1)Are you wanting to build up the cutting edge plate(you can buy it in 10' lengths), or 2) are you repairing the bucket itself?

The cutting edge is hardened, but the bucket is probably plain mild steel. I tore the teeth and part of the bucket on my father-in-law's frontend loader and I had to repair both the cutting edge and the bucket. I had to weld up the corner of the bucket where I tore off a corner tooth digging up stumps. But he had bought extra cutting edges at an auction, so I just replaced the cutting edge, rather than repair it. I gouged out the old bucket metal out from in the tooth and saved the tooth in case we need it later, but replaced it with a new tooth he already had in his shop. Used a 7018 to repair the bucket, it's still holding up well. I hung that new tooth on some big stumps since then.

He also welded a 1/2" square bar x 12" long on each pad in the tracks because it had turf pads on it. The added traction was needed pushing the stumps. Those are hardend too. I'm not sure of the rods he used on the tracks, I wasn't present when that was done.

There are some people that monitor this BBS that build or work on this type of equipment, maybe they will share some ideas.
John Wright

I have a welding shop in wisconsin where I do tool welding, some production mig welding, and custom fabrication or just about anything that comes in the door you know. So as to add to my business I am looking for info on hard surface techniques on various applications be it a bucket or large equipment, rolls etc.. I just have not done any hard surfacing before and like I said just trying to get info on this type of welding. I have heard that on some rolls, idlers or whatever they may use a softer rod to build it up then cover top with hard surface rod.

Don't know the rods or the process though.

yes, a piece can be built up w/ 7018 or 8018, depending on the type of steel, and then surfaced w/ a hardsurfacing rod. there are different types of rods for different applications: impact resistance, abrasion resistance, toughness, hardness, etc. for large pieces a preheat, interpass heat, and post heat may be needed. during the padding process w/ a hardsurfacing rod you have to watch the temp of the base metal so it doesn't get too hot. and skip around when you weld w/ the hardsurfacing rod, because it can place a lot of stress on itself from shrinkage and it may crack. the amperages for a hardsurfacing rod are usually relatively lower than that of a 7018 rod of the same size...that is so the base metal, or the filler material does not mix w/ the hardsurfacing material too much and render it useless.

depending on what the base material is, you're not limited to stick welding for filling up the piece. if it's a mild steel you can use MIG, flux core, or whatever. i know how boring and tedious stick welding gets, and MIG or flux core is definitely faster.