Hardfacing mig wire?

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KT Industries has some hardfacing wire in 2 lb spools.  I want to hardface the teeth of a tooth bar that I'm fabricating for my tractor.  There are plenty of other companies that sell hardface mig wire, but it comes in a much larger quantity that I'd ever use the rest of my life.It's .045" diameter flux cored wire, and I have a HH 187.  The Hobart comes with .023, .030 and .035 tips.  Would my machine be able to use the .045 wire if I used a larger tip?
Reply:Yes it can, you can get tips for .045. You might need to check your roller wheel and see which groove you need to use, and at the least, adjust the feeder pressure so you aren't mauling the wire.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Out of ignorance I ask, what is hard face wire? and what is its purpose?
Reply:It is an alloy with wire that will leave an as deposited hardness of some degree. i am not sure but what paulinkansas is describing is probably a high manganese ferrous alloy. What we use (with an automated GTAW unit is a cobalt chrome alloy. Paulinkansas: If you can get the 0.045 drive rolls with te u groove rather than the vee groove wheels, because the hard face metal core/ flux cored wires usually have very soft out shells and they will distort causing feeding problems. You should check your liner diameter, also. make sure the 0.045 will pass thru freely.
Reply:JDH, the teeth on a toothbar are what first come into contact with rocks, sand, gravel etc on a front end loader bucket.  I don't have access to harder steels, just mild steel.  The mild steel will wear away relatively fast when it's used against the above mentioned hard objects.  I don't want to be replacing the tips every few months on my loader.The different kinds of hardfacing material can prevent wear from impact, abrasion, or chemicals; depending on the environment it's used in.Hardsurfacing Flux Core WireType: 55-FC-0Black LabelDescription And Applications: Alloy 55-FC-0 is a multi-purpose hardsurfacing wire. It can be used in a wide range of applications to prevent wear, or repair worn parts. Available Wire Diameters and recommended operating ranges:Dia Amps .045 130-170 No Shielding Gas Required.Alloy Type: High Carbon-Chrome SiliconHardness: Rockwell C54-58Machinability: Non-MachinableTypical Wire Chemistry:C 4.5 Cr 26.0 Mo .60Last edited by paulinkansas; 03-01-2010 at 03:16 PM.
Reply:Paul (in Kansas),In addition to having the correct diameter contact tip (or more correctly, a contact tip with the correct diameter hole in it   ) for the wire diameter being used, you  -probably- also have to change the gun liner to the 0.045 liner.  Don't feel like looking up the specs and part numbers for the HH187, but pretty much all of the 'small' MIG machines have an 0.035 liner as stock.  That stock 0.035 liner can feed 0.023/0.025 solid wire, 0.030 solid or FCAW wire, or 0.035 solid or FCAW wire.  Usually.  YMMV.Double check the fine details on the parameters to run that wire AND the actual availability of the wire in the wire diameter and spool size you are thinking of.  A lot of the 0.045 FCAW hardface wires seem to call for amperages that may be within the realm of the 'small' MIG machines, but the voltages required at those amperages seemed to be higher than (most) of the 'small' machines could deliver.  The voltages at the amperages seemed to be more in the realm of the 250/255-class machines.I went through a similar search about a year ago for some hardfacing wire for a 'small' MIG machine.  Some makers listed a product, but that was actually only available on a semi-made-to-order basis.  As in you had to order a pallet worth of the wire to get the wire diameter and spool size you wanted.  Ouch.The only wire I was finally able to find was some Hobart Brothers McKay Armorwear 0.035 FCAW wire on a 10 lb spool.  http://www.hobartbrothers.com/aboutus/mckay_armorwear/  and http://www.hobartbrothers.com/aboutus/mckay_armorwear/  It's not a 'super' hardface, and was a bit tricky to dial the parameters in compared to solid S-6 wire with C25 gas or Lincoln NR-211-MP FCAW wire, but I think it so far is wearing better than plain mild steel or plain solid or FCAW filler.  