AR550 Any good ?

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I have a chance to get some armor plate.... 1/4" thick AR550I googled it and it only talks about its ability to shed off bullets at the gun range.Well, is it good for anything else, like in a work shop ? Can it weld good ? I take that it would be a pain in the rear to saw or drill right, says its hardened through..Please help me learn about this stuff before I say yes on it...
Reply:sounds pretty cool, wish i was closer to ya. i wouldnt mind having a piece kickin around -NateMiller Trailblazer 302gMiller Spoolmatic 30aLN-25 x 2Idealarc SP200Hypertherm Powermax 600
Reply:You can work it go here http://www.hardox.com/upload/Documen...uk_v1_2004.pdfRV.
Reply:Thank you for that info....... I worked with manganese steel that was used in a roto blast at my last job.. from time to time they would pull me from welding to go in and help repair the blast..I'd need cemented carbide drill bits, and find out what welding rods would be best, we just used 7018 rods in the blast and alot of the welds got cracks in them but was told as long as the plates didnt move thats all that was needed..........lol
Reply:Originally Posted by \\NV.Welding//sounds pretty cool, wish i was closer to ya. i wouldnt mind having a piece kickin around
Reply:It would be useful for jobs/tasks that need its hardness and/or abrasion-resistance (from its hardness).Construction equipment that needs abrasion resistance (buckets, scoops, quarry equipment, dump bodies, cutting edges on eguipment, that sort of thing), or shooting range targets.  Like it says in the above PDF.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:You need low alloy filler metal for welding that sort of steel.  Think 90 - 110 KSI rods.  They should be lo-hy as well.  E9018 or E11018 would work.  IF you can get it, buy one of these fillers with 1 or 2% nickel, as this will better match the composition of the plate; assuming what you have is this hardox grade of steel.1/4" is pretty thin, but even so I'd pre-heat it to 200-300F before welding it. Get the joint to at least 212F in order to drive off any water.   Keep that for an interpass temperature.  Slow cool the weld in still air.Hopefully you can flame or plasma cut your parts, as sawing or machining that stuff will be a nightmare.The major welding filler metal suppliers make gas and self-shielded fluxcore wires in these strength ranges as well.  If you're going to use GMAW or FCAW to weld instead of stick(SMAW)... Originally Posted by mikestrikesThank you for that info....... I worked with manganese steel that was used in a roto blast at my last job.. from time to time they would pull me from welding to go in and help repair the blast..I'd need cemented carbide drill bits, and find out what welding rods would be best, we just used 7018 rods in the blast and alot of the welds got cracks in them but was told as long as the plates didnt move thats all that was needed..........lol
Reply:The AR stands for abrasive resistance.Go hot, or go home!
Reply:OK if all goes well I'm getting 4 sheets of 4'x4'x1/4" of this AR550.Now can I weld this stuff to my 3/8"x2"x2" Angle Iron frame with Mig wire ?
Reply:back in the early 90's my dad went to the FMC auction in santa Clara and bought 12,000 Lbs of  6'x10'1/4" inch plate for $800 buckswell he gets it all back to the shop and gets the first sheet up on the shear starts to bring down the blade and it Dead stops his 1/4"x10 Atlantic shear.   Turns out it was AR550 without the cert's and labels on it.   he ended up selling the whole lot to a guy in Arizona for $0.32 LB. that used it to armor up rock buckets for digging in desert.   It ended up messing up the cutting edge on the blades something mean.   we ended up having to flip them over then the top blade cracked a couple months later.Hard stuff!  wears like nothing else though.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Well he''l bring his plasma when he brings the metal so I'll get him to cut it before he leaves....I did order a Carbide end mill as I plan on making a few small parts with whats left over...Man I wish I had a plasma cutter............. I wonder if he will miss his