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Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Can Road Grader Blades Be Welded ???
- - By osculate Date 07-27-2004 14:39
Greetings... I hope someone will take mercy and try at assist someone (me) who doesn't know much about metal and welding. I'd like to attach an old road grader blade to the leading edge of an old skid-steer bucket but can't seem to figure out, if even possible, what rod to use.
Note: Thought it might be easier to weld directly instead of going the bolt on route... maybe this is wrong. Also only have personal use of AC welder. Thanks be to anyone who might give some suggestions.
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 07-27-2004 16:38
I have used E7018 AC rods and welded on a new wearbar and teeth on a bucket for a frontend loader. This was to repair where I destroyed the corner of the bucket prying up stumps (I ripped the corner teeth off and tore the bucket). There maybe rods (8018?) that will work better for wear resistance, but this repair has held up for years since.
John Wright
Parent - By BillM (*) Date 07-27-2004 18:29
It can be done, I suggest 7018 rod its a good all around rod and will do the job. Sounds like you just want to replace the cutting edge of the bucket so this should work fine.

Bill
Parent - By 357max (***) Date 07-27-2004 20:51
Suggestions, Use a E7018AC and tack that blade in place (use several tacks on both sides) and then use a back step weld technique and also alternating each side of the blade. This should keep and pull the blade straight with minimum warpage or distortion.
Parent - - By the hat Date 07-27-2004 23:29
Most grader blades are curved which means you won't be able to get a good tight fit.Replacement blades for a small bucket like you have can be bought for about $7.00-8.00 per foot.
Parent - - By ajoy (**) Date 07-28-2004 10:39
Metals of unknown composition or lower weldability can be welded with autenitic stainless steel E 309 type or nickel based E NiCrFe-2 type electrodes. These electrodes perform better if the blades are of medium carbon/alloy steels. Remember to preheat the blades well to avoid cold cracking.

The above is just for joining. In case you want to protect any part from abrasion, you can use air hardening surfacing electrodes from Stoody or Castolin. Get in touch with their reps. to select the alloy.
Parent - By osculate Date 07-29-2004 14:31
Thank you "ajoy" (and others) for your response. I'm hoping you might consider offering some more help? I did try the 7018 as some suggested but the welds all pulled/popped out of the grader blade after only just a few minutes of use (abuse?). Was this pulling out what you refer to as cold cracking? Or is cold cracking the crack down the middle of the weld that I remember happening years ago. Do you think the E309 rod you mentioned will eliminate the "pulling out" problem and when I heat do I try to heat the whole blade or just small sections at a time welding that section and moving to the next? Up until now I've only tried a butt joint. Should that be okay or should I be trying a lap joint instead maybe? Thank you for whatever you care to offer. Sincerely, R. Smith
Parent - - By osculate Date 07-29-2004 14:38
Thank you all for your responses. I'm hoping someone might consider offering some more help? I did try the 7018 as some suggested but the welds all pulled/popped out of the grader blade after only just a few minutes of use (abuse?). Is this because the wrong rod might have been used or maybe my technique was wrong instead? Do I need to preheat? Something? Or maybe try a E309 rod as "ajoy" suggests? Up until now I've only tried a butt joint. Should that be okay or should I be trying a lap joint instead maybe? As far as buying a replacement blade... I'm cheap and would like to try one of the blades I already have. Thank you for whatever you care to offer. Sincerely, R. Smith
Parent - By RonG (****) Date 07-29-2004 15:03
The wear blade is heat treated and very hard. Your weld shrinks and pulls at it, it won't give so the weld pulls loose. 309 will do the same but will take a little longer.

Preheat the area where you intend to weld (no less than 400'). Heat a large enough area to prevent your weld from quenching or have some one standing by to add heat as soon as you finish. Hold the preheat for a few minutes (30 if you can), wrap to cool slowly. Your other option is to do a PWHT of the entire piece. The material will no longer be as strong or as hard but it should be plenty tuff.
Parent - - By CHGuilford (****) Date 07-29-2004 16:22
I would go with bolting the plate on if you can drill holes in it. If you really want it to be welded, I would go with the lap joint.

I agree with Ron's advice on preheating and slow cooling.
Another possibility for welding rods is the "magic" 312 stainless rods, like MG 600. It is a maintenance type of welding rod useful for dissimilar metals and might work well in your application.
A word of advice though! The rods are expensive and might cost more than a new cutting edge by the time you are done. For that matter, you will find 309 rods are pricey too, just not as bad as the 312.

At any rate, it sounds like you are having fun with your experiments.
Chet Guilford
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 07-29-2004 17:03
Chet,
I wonder if this plate may have a high manganese content. There are rods just for that type of plate, we used them repairing our shot blast cabinet.
John Wright
Up Topic Welding Industry / Technical Discussions / Can Road Grader Blades Be Welded ???

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