Welding new edge.

By 9shooter Date 10-18-2004 22:26

I need to weld a newer scraper blade on a loader bucket. Problem is that I don't know the chemistry of either the old steel or the used scraper blade. I'm pretty sure that both are manganese steels, but I don't know exactly which one. I know about preheating the steel, but I am wondering about which rod to use. The local weld supply shop suggested a rod that runs about $10 per lb. which is more than my friend wants to invest. I've heard that stainless rod works acceptably, and another friend said they always just used 6011 or 6013. I also wondered about using a root pass of stainless followed by the 6011. Will this work? This backhoe will not see commercial use, just farm use. Thanks for any imput.

By swnorris (****)

Date 10-18-2004 22:53

Hi 9shooter,

E6011 is usually used on rusty material and pipe. E6013 is an all purpose, general repair electrode. The main difference between the two from a manufacturing standpoint is in the coating.

By OSUtigger (**)

Date 10-19-2004 00:10

9shooter,

We always just used 7018 on anything like that and never had any problem. Just make sure you don't heat the scraper blade too much (you don't want the whole thing blued) or else you will lose the hardness necessary for wear resistance. These things are expected to be replaced, so its not really a rocket science and you don't have to have any "special" rod. Be sure to clean the dirt off with a brush and slap the thing on. I will almost bet that the original blade was welded on with a mild steel filler, and if you are replacing due to wear, obviously the weld doesn't see near as much wear as the front of the blade, so don't spend extra money on wear-resistant welding when its not necessary. A stainless root, I think, would be shooting yourself in the foot, as its purpose in this application would be wear resistance, and putting it at the root, then burning over it with 6011 would gain nothing. If anything, 6011 root and stainless cap for wear.

Hope that helps!
G. L.

By 9shooter Date 10-19-2004 02:31

Thanks for the input. I had also thought of using 7018 but forgot to mention it. The scraper blades were used by county trucks for snow and road grading. They have about 5" of width on them yet and I plan on welding them to the old scraper edge with a lap joint welded top and bottom. They were a bolt on type. I've had to replace and reweld other parts of the bucket because the previous owner did not preheat anything and several welds were cracked. The bucket was obviously in a major wreck because one of the main lifting arms was broken off and re-welded. I fabricated a new ear at a pin/bushing and welded on additional gussets and patches.