Welding holes shut

super99 · Dec 18, 2020

The blade that I put on my 1850 is sprung. I had to make mounting brackets for it and drill holes to fasten it on. When I pick it up, one side raises a couple of inches before the other side does, it doesn't push level when using it. I need to take one plate off, weld the holes shut, reposition and drill holes again. I have a flat piece of aluminum to lay it on to fill the holes. If I use a stick welder to fill them, will the slag be a problem, or can I just weld until the hole is full and all of the slag will be on top? The holes are 5/8".

When I was working, it was normal to have a hole in the wrong place, so a welder would fill it and grind it smooth and then redrill it, but they used wire welders. I'm wondering if I can do the same with a stick welder or will I have to weld a little , chip it and weld some more??

Welding man · Dec 18, 2020

Depends on what electrode you use and how good of a welder you are. I do it all the time.I probably would weld them vertical and work the slag out the bottom. 7018 will make a softer easier to drill weld.

jon f mn · Dec 18, 2020

Your worrying too much. It will likely get too hot to do without stopping. So do a loop, chip it, then Finnish. Just use what ever rod you're used to.

grizz02 · Dec 18, 2020

have you thought about just welding a new plate over the whole thing and drill your holes

K-Mo · Dec 18, 2020

I hesitate because I don't want to sound like a wiseguy. The blade frame could very possibly twisted, but have you checked your rear tire pressure?
The blade frame may still be twisted, but I think it would be a good idea to insure the rear tire pressure is the same before modifying the mounts.
KMo

Keith Molden · Dec 18, 2020

Maybe I'm totally out in left field, but that frame being made of pipe could very well be sprung and if it is it looks to me like there would always be more pressure on the right side than the left. Some reinforcement to the frame might be in order to keep it level. just my thoughts, keith

Mike(NEOhio) · Dec 18, 2020

Looks like you have a MIG on the bench back there. I would agree to check how the frame lines up.

super99 · Dec 18, 2020

When the blade is unhooked from the tractor and laying on the ground, one side is a couple inches off of the ground. Tire pressure won't help unless I run one side almost flat.

super99 · Dec 18, 2020

It's a smaller mig, Lincoln 180. I was just curious about using a stick welder.

Richard G. · Dec 18, 2020

I agree with Jon below.
Weld a bit and chip and repeat til it is filled using a stick welder.
I have filled in large areas like that.
Don't weld it all up without chipping.
But what do I know?
I have only been welding for over 55 years. LOL
My Dad's first cousin welded in a shipyard during WWII.
He welded up where the 2 hulls met at the bottom of the ship.
The opening he had to fill was 1 foot wide and they used stick welders back then of course.
Richard in NW SC

Ellis Kinney · Dec 18, 2020

This should be fairly easy to do. I would use 6010 and work the edges of the hole from both sides. Keep a wire wheel handy and clean slag often. Weave a finish weld with 7018 on both sides and grind flat. Ellis

kcm.MN · Dec 18, 2020

I ain't much of a welder and I just woke up, so forgive if I don't make sense. I have to wonder why you are closing the hole, unless you plan to re-drill through that spot? Wouldn't welding the hole closed make said hole much harder steel than the plate? How would that affect re-drilling? If filled with weld, would there be a likelihood that the hole would be brittle and fail prematurely?

So then this thought crosses my mind. What about the possibility of putting in a piece of 5/8'' steel rod, cutting it flush, then surface-welding it to the plate? Once it was ground flush, there should be enough penetration that the weld would extend below the surface, right? ....Or should I go back to bed?

(I'm voting to go back to bed! *lol*)

Jim in rush co · Dec 18, 2020

I use carbon on the back side, I have several pieces of different shapes and also have used carbon out of old batteries. Works great on welding up holes in thin stuff too.

Stephen Newell · Dec 18, 2020

If you don't just have to weld the holes I would leave them alone. Every time I've done that it tended to weaken the steel.

BarryfromIA · Dec 18, 2020

Drill the hole to a tap size and tap in threads and make a threaded piece of a bolt with large chamfer on each end and install in hole and weld chamfers to plate and grind smooth. Did that for engineering changes and stripped threads where I once worked.

dr sportster · Dec 18, 2020

I totally agree with Barry. Make little plugs and weld around -- no burn through and a solid repair.

the tractor vet · Dec 18, 2020

Myself what i would do is cut off the old HOLEY one and weld a new one on , sure wold be a lot faster filling holes then try and go in a redill new ones . Sometimes tryen to drill thru welds is hard
. Make a cardboard templet of the piece and go for it

Mark-Mi · Dec 18, 2020

Morning KCM. You are correct. You can piddle around weld chip, weld chip especially for a large hole like 5/8 inch.
Or you can cut off a bolt shank slightly shorter than the plate thickness and just burn it in and done.
So, KCM, you can stay up and look for more pictures for us.

gene bender · Dec 18, 2020

That is hard to do because of the slag weld a little chip and weld again thats where the wire weld is the way to go and the the weld is hard and good drill bits come in to play

gene bender · Dec 18, 2020

thats quite a story they welded a 1 foot crack shut sounds like the story sort of got mixed up

guido · Dec 18, 2020

Hello super99,

Back it up with an aluminum plate, then weld around in one pass. keep welding around until you cover the hole. grind as needed,

Guido.

Steve@Advance · Dec 18, 2020

Welding the holes is the easy part. And I would use the wire welder, no slag and the weld won't be as hard.

The hard part will be trying to re-drill the holes without the weld deflecting the drill off target, and/or burning/breaking drill bits.

kcm.MN · Dec 18, 2020

(quoted from post at 09:03:27 12/18/20) So, KCM, you can stay up and look for more pictures for us.

Ah, so THIS is why I couldn't sleep well! OK, fine. You wanta pic, you getta pic, eh?

Here's a very rare and historically fake photo for you, circa 1880:

bc · Dec 18, 2020

Not fake. Just an original Army M1147 tank. The crew is seated in front. Probably adopted and used by the British army.

Richard G. · Dec 18, 2020

The man who told me the story was one of the welders.
And he was telling the truth.

caterpillar guy · Dec 19, 2020

The blade at an angle will never lift level. It should set level when on the ground. Just redrill the holes and forget the welding. If it needs 2 inches you would be away from the old holes anyway.

bc · Dec 19, 2020

Probably not a foot wide all the way around but I don't doubt it. They were ginning out those Liberty ships at one a day. Not the greatest ship to be on in open seas but they hauled the freight.

Ozlander · Dec 19, 2020

(quoted from post at 10:06:21 12/19/20)
Probably not a foot wide all the way around but I don't doubt it. They were ginning out those Liberty ships at one a day. Not the greatest ship to be on in open seas but they hauled the freight.

For about three trips, then they broke up for no reason except bad manufacturing.

Welding holes shut

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads