How would you repair this?

[MasseyWV]

How about trying to replicate the damaged cleat on a different piece of sheet, then once you get it perfect, cut out the old, weld in the new and blend it in. Try making a homade dimple die with a larger opening on the bottom to stretch it.

Actually, I've already begun welding up new cleats on the step plates, but if I had the right metal available (everything I had was too thin) I would have done precisely as you suggested. In fact, the homemade punch I made to reform the existing cleats would have been perfect for the task.

Speaking of welding up new cleats, I resumed working on them this evening and they are starting to look very nice. After I do a little more work to them I'll post some pictures.

Today I picked up a spool of welding wire and plan to resume working on the repairs very soon, possibly even tonight. I'll post some pictures later.

I love this new Forney .030" flux core welding wire I bought today, it welds so much better than the Lincoln stuff I was using previously.

Forney 42300 .030 Diameter 2-Pound Spool E71TGS Flux Core Mild Steel Wire - Amazon.com

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Countersunk washer? The metal might be a little thin though. McMaster-Carr
Fastenal has them in black Oxide finish. Fastenal

 

[MasseyWV]

Here are a couple of pictures (front and back) of the first "cleat" I've repaired. The hole is still a bit too small and I have some filing left to do, but the basic repair is complete. I'll wait until I've re-stamped all the remaining "cleats" before finishing it. Overall, I think it turned out quite well, and only a small amount of filler should be required to "smooth" everything out.

Note that I sandblasted it for better contrast and less glare so I could get a better idea of how it looked when compared to the original "cleats".

 

[PhysAssist]

Here are a couple of pictures (front and back) of the first "cleat" I've repaired. The hole is still a bit too small and I have some filing left to do, but the basic repair is complete. I'll wait until I've re-stamped all the remaining "cleats" before finishing it. Overall, I think it turned out quite well, and only a small amount of filler should be required to "smooth" everything out.

Note that I sandblasted it for better contrast and less glare so I could get a better idea of how it looked when compared to the original "cleats".

Looks great!

Keep up the awesome work and pics.
Thomas

 

[Zork]

Sorry, didn't read the thread through. Nice job!

 

[crazyal]

Looks like you have a plan but I was going to suggest if you had a hydraulic press you could just weld them in flat and use it to make the dimples. You could even flatten all of them out and redo all the exact same way. I've had real good luck with my cheap 20 ton press making small dimples. I just countersink some thick steel to place under the sheet metal. I then use a flat headed screw as a punch. I use wood screw with a shoulder and drill a pilot hole through both the sheet metal and the thick steel.

 

[undercut]

Here are a couple of pictures (front and back) of the first "cleat" I've repaired. The hole is still a bit too small and I have some filing left to do, but the basic repair is complete. I'll wait until I've re-stamped all the remaining "cleats" before finishing it. Overall, I think it turned out quite well, and only a small amount of filler should be required to "smooth" everything out.

Note that I sandblasted it for better contrast and less glare so I could get a better idea of how it looked when compared to the original "cleats

Nicely done! Quite a few good suggestions on how to skin this cat. Good thread.

 

[weldermike]

Here are a couple of pictures (front and back) of the first "cleat" I've repaired. The hole is still a bit too small and I have some filing left to do, but the basic repair is complete. I'll wait until I've re-stamped all the remaining "cleats" before finishing it. Overall, I think it turned out quite well, and only a small amount of filler should be required to "smooth" everything out.

Note that I sandblasted it for better contrast and less glare so I could get a better idea of how it looked when compared to the original "cleats".

I think it came out SWEET bud! Nice job!