Face shovel clam rebuild

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This one is pretty straight forward with the exception of the outside hinge ear that is twisted about and inch, you can see in the third and fourth pics that the outside ear is twisted in on the bottom and out on the top, it looks like the pin walked out at one point and the cylinder bent the ear.  I think I can get "creative" and bend it back.  The material is about 3 inches thick.  I have replaced 2 of the entire castings on different dippers  in the past but they are very expensive and Takes a heap of time to fit it properly and weld it on. Attached Images6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Mor pics of the face shovel clam. Attached Images6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Some pics of 3 bucket links that I "rescued" out of the scrap bin and am rebuilding.  (using the "baby" Climax on this one) Attached Images6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:thank you for the pictures.  What wire do you use on something like that?  What grade of steel?  I am always amazed at how large those things are.  It was watching a mud motor being built out of 4 and 6 inch plate that convinced me that sometimes stick welding just has it's limitations.  If they built it using stick then production times would be radically different.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott Youngthank you for the pictures.  What wire do you use on something like that?  What grade of steel?  I am always amazed at how large those things are.  It was watching a mud motor being built out of 4 and 6 inch plate that convinced me that sometimes stick welding just has it's limitations.  If they built it using stick then production times would be radically different.
Reply:I have run miles of the esab 7100 and love that wire.  I ran the 052 and 045.  you can lay a mean amount of metal with it.  Once your guys get good at watching gas coverage, They won't want to go back.
Reply:I only run dual shield myself.  You couldn't pay me to run wire without a C02 shielding gas.  If you use the Victor SR-311 High Flow regulator, your life will be made easy.  They ain't cheap, but they are the ONLY way to go.  Even in high windy conditions, you can weld without porosity.
Reply:I'd like to know your progress and solution on that clam ear Expat.I got stuck on something years ago and we resorted to a strongback and bolt shrink solution. Welded bushings to the splayed part and heated a large stud, then tightened the nuts and let it shrink, again and again. It took a good part of the day.Matt
Reply:I find that the .072 NR-232" runs alot better than the .068"   might give it a try on your next order.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:wow nice workYa gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:I haven't posted for some time now, I recently got handed 32 785 CAT haul trucks with worn out beds, so have been very, very busy.  Anyway here are some after pictures of the bent ear that I fixed, the before pictures are in the original post.  I ended up bending it back about 5 mm, then cut it square on both inside and outside, built it up and re cut it to dimension.  It really was a fun project. Attached Images6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:The facing head got a workout on that one, nice save Expat!BTW, are you folks watching the news over there??? See any flames and smoke to the Northeast...Matt
Reply:Originally Posted by Matt_MaguireThe facing head got a workout on that one, nice save Expat!BTW, are you folks watching the news over there??? See any flames and smoke to the Northeast...Matt
Reply:Very Cool.
Reply:I'm glad it turned out the way it did.  I have replaced 2 of these castings and let me tell you, it really sucksThe circumference is right at 300 inches and the last one I did I put about 20 passes of stainless around it, then had to blend grind the whole thing, then PT it-----big, big, big, job, not to mention only having caveman tools to lift the damn thing and position it, no overhead crane, just a forklift--I'll stop whining now.6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Expat, awesome work.  Thanks for taking your time to share. Originally Posted by Matt_Maguire...I got stuck on something years ago and we resorted to a strongback and bolt shrink solution. Welded bushings to the splayed part and heated a large stud, then tightened the nuts and let it shrink, again and again....Matt
Reply:I always try to bend something back cold first, and usually on something this big it very seldom works so then we have to put some heat to it.  You would think that the amount heat needed to bend something like this would jeprodize the integrity of the part, and it probably does, but after doing this so many times on so many different parts, it seems to work fine.  I have also cut sections out of these things and welded pieces back in, which the OEM's said could not be done, and gotten away with it----many times.  In my line of work you sometimes have to just "do what has to be done to get it back in the dirt"---My usual response to "You can't do that" is "I just did?"  You also need to realize that there are 2 ways to do it, get it DONE, or get it done RIGHT, I try to lean towards the RIGHT way whenever possible.  The day I stop learning about this stuff is the day they start shoveling dirt in my face---something new each and every day and nobody can be an expert in EVERYTHING6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers