Need toothbar advice

[knute_m]

Without flux or gas not much will happen except some sparks.

Get a roll of 035 flux core -- it's about $9 a roll at Home Depot, and $11 a roll at Lowes. I think TSC has them in 3-packs.

Make sure you change to an 035 flux core tip. Set the welder for maximum amperage (voltage). Set the wire feed for the highest setting recommended for that size wire. Oh, and if you've been doing MIG, change the polarity for flux core.

Start a spark, but don't try to run a bead. Just go in about a 1/4-inch circle between the two pieces until you get a good puddle that spans the cut. Do this about every 1/2-inch over the width of one side. Then do it on the other side. If you are getting a reasonable puddle, you might try to run a bead or bigger tack puddles. But, that is a pretty thick piece of metal for a 140 amp machine.

It won't be extremely strong. You'll probably get less than 1/8 inch penetration, but it should hold together reasonably when it is on the bucket.

Also, I can't view all the posts of this thread in the "RESPONSE" mode, but I think you said you had an oxy torch. Have you thought about brazing? Brazing might actually be faster, easier, and at least as strong as the tack welds -- maybe stronger. Some 1/16-inch brazing rod and a small box of flux would be all you'd need.

Good luck,
Knute

 

[john_bud]

Bones,

Use the torch to pre-heat them tooth bar metal. Get it good and red hot. Your welder can't throw out enough heat by itself, so give it some help! Once hot, then use the MIG with shield gas or else flux core at max power.

Of course, you COULD just use the torch to weld it back together. You can get rod and flux pretty cheap.

jb

 

[KennethBrown]

You definetely need to use gas or a flux cored wire. Its a wonder that it even looked like it was welded. The gang on here has you going in the right direction.

 

[bones1]

I will try it with gas although it works fine like it is so far.Also will slot side mounting brackets so you can just loosen the bolts ,pull forward to clear bucket and flip it back into the bucket re tighted so you do not have to remove it if you want a smooth bucket edge.

 

[texasjohn]

The idea to flip the toothbar sounded good to me,too... then I got to looking at it carefully... somehow, this didn't seem to be a needed/usefull feature... it's just too easy to twist the nuts a couple more times, remove bolts and drop the toothbar. I carry a couple of breakover handles with sockets in the toolbox so I always have them if I need to do this.... It may be exactly what you need... in my case, it would have necessitated doing some unnatural things re positoning of the hole in bucket sides, etc.... experience has shown that for me, at least, I made the right decision.

Just thought I'd share my experience/decision with you.

 

[bones1]

John, the reason I need to do this is my back. Broke it a while back and I alone cannot lift the toothbar. Mine will flip without repositioning the mounting bolts,just need to slot the bracket and radius the end of it for "flip" clearance..Removing it is not an option for me.Glad it works for you.

 

[texasjohn]

You have the best reason ever to use the flip option. I'm hoping that you can figure out some sort of leverage to assist you in executing the flip option... it seems to me that you will still have to lift the admittedly extremely heavy toothbar (mine is 135 lbs, I weighed it)... hopefully a combination of loosening the bolts and manipulation of the FEL and curl that will accomplish the job so you don't have to lift.

Best wishes, I do understand your need.