Big Barn
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2013
- Messages
- 6,874
- Location
- Victoria, B C
- Tractor
- More than 40 over the years. Ten at any one time. Mostly Ford and New Holland
Another possible option - you already have a plasma cutter, so if there are any scrap places in your area (or decent NEW steel suppliers) it might be easier/better to ask about AR plate - typically called AR400 or AR500 - I put some of that on my hoe bucket for wear strips several years ago. Started out ordering 4 strips of 1/4" thick, 3" wide x 3 feet long - they were cut for me, but there was just enough dross on the edges to make them NOT friendly to be near without gloves on, so I took my 9" grinder with a new disk and just broke the edges enough to remove the danger of getting cut. That "small" bit of grinding took about 30 minutes per edge (3 feet)Did I mention this stuff is HARD? If you can find some, cutting it with plasma (holes AND beveled edge) would likely last longer than your auger. I wouldn't recommend an O/A torch for this, plasma is several times as hot and will cut fast enough NOT to take the "goodies" out of the steel as much as a torch. IME, hardfacing is best left to LARGER surfaces - I have some Stoody HF rod and used it to make a couple passes inside the ripper slots on my Gannon box scraper. Small, short passes are NOT fun, if I have to do that again I'll probably pay for a small spool of hard facing WIRE. Not to mention - if it's hard enough to last, WHAT are you gonna SHARPEN it with?? Just some suggestions from an old fart who's had 70 years to figger out what DOESN't work - my advise is free, and worth every penny
I like this advice.
Your check's in the mail, Steve.
Terry
