comes off with a quick wire brushing and doesn't need to be beat on to come off (usually more of a 'dust' than a thick hard glassy slag coating that needs to be hammered on anyway).Surface porosity is one sign that the voltage used was too high for the WFS setting.Practice, and watch the puddle (not the arc) as you weld.
Reply:Originally Posted by Vince_o  Stump?You didnt hit the steering wheel did you? OUCH! Yours look much better than the factorys. And I dont have a clue what Im doing. This is the same reason I got my welder was to build repair my own stuff. I thin its fun, and I spent al day yesterday building bracets for my loader project on my garden tractor.