A bit of advice needed: Bucket touchup

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My skid steer bucket is wearing a bit along the cutting/scraping edge, and a bit worse at the edges where the blade meets the bucket sidewall.  Based upon what I've read here, the SOP looks to be: 1) Fill/buildup the larger voids (edges) with mild steel.2) Hardsurface along the cutting/wearing edge. 3) Grind/cleanup the built up edge back to it's original shape.I plan to buildup the voids using GMAW, mild steel wire.The hardsurfacing is where I will need three things:1) Advice regarding electrode selection. (Miller Bobcat 225 is the power source)2) Practice. And more practice.3) Application advice. (stinger movement, puddle control, etc)Also, if my current plan has flaws, or is just plain wrong, please speak up. I would like to address this problem before it becomes a large problem.Thanks to all in advance!!-andy-
Reply:The first three you pretty much have down pat. Personally I wouldn't be bothered grinding back to the origonal shape as it's going to wear anyway but that's just me.As for applying hard surfacing you don't want an excessive amount of heat as you'll end up diluting the hardsurfacing material with the bucket material. Any bucket I've hardfaced I rund the beads perpendicular to the line of travel. By doing that the ridges formed will hold the dirt, sand and it'll act, to a small degree, as a wearing surface.Same if you end up applying wear strips, put them side to side so the vallet formed between them will hold whatever product you're dealing with.Just my thoughts no doubt someone else will have other ideas....Mike
Reply:If you're running stick electrode, McKay hardalloy 32 can be used to build up the areas worn away.  Then followup with Hardalloy 140 for the hardfacing layers.  hardalloy 600 will also work for the hardfacing beads.Mckay makes FCAW equivalents to most stick electrodes as well.  For buildup use Tube Alloy Build Up-G, and for hardfacing use Vertiwear 600 or Tube Alloy 255-G.Stoody and Lincoln also make similar products.  I've welded with some of them.  I know for a fact that the Vertiwear 600 is very easy to run and weld in flat, horiztonal or vertical up positions.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:I just did a job using Stoody hardsurfacing rod.  It runs beautiful stringers and can be used in flat or horizontal positions.  The slag peels so nicely that i was blowing it off with compressed air.
Reply:Originally Posted by RedneckJazzMy skid steer bucket is wearing a bit along the cutting/scraping edge, and a bit worse at the edges where the blade meets the bucket sidewall.  Based upon what I've read here, the SOP looks to be: 1) Fill/buildup the larger voids (edges) with mild steel.2) Hardsurface along the cutting/wearing edge. 3) Grind/cleanup the built up edge back to it's original shape.I plan to buildup the voids using GMAW, mild steel wire.The hardsurfacing is where I will need three things:1) Advice regarding electrode selection. (Miller Bobcat 225 is the power source)2) Practice. And more practice.3) Application advice. (stinger movement, puddle control, etc)Also, if my current plan has flaws, or is just plain wrong, please speak up. I would like to address this problem before it becomes a large problem.Thanks to all in advance!!-andy-
Reply:Excellent info, thanks to all! No holes in the bucket for bolts. A-Dab, that wire sounds like the ticket.  My local welding supplier lists McKay products on their website. I'll call them today and see what they have in stock. I'm (barely) OK with stick, but if I can wire feed the job, I'll be more comfortable with it.  Thanks again guys!-andy-