The 10 lb spool was about 9 more pounds than I probably wanted.    But I didn't have to worry about running out during the job!    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:One other option would be to just use regular hardface stick rods. Usually they are available in small quantities and a wide variety for differing uses. You'd need a stick machine or need to borrow or rent one. The place near me rents the small gas DC 180 amp stick machines starting at $33 / 2 hrs..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 just ran some .045 lincoln 55 hard facing wire today.  It called for DC+, 350 ipm and 28 volts.  Ran pretty good for hard facing wire.   No gas needed.  It was supposed to be around 125 amps, but was actually 150+ according to the meter on my V350.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Thanks for the Real World Numbers there, David.  0.045 wire diameter, yup an HH187 can do that.125-150 amps, yup an HH187 can do that.350 ipm, yup an HH187 can do that.28 volts at 125-150 amps, Nope an HH187 can't do that AFAIK.OK, I was curious enough to hit the spec sheet for the HH187 http://hobartwelders.com/pdf/spec_sh...andler_187.pdf .  At 150 amps, the machine can push about 21-22 volts or so per the Volt-Amp curve on the spec sheet.  Not enough snot to run that 0.045 FCAW Lincoln hardface wire.  And I kind of doubt the HH187 has enough snot to run that other 0.045 FCAW hardface wire either.  It does have enough snot (volts AND amps) to run the McKay 0.035 FCAW hardface wire though.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Wow, hard facing with a duty cycle, your gonna need some patience unless the job is small.I've already considered it with my 187 and would do it but with .045 wire thats alot of amps, it'll pull your duty cycle way down, make sure the machine is getting plenty of air, it you have an old window air conditioner you might want to consider blowing cold air into the machines cooling intake, it might help it out a bit.HH187Hobart 500i plasma cutterClark 4.5" GrinderDewalt 14" chop saw30 gallom 1.6 hp compressor10 gallon pressure pot sand blasterlots of hand tools
Reply:HTP has hardfacing wire in .035, 8" and 12" spools.http://www.htpweld.com/products/weld...dfacing%20WireHH 187Miller Bluestar1EAHP AlphaTig 200X
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseThanks for the Real World Numbers there, David.  0.045 wire diameter, yup an HH187 can do that.125-150 amps, yup an HH187 can do that.350 ipm, yup an HH187 can do that.28 volts at 125-150 amps, Nope an HH187 can't do that AFAIK.OK, I was curious enough to hit the spec sheet for the HH187 http://hobartwelders.com/pdf/spec_sh...andler_187.pdf .  At 150 amps, the machine can push about 21-22 volts or so per the Volt-Amp curve on the spec sheet.  Not enough snot to run that 0.045 FCAW Lincoln hardface wire.  And I kind of doubt the HH187 has enough snot to run that other 0.045 FCAW hardface wire either.  It does have enough snot (volts AND amps) to run the McKay 0.035 FCAW hardface wire though.
Reply:another option is to purchase or find some wear plates that are made to weld to buckets and ground engaging tools. These plates are alot faster than wire or rods.
Reply:It looks like the HH 187 doesn't have enough snot to handle the .045 hardface wire.  I'll look around and try to find some .035 hardface wire in a smaller quantity (like around 2 lbs).  Thanks you everyone for your help, especially to you Greyhorse and Moonrise.
Reply:I have an application where a small bit of hard-facing would be ideal.  I never considered it until now, because I thought it would be beyond the capabilities of my 180A welder.  Anyway, I know that hard-facing is generally not machinable, but can you at least grind it?  If it's going to work, I will need to shape the weld at least a little bit.Tim
Reply:You can grind it, but can't drill it.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Has anyone used the .35 wire successfully on tractor buckets?  I want to hardface my bucket on my loader and on my BobCat.  Both are used for snow removal and get a LOT of use.  I also am thinking about hardfacing my chains.  The loader chains are like $1000 each tire!!If you have used the .35 hardface wire.... please post how it went on and how it held up.Thanks