Help wanted - Welding experts

[lynxpilot]

Kevin,

The broken part doesn't look too bad and could easily be welded 'good as new'. My only concern would be the bent part on the other side. If you do get it welded, It would make the welder's life a lot easier if you removed the cross pin and every bit of grease you could from the area. Reason being it will bake in there and cause problems or potentially contaminate the weld or the heat affected zone. If you brought it to me, I would:

1. Take it apart
2. Remove all grease or other heat sensitive parts (like if there was nylon in the bushing or whatever)
3. Heat the opposite side and bang it back into shape
4. Clamp, heat, bend, and tack weld the broken side together
5. Grind a groove along the fracture line
6. Weld it

I think a good welder and mechanic should be able to hook you up no problem. I definitely think it's worth fixing rather than incurring the expense of replacing it.

Good luck

Dave

 

[rtvman]

To all the welders who put their two cents in here to help me, thank you all. With your help I was able to direct the welder I am using to make it new again. I will post follow up pictures as soon as it is done.
Sincerely,

 

[B7500]

Just curious how much did he charge?
-Terry

 

[rtvman]

He figured about 4 hours to fix at $48.00/hr + parts/materials. I haven't seen the final bill yet but I will let you know. I think I will be lucky to get out of this for less then $400. Ouch!

 

[Inspector507]

Kevin,
A 4 hour estimate suddenly becomes 6, but thats still only $288 and parts/materials will be minimal (except for the price of steel these days). So at $400 you'll do well and it'll be fixed.

And by the way......$48/hr is probably cheap /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( He figured about 4 hours to fix at $48.00/hr + parts/materials. I haven't seen the final bill yet but I will let you know. I think I will be lucky to get out of this for less then $400. Ouch! )</font>

Kevin

Sorry to see your damage.
Even at $400, that's only a days charge for someone else to bring their machine in...

Brian

 

[rtvman]

The bad part about this whole thing is it wasn't even my stump! I was just helping out a neighbor. And what adds insult to injury, is the fact that the stump is still there, solid as ever! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Needless to say, I will leave it up to my neighbor to finish what I started. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Rch]

Welding site similar to TBN

The above link is a great resource re welding. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RICHARDG]

Have to get one of those chinese tractors in there and get that stump out for you guys,,,,,,,,[this oughta be good],,,thingy

 

[ducksjunk]

Don't beat yourself up. by the look of the first pic, that thing has been cracked for some time. You just finished it off. It was inevitable.
Welding will fix it alright, but I'd be concerned about the other side after straightening. Recommend cut 2 plates ( 1 each side) to fit over the pin boss and shape to match top of dipper, then extend down about 4" Weld these on the outside welding to the pin boss as well as around the edge. go with 1/4" plate. Extra work.... maybe, but you can go back and raise h*!! with that stump after. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif