Making a Case BH bucket fit a Ford BH

[LD1]

Keep a good eye on it. I've ripped apart two buckets with my 580K. I have lots of ledge and stumps around here that make it easy to put lots of stress on the welds. The first bucket I didn't catch in time and twisted the metal. After that I kept a closer eye on it.

Will do, but she looks pretty solid. I'm more worried about the end of my dipperstick. I broke it off last year in the middle of working and stuck it back together in about an hour. Theres WAY more weld, and spread out, on this bucket than is on the pin boss on my dipper. Just a bigger area.

Where did yours come appart BTW?? Did the back peal off the sides?? or was it anything to do with the mount like I just reworked??

 

[crazyal]

Will do, but she looks pretty solid. I'm more worried about the end of my dipperstick. I broke it off last year in the middle of working and stuck it back together in about an hour. Theres WAY more weld, and spread out, on this bucket than is on the pin boss on my dipper. Just a bigger area.

Where did yours come appart BTW?? Did the back peal off the sides?? or was it anything to do with the mount like I just reworked??

Mine came apart where the side plate is welded to the curved back. Not quite the same place but you would think that where the two pieces of steel are welded together right there would be a very strong joint. It could have been a poor factory joint but I don't think so. If I remember correctly the weld is reinforced where the break started. You should be fine but there's a lot of stress, much more than I imagined on those plates you welded on.

My biggest mistake was when it broke I tried to limp along to finish up. That's what twisted the metal. I tried my best to untwist it and then weld the heck out of it so I could finish up. It hasn't broke again but it doesn't look pretty.

 

[LD1]

Yea, if the side plates let the backing "peel" off it all starts at the cutting edge. I like the way this particular bucket is made as the cutting edge actually has 2 90 degree bends on each end and actually wrap up the side of the bucket about 3" on each side:thumbsup:

I have sure seen alot of mangled BH buckets though. These things have tons of power and theres always risk.