Am I stupid or crafty?

[k0ua]

Some of you may think this repair is just stupid or a waste of time, BUT I would like to point out since I broke one of the hooks off of my ballast barrel some time ago (my fault, stupid accident) I have been trying to remember where I bought it and get another matching one to fit the already drilled holes and bolts that stick through that also hold my chain retainers inside. I just did not want to redo that and have the unsightly extra holes for rust etc. After the 3rd try of buying hooks at all of my usual haunts and still not finding the right ones, I decided to weld the broken pieces back together. I Tig'ed it with the Everlast PA160 at 27 amps with 1/16 lanthenated tungsten I did not prep it very well, but figured it would do. It is back together and I think stronger than original. Ok so I am crazy for doing this, but it did not cost much, and is good experience in repairing small parts any way, and it is repaired

James K0UA

 

[johnk]

Looks good but you still didn't tell us how you stupidly broke the hook.

 

[flyerdan]

That's one of the main purposes for having a welder, not having to be at the mercy of parts suppliers.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

It's a barrel for crying out loud it's supposed to look used and beat up along with all of the attachments.

 

[k0ua]

Looks good but you still didn't tell us how you stupidly broke the hook.

I knew someone was going to ask that.. I had been pulling logs from the fixed draw-bar, and when backing up sometimes wrap the chain between the two hooks to take up the slack.. well somehow I left the chain draped over one of the hooks, and hooked up the tree/log, and of course it yanked the little hook down and out in a fraction of a second. Whoops,

James K0UA

 

[Shield Arc]

That's a project where a foot pedal really helps. What filler did you use?
You know that old saying, right?

 

[k0ua]

That's a project where a foot pedal really helps. What filler did you use?
You know that old saying, right?

Just some house brand ER70S2 TIG rod. 1/16 inch.. what old saying? (why do I feel I am walking into something)

James K0UA

 

[Shield Arc]

(why do I feel I am walking into something)

:laughing:


No, the old saying is, when in doubt use stainless steel. Good rule of thumb if you don't know what the base metal is, use stainless steel. 312 is really good, but expensive! I use 309.


Avesta Welding Products Inc 3/32" X 36" ER312 Avesta 312 Stainless Steel TIG Rod 10 Tube | Wayfair

 

[Shield Arc]

I had to chuckle with the title of your thread. I've been known to weld bolts together. When I restored this old 1948 welder, running a die nut over the threads of the square head bolts just didn't work on some of them. No problem, I cut the square heads off and welded them to new bolts. Sometimes it cost more in gas for me to run all the way into town, you'd be surprised what I'll weld up to save a trip to town.

 

[k0ua]

I had to chuckle with the title of your thread. I've been known to weld bolts together. When I restored this old 1948 welder, running a die nut over the threads of the square head bolts just didn't work on some of them. No problem, I cut the square heads off and welded them to new bolts. Sometimes it cost more in gas for me to run all the way into town, you'd be surprised what I'll weld up to save a trip to town.

I am somewhat the same way, Oh sure maybe I spent a dollar in argon, but I get a feeling of accomplishment when I repair something. And it is all on the road to becoming a better weldor. And Lord knows that road is long and winding:laughing:

James K0UA

 

[k0ua]

:laughing:


No, the old saying is, when in doubt use stainless steel. Good rule of thumb if you don't know what the base metal is, use stainless steel. 312 is really good, but expensive! I use 309.


Avesta Welding Products Inc 3/32" X 36" ER312 Avesta 312 Stainless Steel TIG Rod 10 Tube | Wayfair

Yowl!..I guess expensive.. 20 bucks a pound?...Yeah, A man would have to be carefull with that stuff.

James K0UA

 

[vwnotrunning]

I find it advantageous to fix some of these inexpensive items just to know you can - if you can't get the store/town. (weekend, middle of the night, etc.

 

[Combustix]

I think you answered your question in your first post:laughing:

 

[Jeff Lary]

Just courious but what do you use the hooks for? they are pretty light weight.Good job on the welding nice looking work.

 

[Ken45101]

Sometimes it cost more in gas for me to run all the way into town, you'd be surprised what I'll weld up to save a trip to town.

