Excavator Stuff (pic heavy)

admin

Too cold to dig, no snow to plow... I have been welding the past two weeks to keep busy and make a little extra money. Now I am working on one of our buckets... Been a lot of fun!! All comments, questions and constructive criticism welcome!! First we have a shank i replaced, original was broken... This bucket was off an older 60 sized machine and was a mess!! I couldn't get down to good material and the original cutting edge was non existent... I'm pretty sure this thing was made 75% of bad welds... Did the best I could.Next is a cracked shank I gouged and repaired for a bucket off a 160 size excavator.Next is the pressure head off an Indeco hoe-ram, was cracked and leaking hydraulic oil... Gouged the crack out with a plasma cutter, tig welded at around 250 amps and ground... I called indeco for the material information and a weld procedure... They said they have a low success rate with welding cracks in this part of the head but recommend trying it before replacing the part... I am hoping it will hold up, I think I got it pretty good.Next post...Miller Dynasty 300 DXMiller CST280Miller Maxstar 150 STH
Reply:Next is one of the buckets for a machine owned by my family business... New wear bars on the bottom (old wear bars gouged off) side biters and etc... This has been a lot of welding I forgot how long these take... Finishing the sides tomorrow and I'll post some pics.Miller Dynasty 300 DXMiller CST280Miller Maxstar 150 STH
Reply:Nice work. Great cutting skills too. See you're in CT. I grew up in the Fairfield/Southport area but now call the MidWest my home. I still miss the fishing out there though. Cool repair job. Keeping warm with that major preheat time? EricAWS D1.1 Certified SMAW 3G Unlimited, Open Root                             FCAW-G 3G Unlimited, w/BackerCellular Tower Reinforcement Welding on the frozen tundra of the greater Mid-West
Reply:Very impressive!Hobart Champion EliteMiller S-32p 12Lincoln sp175tLincoln 225 ac tombstoneHarris oxy/aceteleneMakita grinders/chopsawHypertherm Powermax 45
Reply:With the Indeco part, it looks like that's one of the tie bolt holes,correct? If so just remember that's where the bolt contacts the housing and having the weld in there may cause you troubles in the future. Are you gonna replace the cutting edge on the cat bucket?
Reply:Originally Posted by Silverado
Reply:Cool ! The picture of the slag coming up is my favorite. Like everything is set balls on ! In the old days when my vision was better I used to knock the slag off with my hanky.
Reply:what rods are you using for the bucket repairs?~1987 Lincoln Sa-200~~1978 Miller Big 40~ (restored) ~and everything inbetween~
Reply:Nice looking work there!Miller 250DX HTP 221 DV AC/DCHenrob O-A Miller 180 MigMiller 150 Inverter   Hobart 10,000 Welder-Generator   Have a good day!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by vwguy3Nice work Sir but .......where's the dime?
Reply:I like your idea of using the torpedo heater for preheat on a large area :-)
Reply:Impressive welds.  Thick thick stuff there.
Reply:Originally Posted by soutthpawPerfect example of "it doesn't need dimes to be a good TIG weld"  Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Reply:Good stuff!
Reply:Thanks for all the compliments guys.The rods are lincoln Excalibur 5/32" 7018 run at about 180 amps with preheat, with a little 1/8 mixed in as well. My cutting skills actually aren't all that great I clean them up a good bit with the grinder. I still have a long way to go with the gas axe... Here is a fresh cut...The pre heat is all that made it bearable... It was about 15 degrees out the whole time I was doing this... And that kerosene heater is 150k btu... Kept that thing at a steady 120 degrees.Here is the finished product... Miller Dynasty 300 DXMiller CST280Miller Maxstar 150 STH
Reply:Everything looks good except (see arrows).If that stuff has CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS in its formula, be danged careful you don't get a whiff of the fumes coming up when you are welding or gouging.I believe that for the most part in the welding you are doing here, that there are not going to be any cracks or voids that can trap some of the solvent, which is the worst case scenario for phosgene gas, but exercise caution any time you are heating, cutting or welding where chorinated cleaning solvents have been used. Attached Images
Reply:Cool! I enjoyed this thread. I learned lots too. Something I noticed with that pic of the fresh cut was you may be holding your torch a little close while you are cutting. Notice the rounded edge at the top of the cut?Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauI think he was referring to Zap's use of a dime in his photos.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerweldEverything looks good except (see arrows).If that stuff has CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS in its formula, be danged careful you don't get a whiff of the fumes coming up when you are welding or gouging.I believe that for the most part in the welding you are doing here, that there are not going to be any cracks or voids that can trap some of the solvent, which is the worst case scenario for phosgene gas, but exercise caution any time you are heating, cutting or welding where chorinated cleaning solvents have been used.
Reply:Originally Posted by Doug247Cool! I enjoyed this thread. I learned lots too. Something I noticed with that pic of the fresh cut was you may be holding your torch a little close while you are cutting. Notice the rounded edge at the top of the cut?
Reply:Originally Posted by SilveradoI have heard that argon and chlorinated solvents can create a gas that will kill you...
Reply:Looks like excellent work to me...nice. tig work tooSent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:First, PLEASE get used to using acetone for cleaning. Someday, you might accidentally grab the wrong can of brake clean and it's too late!!! It's so easy to do, I hope it get's repeated every day here.Beautiful welds man! Ya just gotta love the way 7018 peels, when it's just right!Number 6 tip Man, for that I would have used a 2 maximum. Are you running acetylene?The wear plates, are they mild steel or AR?Very nice work!"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manFirst, PLEASE get used to using acetone for cleaning. Someday, you might accidentally grab the wrong can of brake clean and it's too late!!! It's so easy to do, I hope it get's repeated every day here.Beautiful welds man! Ya just gotta love the way 7018 peels, when it's just right!Number 6 tip Man, for that I would have used a 2 maximum. Are you running acetylene?The wear plates, are they mild steel or AR?Very nice work!
Reply:Awesome, thanks for the tour with pics and electrodes used! Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life MemberNice work dude!   Would like to take the liberty to put a plug in here for Kenco wear products.    We use Kenco wear plates, cutting edges, wear patch and edges on all loaders and asphalt plant wear areas.  [URL=http://www.kencoengineering.com/topics/skidrun.php[/URL]   Typically we get four times the life on edges at the asphalt plants versus a standard CAT edge.   However they do cost about 2x's as much.   If you make your money rebuilding buckets forget i brought it up.   But, if you make your money running equipment consider checking them out.   Any tungsten carbide impregnated piece they offer will give you more than 4 times the life of AR 400.   They didn't pay me to say this either.   Nice, neat , clean job.   It will advertise for you.
Reply:Example of Kenco wear patch.   Very easy to weld on.Last edited by Excalibur; 03-05-2014 at 09:59 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by ExcaliburExample of Kenco wear patch.   Very easy to weld on.
Reply:Were you using acetylene? I can get some GREAT cuts on 1" with propane, just sayin......."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manWere you using acetylene? I can get some GREAT cuts on 1" with propane, just sayin.......
Reply:Originally Posted by SilveradoYes I was using acatelyneEdit: how does propane work? Is the whole torch different? Just the tips? Regulator?