Plow project... oh boy. (Advice needed/comments welcomed)

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So a month or so ago I picked up a little older Boss RT3 (w/smart hitch 1) 7.5 foot, straight blade, super duty setup. The whole works for 500 dollars. Almost sight unseen. . . I saw it once before I bought it. . . In the rain. . . At a distance. . . And now I play the game. I learned quickly that the mold board was rusted badly...I was going to patch it at first and then I started digging into it abd it was worse then I thought. So I found a place that could roll 14 gauge sheet and ordered a new skin. (I noticed that the old skin was rusted out in the area where the plow is boxed from the backside, which is one of the differences between the standard duty and super duty series) So then I cut off the old skin with my future father-in-laws oxy-acetylene setup.Next post. . .-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...
Reply:So this is where I sit now. Wondering what would be the best way to weld the new skin onto the frame and still ve able to give it lots of support like it had from the factory, but also how to keep it from rusting out longer. Also the frame will be sand blasted before the new skin gets welded on. Whats the best way to weld the new skin back on or how has anyone else done it in the past? This is the biggest project I have taken on welding wise so far. Advice and comments welcomed.-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...Last edited by AMWelder89; 10-16-2013 at 11:50 PM.
Reply:With the backing on it will be tough to get at the center ribs to weld the skin on. Originally they probably added the skin 1st, then the extra backing. Without cutting everything apart, I'd think about using plug welds to reattach the skin in areas you can't get to. I'd carefully mark the location of the ribs on the new skin prior to attachment, then take the slitting wheel and cut slots at the rib locations so you can weld thru the slots to attach the skin to the ribs. Even harder will be clamping the new skin. I'd be tempted to rig up some strong backs bridging top and bottom and then using wedges  or a jack to force the skin tight to the ribs. Option 2 would be to drill holes thru the backing and skin and then use all thread thru both to suck the skin down, but then you will have to patch up all the holes you drill. A slight variant on this would be to weld dogs or all thread to the back of the skin above the backing. You can then use them to pull the skin back to the frame and cut or knock off the all thread later. Down side is it will limit where you can pull. If the skin doesn't fit the frame well in the are covered by the backing between the cutting edge and your "puller", you are back to option #1 anyways...Plow repair sucks! Looks like the blade is fairly straight ( a bonus) and you've done a decent job cutting it apart without a lot of damage from what I can see. If you plan to use this a lot, be sure to add a replaceable cutting edge like what I see in the 1st few picts. I see a lot of guys cheap out on this and the wear away the lower part of the plow. By the time they notice it, the damage is severe and there isn't a good solution often other than a complete ground up rebuild or a new blade. Spend the money on an edge that is taller than the distance between the bolt holes and the existing blade if that makes sense, if possible. "stock" the cutting edge for my Fisher is 6". I managed to get a taller edge designed for bigger highway plows ( it's also 5/8" vs the standard 1/2") so far I've worn almost 2" off the cutting edge. If this was "stock", I'd already have done serious damage to the lower part of the blade since the stock cutting edge barely extends below the bottom of the blade. That or I'd be on my 3rd or 4th cutting edge... Granted I plow streets vs driveways, but we wore out quite a few edges doing parking lots.Personally I'd also look at adding some skirting to the top of the blade as well. My Fishers have the rolled top edges added to them ( Snofoil), but a big chunk of old conveyer belt  actually works better on our big plow or the old Meyers we had. We had to make the belt narrower for the Meyers, but we simply cut it with a coarse blade on the wormdrive and some scrap plywood to help sandwich it so it would stay stiff enough to cut. This keeps the snow off the windshield if it's powdery or if you plow at speed..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:Quit playing with it and take it to the sandblaster.THEN work on it.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Cut the rest of the boxing out. You are more than half way there. Then do not put it back on but get some flat stock(say 1/4" x 4") and make a criss cross pattern with the flat stock on edge welded to the new skin as well as the existing ribs. This may take some shaping of the flat stock to get the curve.Kind of like fisher does with their stainless X blades. You may have to put some tabs somewhere for mounting points. This will prevent the entrapment of moisture, this is most likey what rusted it in the first place.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:if you're going to cut out the boxing and put in the X rib pattern, it may be in your best interest to have the new ribs cut out with a CNC plasma to account for the curve. just a though. More money, but will save SERIOUS headaches.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:There's only two small spots on the boxes that are rusted badly. 7A749 I've read a few threads where you have mentioned plow repair and the main thing I got out of it was that plow repair sucks haha. DSW I actually got a few dogs made up. Made them about a year ago in anticipation of running into something like this. I was looking at the mold board frame and I'm realizing that its gonna be hard to weld it back onto the frame itself. DSW what do you mean by a slitting wheel? I feel ignorant not knowing what you're talking about and I would hare to guess wgat it is and be wrong. Are you talking about thin cutting wheel or something else?7A749, I've been observing the pivot points and I'm thinking those will need some work too. Thanks for the link. I'm gonna need it. I'll for sure be taking it to tge blaster. Thanks guys.-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...