And way too too often, a trip to town doesn't find what you need anyway

I am somewhat the same way, Oh sure maybe I spent a dollar in argon, but I get a feeling of accomplishment when I repair something. And it is all on the road to becoming a better weldor. And Lord knows that road is long and winding:laughing:

James K0UA

Fixing something you maybe could have bought a replacement for today makes you better prepared for when you have to do a difficult job to fix something that can't be replaced. Real life experience is how you learn, not just making pretty beads on a piece of flat stock :thumbsup:

However, to be fully rounded out, now you need to go back and do the same job with MIG, stick, and OA:laughing: Please report back on your comparative experiences

Ken

 

[k0ua]

And way too too often, a trip to town doesn't find what you need anyway



Fixing something you maybe could have bought a replacement for today makes you better prepared for when you have to do a difficult job to fix something that can't be replaced. Real life experience is how you learn, not just making pretty beads on a piece of flat stock :thumbsup:

However, to be fully rounded out, now you need to go back and do the same job with MIG, stick, and OA:laughing: Please report back on your comparative experiences

Ken

HAH!.. doing that with stick would really suck! Not saying it couldn't be done, but you are a better man than I Gunga Din if you can do that! I don't think Mig would have worked very well either,, OA would have been fine, and if I break another one, then OA it is:laughing: As for what I use the hooks for,, Mainly for draping the pull chain.. One end fastened to the drawbar clevis, and when you back up you can drape the chain on the hooks temporarily to get ready for the next pull. You can also hang a 5 gallon bucket when you are going out to do something and need some tools or supplies. They are just handy for anything you want to hang. Just dont try to pull the next tree or log with a drape of chain still on the hook Accidents happen...welders make it all better.

James K0UA

 

[lostcause]

i live 25 miles from the closest town with big box stores and 10-15 miles from towns with decent hardware stores. at nearly $4 a gallon and 12-15 mpg, that's at least $5 to $15 just to see if they have what i need, not to mention 1-2 hours round trip including time in the stores. that makes welding a 3/8x1-1/2 bolt way cheaper than buying a new one. back in the day of $1.25 a gallon fuel i would often go buy

granted, if it's something i don't need for a few days i can stack the trip to the store with other more pressing errands, but if i need it in the next 24 hours, it's often just as easy to fix or make it, no matter how much of a waste of time it seems to be. that's also why when i do buy bolts and other consumables i never buy just one, unless it's a really odd item. i will buy a couple pounds of fasteners each time, which explains the +/- 50lb box of bolts, nuts, and washers i have on hand.

i do have to educate friends and family on recycling as opposed to buying new though. quite often someone will want something made and they'll bring over some sort of scrap as donor piece. often it will take more money in grinding wheels, saw blades, mills, lathe cutters, and gases to turn their donor piece into suitable raw material that it's a much better choice to buy new material to work with. the same rule does apply to immediate needs though. if they have to have it to get an essential task done, then you work with what is on hand.

 

[Sublifer]

I'm going to say you were crafty as well. I don't think anyone could argue for stupid unless maybe you had 10 hooks sitting on the bench you could use and instead decided to fix this one. But even that could be argued for...

 

[patrick_g]

I am somewhat the same way, Oh sure maybe I spent a dollar in argon, but I get a feeling of accomplishment when I repair something. And it is all on the road to becoming a better weldor. And Lord knows that road is long and winding:laughing:

James K0UA

Once upon a time when I was working on a welder development project (portable battery operated) a welding supply house that was involved supplied me with free consumables. I was no welder but had to be able to at least make sparks and notice whether or not I was getting penetration. Before I got lots of practice I found flux coated stainless steel electrodes were about the only way I could make anything resembling a weld. Their outside salesman used to demo some rods without wearing a helmet. Of course he was looking away and following a joint by feel with a contact rod but to a PRE-beginner it looked like magic.

Tigging aluminum was a total disaster. Just about the time I thought the material was about hot enough to take some filler BIG CHUNKS would slough off. I learned to tig mild steel but haven't done it in over 20 yrs. If stick or mig won't do I hire it done. Of course if I had a tig rig...

(James, did you get an email? I'm not sure I worked the system correctly.)

Pat

 

[k0ua]

Once upon a time when I was working on a welder development project (portable battery operated) a welding supply house that was involved supplied me with free consumables. I was no welder but had to be able to at least make sparks and notice whether or not I was getting penetration. Before I got lots of practice I found flux coated stainless steel electrodes were about the only way I could make anything resembling a weld. Their outside salesman used to demo some rods without wearing a helmet. Of course he was looking away and following a joint by feel with a contact rod but to a PRE-beginner it looked like magic.

Tigging aluminum was a total disaster. Just about the time I thought the material was about hot enough to take some filler BIG CHUNKS would slough off. I learned to tig mild steel but haven't done it in over 20 yrs. If stick or mig won't do I hire it done. Of course if I had a tig rig...

(James, did you get an email? I'm not sure I worked the system correctly.)

Pat

I did, and I replied to your regular e-mail address. As for TIG rig if you have a DC stick welder you are about halfway there to the TIG rig.. sure it is Lift Start, no pedal etc but still works. That is what I done this repair with just a DC stick rig that I added the TIG torch, argon cylinder and regulator.

James K0UA