955 Bucket Repair

[AllDodge]

Buddy was using my loader and was trying to dig some large rocks out. Now the lower lip has been torn. Also has some cracks along the back cutting edge. Took it to a welding place which seem to have trouble coming up with a price to fix. Asked what was the max, and he even had trouble with that.

Found a bucket on another loader which had caught on fire a few years ago, but it is a smaller bucket then mine (2 yard). I can weld, only issue is I'm not great at it. Appears it will need a lot of heat to get it back into position. Have looked around for another bucket but coming up empty so far.

There is another shop in Tompkinsville KY that might be worth taking it to.

 

[Welder Dave]

I'd check with another shop. It doesn't look like it would take too long to weld it and beef it up but sometimes on repairs there is no way to give an estimate. In your case I think the shop maybe has never done bucket repairs. I think with the right equipment less than half a day to fix and maybe only a couple hours with someone experienced.

 

[AllDodge]

Appreciate the insight

 

[DMiller]

Biggest issue a welder will balk at is the time he will spend trying to get it back in place to make the patch work. There is no way I would guesstimate a time for that. Going to be expensive but cheaper than a bucket.

 

[AllDodge]

Have any thoughts on how I could get it back into position?

 

[RayF]

Have any thoughts on how I could get it back into position?

With the weight of the machine on the tooth get a couple of rosebud torchs on it. Prep the break before it closes up.

 

[Welder Dave]

It looks to me like the cutting edge and teeth are straight and just the crack/gap needs to be paired. If you have to put down pressure on the tooth to hold it straight is OK too. More than power with the machines hydraulics. It might be best to cut a larger section out and make a replacement piece to fit in. Bevel the top side for penetration and after running a pass or 2 grind the backside out into the weld and weld it up for full penetration. You want someone with experience to weld it and I'd use stick rods, maybe something like 8018C-3 because it has 1% nickel to add toughness. It's a common rod for repairing crane booms. Some preheat wouldn't hurt for the cutting edge either. I can't see the cracks in the back of the cutting edge but just grind them out and weld with some preheat.

 

[AllDodge]

Thanks, guess I should have left it on the machine. Only reason to take it off was the local welder said he could do it, but when I brought it in there was a change

 

[Welder Dave]

What do you mean by a change?

 

[Dickjr.]

Bring it up to my nephew. He charges around 50$ an hour.

 

[hetkind]

Heat and pound. The bigger the sledge the better. I would prep the corner first, and identify exactly where the bend it, the teeth don't look so good, and the probably the shanks should come off. I would turn the bucket upside down and brace it. Then find the bend and get that cherry. Rosebuds work fine, as to large propane brushburners. MARK your zones to heat with a soapstone or scratch marks. As for rod, I would just use 7018AC rod, since I have a BIG AC machine.

 

[DMiller]

Nice rod oven, I only have 120v totes but they do well for my uses. Also very nice stick welder, I am getting really spoiled with my DC inverter welder.

 

[hetkind]

Nice rod oven, I only have 120v totes but they do well for my uses. Also very nice stick welder, I am getting really spoiled with my DC inverter welder.

Thanks, it was a very successful auction find...the cost of new leads and wiring on a new 100 amp dedicated circuit was more than the welder and oven!

 

[AllDodge]

He doesn't have the equipment to bend it back into shape. Discussed it further and can repair it if I can get it bent back into position. Will need to take the last shank off. If I get back then he will arc out the weld and build it back up. Says it will take about 3 days and about $800. Still looking for another bucket

 

[hetkind]

He doesn't have the equipment to bend it back into shape. Discussed it further and can repair it if I can get it bent back into position. Will need to take the last shank off. If I get back then he will arc out the weld and build it back up. Says it will take about 3 days and about $800. Still looking for another bucket

I would talk to a different welder, for $800, that should include some new shanks and teeth and edge repair. I have a feeling the scope of the job is not well understood. You want the edge straightened and the corner reinforced. Vendors like ROMAC will sell you a prebent cutting edge to include side cutters and predrilled holes for the shanks. You should be able to find someone locally with experience in this type of work. A used 18" bucket for my JD 9300 backhoe attachment was $750, and it still needed new teeth and some repair. A good used bucket that size will be much higher than repair.

 

[Welder Dave]

I'm not exactly sure what is bent. If it needs heat you need a rosebud. A propane weed burner type torch won't get it red hot. $800 and 3 days is ridiculous. If the shop doesn't have the right equipment, they are NOT the place to take it to. Please explain exactly what is bent. If the cutting edge is bent down, the machine should have enough power to push it straight. If the side is bent out a rosebud would be big help but even a big chain and boomer could pull it back if you added some bracing to the opposite side. Take some more pics. so it's easier to see what exactly is bent. I agree $800 should include a new cutting edge.

 

[hetkind]

A propane brush burner will NOT get you to welding temp, but hot enough to bend. However, they are really good at PREHEAT and save your acetylene and oxygen for final heating to bright cherry. I do blacksmithing in a propane forge and that will get my tool steel to 1500F fairly easily. Perhaps if you can provide a new cutting edge, shanks and teeth to the welder, it would speed the job and bring the cost down. Here is a link to Romac http://www.romacparts.com/

 

[AllDodge]

The local welder is very good and has welded up many things for me in the past and cost has always been reasonable, if not low cost.

Have another welding shop showing up today to get another opinion. Well take some more pics later, but the first pic shows the issue. The edge has been ripped open and it is cracked behind the tooth. The original 1 1/4 thick plate also has a previous patch on the side.

 

[AllDodge]

The other shop said if I get it bent back into position and remove the one tooth they could do it for 250. Guess we will put it back on the machine and give it a go. Need to get a rosebud tip for my victor

 

[DMiller]

Probably layers of old build ups on that corner, not untypical and generally the reason these break as they do. While have it reformed and welded I would seriously dig around on the other corner for any leading up cracks, spray a little primer on it and allow to dry then look closely for hairlines, could catch the other side before gets this far.