Can I repair bush hog sheet metal with stick welder?

[BeezFun]

I've got an old ford bush hog, the sheet metal is rusted through around edges but gearbox and structure is in good shape, so I'd like to try to repair it. I'll be cutting out and replacing the 20ga sheet metal with patches. Then I have to weld the new 20ga patch material to angles and brackets that range from 1/8" to 3/16" thick. So the big problem is welding thin material (20ga) to thicker material (1/4"-3/16"). I'm a pretty good stick welder, a really good gas welder, but don't do mig, and I'm trying to decide if this is doable. I'd probably go through a tank of gas trying to get this thing hot enough, and it would be tough to avoid burn through, so that probably won't work. Is it possible to stick weld these two materials? I generally use 1/8" 6010 to tack everything, then 1/8" 7018 to run the bead on thicker material. What would I use for this if it's doable?
tnx

 

[k0ua]

I've got an old ford bush hog, the sheet metal is rusted through around edges but gearbox and structure is in good shape, so I'd like to try to repair it. I'll be cutting out and replacing the 20ga sheet metal with patches. Then I have to weld the new 20ga patch material to angles and brackets that range from 1/8" to 3/16" thick. So the big problem is welding thin material (20ga) to thicker material (1/4"-3/16"). I'm a pretty good stick welder, a really good gas welder, but don't do mig, and I'm trying to decide if this is doable. I'd probably go through a tank of gas trying to get this thing hot enough, and it would be tough to avoid burn through, so that probably won't work. Is it possible to stick weld these two materials? I generally use 1/8" 6010 to tack everything, then 1/8" 7018 to run the bead on thicker material. What would I use for this if it's doable?
tnx

It will be difficult, but you could try some 1/16 inch sticks of 6013 (you can get them at lowes) to try and glue that 20 gauge steel onto the thicker stuff. Try about 35 to 40 amps DC. I would TIG it with what I have. If your stick welder is DC you can get set up for scratch start TIG for a bout $100 plus rental of an argon bottle. I believe the sticks I mentioned will do it, and I have welded some pretty thin sheetmetal with them, but I don't think I have ever welded 20 gauge. I would definitely reach for the TIG torch if I was faced with this as I don't have a MIG either.. As you know MIG would be the fastest and easiest.

 

[Mendonsy]

You might be better off to make the patches out of something a bit heavier just to make it easier to weld. 20 ga. is awfully light for anything but a TIG. 14 ga. would be a whole lot easier to work with but isn't as flexible.

 

[k0ua]

You might be better off to make the patches out of something a bit heavier just to make it easier to weld. 20 ga. is awfully light for anything but a TIG. 14 ga. would be a whole lot easier to work with but isn't as flexible.

I was wondering about that too. Isn't the metal on a rotary cutter normally a lot thicker than 20 gauge? I would worry about blowing rocks thru it.

 

[Shield Arc]

My brush hog is 12-GA. I'd grab the Tig welder for 20-GA. Even though I worked out of the Sheet Metal Union for 3-years, I don't think I've ever welded 20-GA.

 

[k0ua]

My brush hog is 12-GA. I'd grab the Tig welder for 20-GA. Even though I worked out of the Sheet Metal Union for 3-years, I don't think I've ever welded 20-GA.

I agree about the TIG, but do you think it could be welded with some of those 1/16 sticks of 6013?. 6013 is a low penetrator to begin with. I don't think I have stick welded anything quite that thin, have you?

 

[jack707]

turn the heat down use 3/32 rod or 1/16 if you can find them.

 

[newbury]

I used 10 gauge to patch a hole in my brush hog.
I know it looks like bird poo, but it held after I patched a couple of holes.

I gave it the hammer test, then used it for an hour or so.

But that was my first weld w/ my $265 PA 300, I had to run it at about 28 amps w/ 1/16 rod and I still blew holes.

A mig would have been more appropriate.

/edit - I could not imagine hogging with a bush hog with 20 gauge metal on the deck, my rocks would fly right through it.

 

[Shield Arc]

do you think it could be welded with some of those 1/16 sticks of 6013?

I've only heard of them, never even seen them.
If I just had to do it with SMAW. I would tack every 1/2 inch or so. Weld from one tack to the next one in line. Move to another location, and do the same thing. I would also try to clamp a copper or aluminum plate under the weld area as a heat sink.

 

[yomax4]

Lincoln has Fleet Weld 37 in 1/16 and MG has a nice one called "easy strike". Run great on 40-60 amps. I agree with the 12ga patch a bit larger than the owie. should be an easy fix.