Oh no! My bucket is broken!

[TripleR]

Good job James, growing up on a farm and using well worn equipment, learning to weld was a necessity. One of my sons learned in HS, but another waited until later in life and went to nigh school. I encourage anyone with an interest to learn, it saves a lot of money and as mentioned gives one a real feeling of accomplishment.

 

[rankrank1]

Nice pictures and story details - Thanks for sharing.

I rarely build any projects from scratch. Projects like this one or buildiung up wallered out holes, building up rubbing wear points, vibration cracks, or it simply rusted away cracks are what I use my welder for 99% of the time. Since most of my equipment is 50+ years old my welder gets used more than you think.

In the repair world you do not need lots of expensive equipment. Matter of fact most of the expensive equipment sits idle in the repair world. Really a stick welder (as little as $75-$125 used) and a 4.5" angle grinder ($15 at HF) and you can fix a lot on metal thicker than say 1/16" thick up to unlimited thickness. Nothing gives you more bang for your buck than stick.

For those lacking power there are dual voltage alternatives from the sponsors of this forum (you would be surprised what you can fix on 115 volt with stick). Also you can power any of the common cheaply available buzzbox stick welders (e.g. Miller Thunderbolt, Hobart Stickmate, of Lincoln tomstone) on 230 volt with a 10 gauge extension cord up to 100' or more easily.

I also look for shade on hot days. Actually, I do all my grinding and welding outdoors as it keeps the dust and chance of fire in my small barn to a minimum. Usually end up welding in front of the barn and using the barn for shade.

 

[Gary Fowler]

From the broken weld photo, it looks like the original welder had little to no penetration on the cutting bar likely from running too cold. Your repair looks like it will hold plenty good. Digging up rocks(or stumps) with the edge of the FEL is as good a way as I know to warp the FEL frame (Please dont ask me how I know) Backdragging with the FEL and hitting rock so stumps with the middle of the bucket is a good way to warp the center of the bucket also and a16# sledge hammer wont straighten it back either, again PDAMHIK.
I seems the bucket mfg. dont put any more weld than minimal as excess welding will tend to warp the steel so any little excessive force placed on them tends to bend and break them.
Participating in a local community college welding program might be the cheapest way to learn some basic skills. I dont know what the fees are but with the price of rods and equipment it doesnt take much to burn up several hundred bucks worth of welding rods. I would strongly suggest that you get your basic practice in at a school which is likely federally or state funded and you can weld all your want on all the processes - stick, MIG, TIG for practically free of charge prior to purchasing your home machine. I personally prefer Stick welding, but most beginners like the ease of use with the MIG machines. Take the course, decide which machine meets your needs and skill level and then go buy. The only advice I would give in purchasing is if buying a stick machine, go with DC or AC/DC and avoid the AC only machines which have limited rods available and are much harder to weld with than a DC machine.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Thanks guys..It gives me a good feeling to repair something that is broken on my own. It is not just the money saved from having to take something to a shop, it is more than that.

James K0UA

That one repair probably came close to paying for your welder. The little 160 has been changed and now though it doesn't feature the 6010 port, it does work well with 6011 and to boot it has High Freq. start DC tig, and a solenoid valve built in.

 

[undercut]

I was thinking the same thing.. but by the dirt and rust packed in the crack, I guess it has been broken for a while. I often use the edges to pop out rocks.. I guess at some point I tied onto one a little too hard. Anyway thankfully I did see it, and thought I had better fix it now before I forgot about it. And by looking at the other side, and comparing the factory weld.. the left side never was welded properly by my thinking.

James K0UA

Good for you, James. Excellent application of your welder and your skill. Feels pretty good to be able to do things for yourself doesn't it! You are definitely getting excellent value from your welder.

 

[k0ua]

Good for you, James. Excellent application of your welder and your skill. Feels pretty good to be able to do things for yourself doesn't it! You are definitely getting excellent value from your welder.

Thanks, yes the welder has paid for itself on this repair and others. A welder is a good investment even if you buy it new, let alone the deals you can get on used ones from people that have given up on learning. It is not that hard, but I think some people just give up easily. Even my old AC225 Lincoln buzzbox paid for itself the first few times I used it. But this little PA160 is so small and easy to use and is way more flexible.

James K0UA

 

[weldermike]

Good save James, That little chunk thats missing on the edge of the blade looks like the culprit. Must have caught something solid. Nice save tho!

 

[Notforhire]

I often use the edges to pop out rocks.. I guess at some point I tied onto one a little too hard.

James K0UA

That's a baaaaad thing James. You don't want to bend your loader arms. I think you need another attachment!

Bill

 

[pat32rf]

My sweet wife bought me a 225 Lincoln back about 1974. Back then I could pick it up and take it to work in the company van which meant I didn't need to call in a pro. (called job security back then)
About 1995 the cooling fan packed up so I've only do short runs since, but 99% of my jobs get done.
I have hooked it up to stove and dryer outlets in the field but it is often easier to just take a 4kw genny with me. By choosing my rod and taking my time this is ample power for 3" angle or pipe....
Last year I also bought a cheepy rectifier DC/Plasma/tig set and find that the dc IS easier..

