The crack is back! Repair #2, + bad paint match!

[Von]

Well the crack in my mower deck is back /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif This time its right next to the weld that was to repair the last crack. (see top photo) The next photo is after grinding the area for welding and after drilling a hole to stop the crack from spreading. Next photo is after welding, and the last one shows what a great paint match I got from the can of Kubota paint (NOT)/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif It looks more brown than it does orange! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Needless to say, both of the cans I got are going back to the dealer for a refund! I hope this repair last!

 

[slowzuki]

The local kubota dealer told me the factory paint cans varies wildly and that they won't buy kubota paint anymore. They just buy a certain chevy paint code that is close and is always the same!
Ken

 

[frank_f15]

my question is WHY is the deck cracking there? is there a way to weld a small bridge across that area?

 

[Von]

Re: The crack is back! Repair #2, + bad paint matc

Frank, I wish I knew! I think that the deck was stressed when it was made. It seems that when that curve is formed it has a lot of stress marks in the steel. My guess is that its cracking at one of these marks left from when it was stamped out. I tried to bridge the crack with weld, don't know if it will work. I'll have to wait till next year to find out, as I won't be cutting anymore grass very soon! They say snow for Sat.

 

[TresCrows]

If you recall I stated clearly in the original thread that the crack WOULD return and that the reason for the crack in the first place was not addressed by re-welding it and that I would fab a doubler to spread the load in that area. I was told by several I was wrong for suggesting such and that I did not know what I was talking about and I did not know anything about welding and that my experiences with aircraft etc had no application. Hmmmmmm---no weld or repair I have ever made has ever failed. I uses common practices that are widely used such as doublers and reinforcements that spread the load over a greater path, common in aircraft welding and standard practice in many other fields.
Well, I told you so. Hope you get it fixed this time, I know you feel dissapointed but it is winter and you have plenty of time to make a repair or just keep welding the same crack over and over. Good luck. J

 

[nhman]

Tescroes

For us welding initiates, what is a doubler

nhman

 

[RonR]

Re: The crack is back! Repair #2, + bad paint matc

I'm sure TresCrows can provide a much more accurate definition of a double than me. I'd call it a scab plate. I have no technical background for this, but I'd get some steel strap about the same thickness as the deck a little wider than the crack is long.

Then cut a piece that overlaps the crack by two inches per side. If it were me, I'd weld only on the verticle sides and leave the other two edges alone. The intent of this scab plate is it takes the load away from the crack.

NOW, a disclaim: A lot of what I build fails in either design or more typically weld. I laugh about my son and I fabbed up a drag harrow that used 3/8 x 2 strap in 6" lenghts as the teeth, which was welded to 1 x 2 steel tube frame.

As we used it to prep the seed bed, we'd lose teeth. Our verbal jabs at each other was "Who welded that one on?" Since Son was just learning to weld, I tried to blame him for the broken welds, but alas, some of them were mine. One was a gimme as it was only tacked on--we missed it in the weld cycle!

However, I blame it on a dirty helmit glass that was drenched in sweat (it was 100+ out when we did it).

It was fun, we picked up the few teeth as they broke off and when it was cooler and the glass had been cleaned, welded them back on for more success.

If I ever read about posting pics, I'll post a pic of the harrow.

Best wishes,

Ron

 

[Deerlope]

You are right, there is a lot of stress at that point and welding at that point tends to make the metal brittle, thus it will keep cracking. You might try fishing plating it and bolting it. Also on the paint match I found that if I us a white primer before the Orange The color is a prefect match.

 

[r0GuE]

I wonder if it would help to weld the inside as well? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Von]

Re: The crack is back! Repair #2, + bad paint matc

Rogue, I wish I could!, but the inside is blocked by the inner wall of the mower deck baffle. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif So I can only weld the outside. I'll just have to see if it works next spring.