Seeking advice on welding hook to FEL bucket

[Gary Fowler]

Everyone including myself put way more weld on than necessary. A 1/8" fillet all the way around on just the hook would hold much more force than any tractor could produce. The double plate is perhaps needed to spread the load and prevent tear out or bending of the FEL bucket (or maybe not) but we all like to be extra safe so when I put mine on my P 7010, I put on a 3/8" double that is 4" x 5" welded with a full 3/8" fillet all the way around plus it has a large plug weld in the center of the doubler (also not needed) and then the same 3/8 or larger weld on the hook. It looks better that way but no way is that much weld needed.
I don't get a lot of welding time in so when I get a chance to weld something, I go way overboard.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, I do too. I attribute my style to not being educated in Welding. So, not scientifically knowing how much is enough, I add plenty. I do that with metal selection as well. I use 1/4" thick metal where 3/16" would have been fine......

 

[Texasmark]

I welded ⅜ grabber hooks on both of my FELS with 7018 rods and things work just fine. Ground the paint off where I wanted to mount them and did it. At 70,000 pounds/square inch tensile strength......from my imac dictionary: "the resistance of a material to breaking under tension", if you have a decent weld, you aina-gonna-rip-it-off. If anything you will bend the "mild steel" to which it's attached (the bucket) long before you break the weld.

 

[ovrszd]

I welded ⅜ grabber hooks on both of my FELS with 7018 rods and things work just fine. Ground the paint off where I wanted to mount them and did it. At 70,000 pounds/square inch tensile strength......from my imac dictionary: "the resistance of a material to breaking under tension", if you have a decent weld, you aina-gonna-rip-it-off. If anything you will bend the "mild steel" to which it's attached (the bucket) long before you break the weld.

Yeah, that was my point. Doesn't do much good to have a 70K tensile strength weld on 50K tensile strength metal.

 

[Shield Arc]

Several years ago, I did some fillet weld break tests. Not very scientific I know, but you get the point!

 

[sixdogs]

One of the things I learned in my tech school Adult Ed welding class was weld penetration. When I weld something serious and thick, I get great penetration and even though I may (no may about it) lack actual welding finesse. I can't recall a weld tear or break even when I somewhat expected it. Take your time, fit and grind and put the right amount of power into it has worked for me. It may look a little or more shaky to a pro but it holds.

 

[ovrszd]

Shield Arc, I think you posted these pics and comments on another thread before. What amazed me then and does now is how your weld broke. It undeniably broke the weld. Didn't tear loose from the metal. The break is straight, not jagged back and forth across the weld. That tells this amateur that your weld had consistent penetration as Sixdogs mentioned above. It also had consistent strength the full length. Excellent visual example of what a weld should be. I can only wish......

 

[Shield Arc]

To get good penetration, all it takes is power!

 

[sixdogs]

To get good penetration, all it takes is power!

You second photo in the above post #28 is amazing. It's close to a centerfold weld that every welder should tape to the mirror in the morning.

Shieldarc--I can't imagine any of your welds ever tearing under any circumstance ever. Never. Why did that weld fail?

 

[Shield Arc]

Why did that weld fail?

Which weld, the 7018 weld? If so, the plate was beat on the back side, weak side of the weld. All welds will fail that way. In a lab they break fillet welds in a shop press, so they can see the amount of pressure it take to break the weld.