Another bucket job

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My neighbor down the road, who is a supervisor for a construction co., also owns his own Bobcat. He is real good about doing favors for people around here with his Bobcat. He never asks anything in return, he's just a nice guy. A few months ago he brought it down and scraped out a long level spot for me and spread a bunch of sand for me to put eight water tanks on for my 24,000 gallon rain water collection system. It is some serious rocky ground too. He refused any money, even for fuel. I've done him favors before and he lets me have about any thing out of his metal pile. He has a huge metal pile, even though he doesn't weld. He started talking about making a rock bucket for the skid steer out of an old bucket some one had given him. He wanted to be able to get the rocks out of his field with it. I told him I'd do it but had never built one. He said he knew how and had all the metal needed. I figured it would take most of a day. Boy was I wrong.Here's the start, all drawn out and ready to start cutting. Attached Images
Reply:It didn't take long before I knew I was in for a long haul. The bottom of the bucket was two layers thick. A torch won't cut through two layers of steel with even a little air in between so I had to cut through the top layer and pry it out and then cut the next layer and beat it out. I hate hearing people calling a torch a gas ax as it can be a precision cutting tool, but in this case that was about the proper name. And under the first layer was a bunch of rust and crap that had to be cleaned up so I could cut the next layer. Cutting alone took the better part of a day. Attached Images
Reply:It came out just like he wanted it as he was really tickled with it. It took the better part of two days, about twice as long as I thought. I felt like I owed him for his help and he assured me that he owed me. That's the kind of neighbors you don't mind helping out. Attached Images
Reply:nice work. and thats what friends are for.
Reply:Looks good. Only concern is the layered part that is left is going to get destroyed in a hurry. I know from experience Digging rock out of fields.Millermatic DVIMillermatic 251Older buzz box Cheap 120 welder
Reply:Even though it will be a pain in the butt, I'd say you really-really-really should weld all the layers of the bucket together.Two layers of material laying on top of one another are only ever so slightly stronger than just one layer.  Tie the two layers together and make them into one layer and you now have made it ~2 times as strong as before.  (exact strength increases depend on the exact physical layout and the load/weight conditions)  Think of the strength of a piece of plywood compared to a couple of pieces of thin veneer just laying on top of one another.Another reason to welds all the layers together is to cut down on them rusting into nothingness from in between the layers.  Another 'improvement' might be to add cross-piece angle iron tying the remains of the bucket bottom plate into those angle-iron  strips.  Lots of cutting and fitting and welding to do that though.  Not a 5 minute welding job.    Whether it would be need or not would depend on the digging conditions and the amount of usage the bucket will get.For taking on the project and neighbors helping one another out, a great big   The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I agree with welding the 2 plates together. With buckets dirt will get forced between the layers and act as a big wedge to spit things apart. This only becomes worse in winter when the dirt gets wet, then freezes, really craking up the wedge factor. I've seen much heavier steel than that sheet bent all the he11 from the "dirt wedge".I think I might have run that angle out onto the shanks myself to tie in to more of the cutting edge. But I'm used to guys who believe "If you aren't breaking it, you're not using the machine hard enough".It is nice to see guys helping other out with trades and so on. I wish more people would operate this way regularly. Good job. .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 was thinking it would have been easier to have used some heavy flat bar and just cut the whole thing out and build it all new. I know it would have been quicker.Aeromax Service Truck w/ 6,000lb Crane to carry my toys.Miller Trailblazer 302'69 Lincoln SA-200A couple of Victor Jr's to make big pieces smaller..........
Reply:Cutting out the top layer is what I'd like the scarfing tip for.The only drawback to the scarfing tip is it uses more oxy than a reg cutting tip unless it's a #4 or larger. Then use the reg tip to cut the bottom layer. That's a nice looking job. I just hope someone doesn't try to do a bunch of ripping and tearing with it. Not saying your work is weak you did a good job of making it as strong as you could, you just don't have what it had for stress on the teeth.                               MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw