Right way to weld a bucket?

[stupadazole]

While pushing a tree with my 943 I stuck a tooth in the tree and sprung my bucket, cracking it along the cutting edge in two places about six inches long back in to the bucket. I also knocked off two welded teeth. I've seen several opinions on how to do it, but I only want to do this once, so who has repaired a bucket with long term success? I've been mig/tig welding for fourty years, but I'll be arc welding this job. Cleaning is a must. Is preheat/postheat necessary? What is the best rod? Will I hurt the tensile strength of the bucket? Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[Fishfiles]

What I would do -----7018 !/8 " rods , vee out weld line before welding no pre heat or post heat

 

[frogfarmer]

With 40 years behind an arc you have me beat but I'll weigh in. You know the routine grind the area clean, vee out the cracks, drill a releif hole at the end of the cracks if they go some where they shouldnt. 7018 will work but isnt as forgiving to the stresses applied to the bucket. Cutting edges are usually thick and can take alot of heat I would use 6011 or 6013 which ever was in stock in 3/16 and run it hot you want a nice wide heat signature into the cutting edge this will soften it up so its not so brittle in the future(more give). Cutting edges have a temper that can make them difficult to weld to. No pre/post heat is needed. When you weld the shanks for the teeth back on make shure you fit them as tight as you can as again they do flex and that is where the failure begins. 1/8 rods will work but I can burn up to 5/16 and usually go for the bigger rods use what you have. Well anyway that my 2 cents.

 

[stupadazole]

With 40 years behind an arc you have me beat but I'll weigh in. You know the routine grind the area clean, vee out the cracks, drill a releif hole at the end of the cracks if they go some where they shouldnt. 7018 will work but isnt as forgiving to the stresses applied to the bucket. Cutting edges are usually thick and can take alot of heat I would use 6011 or 6013 which ever was in stock in 3/16 and run it hot you want a nice wide heat signature into the cutting edge this will soften it up so its not so brittle in the future(more give). Cutting edges have a temper that can make them difficult to weld to. No pre/post heat is needed. When you weld the shanks for the teeth back on make shure you fit them as tight as you can as again they do flex and that is where the failure begins. 1/8 rods will work but I can burn up to 5/16 and usually go for the bigger rods use what you have. Well anyway that my 2 cents.

What I gather from the replies is the bucket is plain old carbon steel. Crank up the welder and burn it in! I'll back it up with copper and give it a go.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

What I gather from the replies is the bucket is plain old carbon steel. Crank up the welder and burn it in! I'll back it up with copper and give it a go.

You likely know but replacement weld in cutting edges are also available.
Ken

 

[jklingel]

You likely know but replacement weld in cutting edges are also available.
Ken

I am pretty sure your cutting edge is T1-type, as A36 and the like would be too soft. Pre and post heating w/ T1-type steels is always recommended, as far as I know. 7018 is a tad higher tensile than 60XX and the flux coating (low hydrogen) is made for the "tougher" alloy steels. I would never weld anything as hard as a cutting edge w/ 60XX if I had 7018 around. Your pre and post heating should not be too localized, either, as that is exactly why you use a torch; the welding heats such a small volume that the weld and base metal shrink at different rates, then crack. You can also peen the weld as it cools, with a chipping hammer, which "pushes the weld out", reducing stress, as it tries to cool and shrink.