Reply:By slitting wheel I'm talking about the thin wheels that fit on a grinder. They come in a couple of thicknesses but for slicing thru steel to make cuts, I usually use the thinner ones. They also sell smaller similar wheels that can be used on a die grinder. This would give you a longer weld length than say simply drilling holes with a drill for spot welds..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:Originally Posted by DSWBy slitting wheel I'm talking about the thin wheels that fit on a grinder. They come in a couple of thicknesses but for slicing thru steel to make cuts, I usually use the thinner ones. They also sell smaller similar wheels that can be used on a die grinder. This would give you a longer weld length than say simply drilling holes with a drill for spot welds.
Reply:Thanks for the advice haha. I'm going to learn a lot from this and I'm not gonna cut any corners if I can help it. I plan on making this plow last quite a while. I take a lot of pride in my work. I have somewhat of a limited selection of tools but most times can get my hands on anything I need. As for a replacment cutting edge I plan on running one like what was already there. I need all the suggestions and guidance I can get. Hopefully in a few days my replacement mold board will be ready to be oicked up. I found a place in the next town over that could roll it. They could only roll pieces up to five foot so I had them roll two three and a half foot pieces and plan on welding them completely together after I know exaclty what I'm going to be doing on this.-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...
Reply:One other possible option Steve on the cutting edge. I got mine from my local supplier who sells cutting edges, teeth and corner protectors to quarries, contractors and most of the local municipalities. He stocks prepunched AR type edges in various sizes that fit most plows. My blade just also happened to match the same size and punch pattern that's used on the bigger commercial highway blades, but they also had some for smaller blades as well in different thicknesses and heights, but selection was more limited.I also added corner protectors to my newer 10' Fisher. The 9' one was prepunched for the corner guards, but the 1' one wasn't. It wasn't really all that hard to drill out the edge and backer to add one more hole so I could use the corner protector. Actually the square wedged itself in the round drilled hole pretty well and worked just like the standard square punched holes. The bolts are scrap after you use them once anyways and we just cut them for removal. I've had nuts back off, so I usually either peen over the threads after installing the lock nuts, or tack weld them on. We ride the curbs hard, so I put quite a bit of wear on the corners without the protectors. I will say they aint cheap at almost $90 each last time I had to buy one. Luckily the old township manager would often give us corner protectors if we destroyed on in a storm, so I only needed to buy a few now and then. $90 is still stupid cheap compared to the damage of not having them and having to rebuild the plow edge.This thread reminds me I need to start working on the plow for the 250 again. With the 550 down for who knows how long, that only leaves me with the small truck to plow with..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:The cutting edge that came on the plow when I git it actually has quite a bit of life left in it. May run it again. We'll see.Otherwise Boss will probably be my source for cutting edges.-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Be sure to post up pix when you get it back together.
Reply:I got the skins from the fabrication shop. I haven't got the frame to the sand blaster yet. My girlfriend and I have been busy moving and putting the house we were in up for sale (wasn't big enough for what's on the way  ). I have some pictures, but it appears Tapatalk photos have been disabled by the forum administrator. They did a good job on the skins as far as I can tell as of now. I'll try uploading them later on.-Patsent from somewhere in Minnesota...
Reply:Originally Posted by AMWelder89My girlfriend and I have been busy moving and putting the house we were in up for sale (wasn't big enough for what's on the way).
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Cool man. Look forward to seeing it all done.Just got word the The Plow From Hell will be returning to me soon for more work. I told him I wouldn't mind doing it, but since I'm working up at the farm pretty regular now, I'm not doing it for straight trade. Prolly be doing the tower & moldboard.Oh boy!
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Yeah, I'll take plenty of pix! That moldboard is lookin good man!!