Used 16" bucket for Case 580C

[outlawspeeder]

I pick up a 16" no teeth bucket for my 580. It looks like it has had a couple of cutting edges welded on over the years. The rest of the bucket is in good shape. My plan is to cut of the three layers of cutting blades. Right now the leading edge of the cutting edge is 2 inches. I haven got to cutting yet so there might still be a surprise but for $150 ...

My question: How thick of a cutting edge should I weld on.
I can order 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 inch shipping is free. Unless some has a better thought??




https://www.vevor.com/bucket-cuttin...tVtkvwyv3tmf-BjlqjGcg07zpRIGWp0BoCK5wQAvD_BwE

 

[Coy Lancaster]

The 1/2" should be thick enough but that's up to what you want.

 

[Welder Dave]

1/2" should be plenty only 16" wide and being thinner should cut/dig a little easier.

 

[outlawspeeder]

Thanks I was planning 1/2" but if someone said thicker... Thanks again. I plan on starting the old cut out this weekend.

 

[franklin2]

Is this as simple as it sounds, just conventional cutting torch and weld? I thought so till I was watching a guy on you tube fixing a very large tooth bucket.

He was not using a cutting torch, he was using this very large rod and burning the metal away. I asked a professional welder where I work why he would do that, and he said is was for control, to burn away what you want without damaging the part of the bucket you want to keep.

Then this guy on you tube was using a flux wire welding wire WITH shielding gas at the same time. Something about the metals used in some of this heavy equipment are not normal but are alloys that can tend to crack after welding if you do not use the correct welding materials.

Maybe what I was watching was the big stuff, and it doesn't apply to the smaller equipment?

 

[92U 3406]

Most of what we weld is done with fluxcore wire and C25 gas. Makes an absolute beautiful weld IMO.

 

[Welder Dave]

Carbon arc gouging is the preferred method to remove old welds or large amounts of material. It can be much faster than a cutting torch and in the hands of an experienced user, very precise. Gouging is great for cutting into welds to find internal flaws. Small cracks, slag inclusions and lack of fusion can often be seen easier than even grinding. The biggest thing to remember with gouging is to always grind the surface prior to welding so you don't get any extra carbon into the weld that would weaken it.
Different alloys require different welding procedures. It typically doesn't matter if you use stick or flux-core. What matters is if it requires preheat and the correct filler metal is used. Some high strength weldments don't want solid wire Mig used as the process. A lot of welders, especially older ones will default to stick welding when they want something to have the absolute most strength. It's tried and proven and less to go wrong. It can be done indoors and outdoors without requiring any special wind screens or tents to keep oxygen out of the weld. Obviously need to keep out of the rain or snow.

 

[Welder Dave]

Is this as simple as it sounds, just conventional cutting torch and weld? I thought so till I was watching a guy on you tube fixing a very large tooth bucket.

He was not using a cutting torch, he was using this very large rod and burning the metal away. I asked a professional welder where I work why he would do that, and he said is was for control, to burn away what you want without damaging the part of the bucket you want to keep.

Then this guy on you tube was using a flux wire welding wire WITH shielding gas at the same time. Something about the metals used in some of this heavy equipment are not normal but are alloys that can tend to crack after welding if you do not use the correct welding materials.

Maybe what I was watching was the big stuff, and it doesn't apply to the smaller equipment?

Cutting torch is fine if you don't have an Air Arc gouging torch. A gouging torch needs a fairly large air compressor (22CFM+) and a heavy duty DC welder typically 300amp minimum. It's very loud and throws a big shower of sparks. You have to protect anything around from the spray of sparks and any metal you don't want damaged because any metal that completes the welding circuit will instantly get damaged if the carbon gouging rod contacts it.

 

[outlawspeeder]

I have a 275 TIG (does arc welding too) and the compressor but my plan is to use a plasma torch that has a setting for this. If you ever get a chance to run a plasma torch you will never go back to carbon arc gouging.
To put the new back on, I grind to clean metal. Tack in place using the MIG. My MIG is not big enough get the pentation (but shopping for one) Then 7018 filet welds. Last cover them with hard facing rods.

I can do Air Arc but the rod that is use is made of carbon with cooper cladding that is held in a clap that has air flowing down the rod to push the burnt metal out of the cut. The rod is a consumable and is converted in to very small particles of carbon that can end up in the lungs. You will never see an old worn out carbon arc gouging men. If you do see one, they are wear a welding helmet with a fresh air supply.

 

[Welder Dave]

Respirators are a definite with gouging. I've tried a plasma gouger. Was nice at lower amps but requires quite a bit more practice on higher settings. On big thick sections the air arc is king. Plasma gouging is good for precision not bulk material removal.
Interesting just yesterday I was poking around seeing what kind of welding jobs were listed in my area and saw an ad for a full time gouger to remove chromium carbide weld overlay from inside pipe. I was shocked seeing the ad. I worked at a shop that did the initial overlay. The pipe was used to transport slurry in the oil sands. Extremely abrasive. The shop had very good fume extraction for the automatic overlay equipment. There was some manual application using 7/64 open arc wire and some gouging of the overlay. Usually to join elbows together. I can't imagine a full time job gouging, let alone chromium carbide, inside pipe as a 40hr./wk. job. I don't think there's enough pay for anyone with common sense to even apply for that job. They might as well have put on the job listing, looking for someone wanting to drastically reduce their life expectancy. I'll see if I can find the job listing and post it.

Found it: Check this line from the ad out... Can't see how being on drugs would be any more harmful.
"This position has been identified as a safety sensitive position and will require completion of drug and alcohol testing."

Welder (Gouger) - ClearStream Energy Services (monster.ca)

 

[92U 3406]

I can't believe in this day and age that there are still folks out there who don't use some kind of respiratory protection. Even if I'm just tacking up a few pieces I throw on a mask with P100 cartridges on it. I might weld an hour every other month so an Adflo setup is a little overkill. If I did it full time that's the first thing I'd be buying.

 

[Welder Dave]

Even with an Adflo system and fans, inside pipe gouging chromium, I'd be curious what kind of pay they are offering. If they're only paying standard apprentice and journeyman rates not worth it. It's not worth it if they're paying 3 times the going welder's rates. Unbelievable amounts of smoke and fumes. I doubt they'll fill the position anytime soon. I'd guess the welders currently in the shop don't want to do it. Chromium is a known cancer-causing carcinogen. There were extensive tests done to see how harmful the welding trade is and the results were so bad they were never released. A 2nd set of tests was done and the results were supposed to be released but again were so bad they were kept under wraps.