Welding to FEL Bucket --- Gas or Arc?

[Diggin It]

Coming time to get something welded to the bucket for hooks and maybe something else. I can't do it with my FluxWire toy. One neighbor can arc weld, another can do it with gas. Does it matter as far as the integrity of the weld or any potential weakening of the bucket?

If the one neighbor does it with arc, I'll remove the bucket so as not to risk any electronics on the rest of the machine.

 

[Captain Dirty]

Coming time to get something welded to the bucket . . . I can't do it with my FluxWire toy. One neighbor can arc weld, another can do it with gas. Does it matter as far as the integrity of the weld or any potential weakening of the bucket?

A competent weldor can make a strong, adequate weld with gas, arc (SMAW), or even a "FluxWire Toy" (GMAW). Arc will be most efficient, easiest, quickest.

 

[repete]

Coming time to get something welded to the bucket for hooks and maybe something else. I can't do it with my FluxWire toy. One neighbor can arc weld, another can do it with gas. Does it matter as far as the integrity of the weld or any potential weakening of the bucket?

If the one neighbor does it with arc, I'll remove the bucket so as not to risk any electronics on the rest of the machine.

Why would you remove bucket for one type of arc but not the other type of arc? What type of "gas" are you referring to, Gas shielded arc?

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you are talking oxy-acetylene welding when speaking of gas welding, then I wouldn't do that. Too much heat input to the FEL bucket which could cause warping. Go with electric arc (smaw) welding for the best weld. A high voltage MIG or FCAW would work but I wouldn't consider some of the 120V cheapy units or even some of the 220V low power units.
SMAW will be the cheapest and fastest and provide the best quality welds. MIG and FCAW are notorious for non-fusion in the welds especially if the welder is not really experienced or if the machine is not capable of high amperage.

 

[flewism]

I ac arc welded my hooks on 20+ years ago. I believe all I did was disconnect the battery, no issues, but not that many "electronics" as compared to todays machines.

 

[ruffdog]

Gas welding? Is that oxy-acetylene torch, MIG, or TIG?

 

[Diggin It]

If you are talking oxy-acetylene welding when speaking of gas welding, then I wouldn't do that. Too much heat input to the FEL bucket which could cause warping.

That's what I don't want, or any other kind of heat weakening.

 

[AWSubie]

When I welded my hooks on, I took the bucket off. My greatest fear was getting splatter on the cylinder rods. Of course you can always just cover everything but the bucket I have is a quick attach so no big deal to take the bucket off.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Unhook your battery and put the ground clamp to your welder close to where you are welding and you won't have an issue.
That is pretty much the standard procedure, I've also welded on stuff where the battery was not unhooked and never seen an issue either. As for which welder, a flux core or mig machine big enough can certainly do the job as well as an arc welder but if it were me having both I would just use my arc welder.

 

[searcyfarms]

arc, i arc everything........have for years love my idealarc 250