 

[k0ua]

My sweet wife bought me a 225 Lincoln back about 1974. Back then I could pick it up and take it to work in the company van which meant I didn't need to call in a pro. (called job security back then)
About 1995 the cooling fan packed up so I've only do short runs since, but 99% of my jobs get done.
I have hooked it up to stove and dryer outlets in the field but it is often easier to just take a 4kw genny with me. By choosing my rod and taking my time this is ample power for 3" angle or pipe....
Last year I also bought a cheepy rectifier DC/Plasma/tig set and find that the dc IS easier..

AC machines will get the job done, but DC machines will get the job done with smoother beads, better selection of rods, and with the new inverter welders a machine you can pick up and go with. I used to be able to pick of an AC225 when I was a 30 something, but it was heavy for me even then. Now it would just be a great way to hurt myself.

 

[Spiros]

Nice fix. Welds look better than mine.

 

[k0ua]

Nice fix. Welds look better than mine.

Thanks.

 

[drizler]

I really got to learn how to weld. I keep figuring ways around it, but there is no substitute for the real deal.

I learned by buying a welder and just going at it. Today with the net it's so much easier. Just don't try to teach yourself to arc weld on sheet metal:thumbdown:like I did. Wet sheet matal at that outside in the rain:thumbsup: Yea, better don't do that use something thicker to play with if you are arc welding. Remember , a bit of artistry with a grinder and your welds will pretty much look just like a pro did it.

 

[k0ua]

I learned by buying a welder and just going at it. Today with the net it's so much easier. Just don't try to teach yourself to arc weld on sheet metal:thumbdown:like I did. Wet sheet matal at that outside in the rain:thumbsup: Yea, better don't do that use something thicker to play with if you are arc welding. Remember , a bit of artistry with a grinder and your welds will pretty much look just like a pro did it.

What is it that they say: "putty and paint can make a weldor what he ain't"

 

[BrokenTrack]

What is it that they say: "putty and paint can make a weldor what he ain't"

Not really because then it just breaks again.

Really there are two types of welders. Those that run off with the mouth, and then the rest of us that never forgot where we started.

When I was welding, I got put with the new guys that were struggling because of this reason. I remember struggling in my early career; trying to remember to hold the edges on a vertical-up weld when it seemed going faster would make the weld smooth out, or trying to weld one handed when everyone welds better with two, and then helping the new welders get over these issues so they get to be good welders.

It would be a blast to work with you guys for just a few hours, just so you would get the habits that are needed to weld consistently, and then all of you guys would be off and running. I really mean it, you would see, and then say, "oh, I see", and then you guys would be fine. Now I have said "guys" loosely because in my experience, women make the best welders because their dexterity skills are so much more precise then men.

It goes beyond repair too, I have built several implements just because I could weld saving me thousands of dollars. I really encourage EVERYONE to learn welding if they can...it can serve you well in life.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Funny story on welding and humility.

My most humiliating situation as a welder, ended up making me a much better welder.

What happened was, I got laid off early in my welding career, and so they kept us on, but we had to be laborers. For a welder, that is kind of humiliating. So one day we were in the bilge of this ship sucking up paint chips, and the next day we were in an engine room painting jet fuel lines. But the rest of the guys were slopping on the paint, and this was a US Naval destroyer, and I figured if I did a good job, I would not be sucking paint chips out of the bilge with a backpack shop vac. And that is just what happened, so I painted jet fuel lines for a month because I did a clean job.

But in order to get between the ceiling (called the overhead on a ship) and the top of the pipe, I used a mirror, then dabbed the spot with my brush.

Well when I went back to welding, I realized a month of painting was like practice for welding. To this day, I will start to weld a tight spot where I have to tape a mirror into the corner, and my brain will switch over, and suddenly my hands work backwards. It is far tougher than it sounds. But in mirror welding, everything is backwards...left is right, and right is left, so everything gets goofy quick. But from painting with a mirror in tight spots, I ended up being one of the welders they grabbed when there was a mirror weld to make. (On ships, there is no skip-welds, everything is 100% welded no matter where that weld is).

It was just hand-eye coordination, but without being able to paint with a mirror, I would have never been a great mirror welder.

 

[stuckmotor]

Broken Track,
Thanks for confirming what a weldor told me about mirror welding on a ship. He told me about it in the early 70's and I've occasionally wondered if he was making it up.

 

[stuckmotor]

Good work James and good to see Shield Arc posting again.

 

[k0ua]

Good work James and good to see Shield Arc posting again.

Unfortunately Shield Arc hasn't posted since August 2018.

 

[dragoneggs]

It would be a blast to work with you guys for just a few hours, just so you would get the habits that are needed to weld consistently, and then all of you guys would be off and running. I really mean it, you would see, and then say, "oh, I see", and then you guys would be fine. Now I have said "guys" loosely because in my experience, women make the best welders because their dexterity skills are so much more precise then men.

Unfortunately Shield Arc hasn't posted since August 2018.

Speaking of Shield Arc... when I bought my Miller 211 transformer several years back, he invited me to come over with my machine. It was the best 2-1/2 hours of instruction and advice I have ever had! It was a humbling but fantastic day.

Didn't realize that it had been so long. Need to check on him. Tractor Seabee is closer to him than me. Maybe he can update us?