Weld on a bucket

[Fastball]

Our tractor bucket has a split along the horizontal bottom seam (along the back). I'm not sure if Dad had literally GROUND the seam down, or if it was a combination of rust and whatever. I'm going to call around for a guy to try repair it with a welder. Can a guy just lay a strip of angled iron along the horizontal edge and weld it on? I mean, i'm not looking for cosmetic brilliance here.what's the best way to fix this?

 

[Shaneard]

A picture is worth a thousand words. 84 in this case, if I counted correctly.

 

[ovrszd]

Our tractor bucket has a split along the horizontal bottom seam (along the back). I'm not sure if Dad had literally GROUND the seam down, or if it was a combination of rust and whatever. I'm going to call around for a guy to try repair it with a welder. Can a guy just lay a strip of angled iron along the horizontal edge and weld it on? I mean, i'm not looking for cosmetic brilliance here.what's the best way to fix this?

Yes, that can be done. Or even a strip of flat iron, depending on angles involved. Since you are mentioning rust, I'd be worried about simply welding the crack. Probably isn't enough good metal left at the edges of the crack to hold a weld.

All pure speculation until we see the picture Shane mentioned.

 

[roadhunter]

Most farmers would simply weld her back up as best they could and it would last for years. Wouldn't be pretty but it works fine. My old 54 Farmall has several of those types of repairs.

 

[k0ua]

If this helps any, here is how I repaired my old Kubota bucket.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/249487-oh-no-my-bucket-broken.html?highlight=bucket

 

[Fastball]

A picture is worth a thousand words. 84 in this case, if I counted correctly.

OK...hopefully I've sussed out the attaching-pictures thing.
As a non-welder, is that gap repairable? Can we just slap a piece of iron with the correct angle over the whole corner and weld it down? Or just a few vertical strips to strengthen it?

 

[Billrog]

Weld on a nice heavy piece of angle iron it will be real handy for back bladeing and fix the bucket.

 

[k0ua]

OK...hopefully I've sussed out the attaching-pictures thing.
As a non-welder, is that gap repairable? Can we just slap a piece of iron with the correct angle over the whole corner and weld it down? Or just a few vertical strips to strengthen it?

Well I am sure you will get lots of answers, and I can't quite tell where the metal went on the left end, but I am assuming, since I can't look at it sideways that it is curled up, making the left side of the rip much wider.

I would drill a 1/2 inch hole on the far right about 1/2 an inch inf front of the furthermost rightward travel of the rip. This should stop the migration of the crap/rip.

I would beat back down the furthermost left upper sided of the rip and make it meet as best can with the lower side.

I would start a nice bead on the bottom of the rip, clean, and keep laying beads on top of my first bead until I encompassed the upper piece of metal, making sure I got good penetration for the tie in. If metal is just gone on the left and you can't make the crack come anywhere meeting, then yes lay in some metal piece and burn it in. until you are satisfied. 1/8 7018 at 120 amps or maybe a bit less is where I would start, looking at how it is burning in on that thin materiel as you might have to back it off.

Clean the bead well after each pass with a wire wheel so as not to trap any slag. and weld up the 1/2 inch drilled hole.

Question: How the heck did it become so bad?. "stitch in time" and all of that.

 

[Fastball]

"Question: How the heck did it become so bad?. "stitch in time" and all of that."

(A bit of back story here) - my parents have had a small 5-acre farm in the North Okanagan of British Columbia. They're in their mid-80s, and the writing's been on the wall for some time that they really can't take of the place that well anymore. It's either let the place deteriorate into ruin, or they should sell the place and move someplace else (ie into town). I know the latter choice would break their hearts, so I took early retirement to relocate my wife and myself out here to take over the place. Dad has little or no mechanical inclination whatsoever, and if it isn't broken into a million pieces and still runs...it's good enough for him. When it breaks, it's time for a new one - that's his philosophy. That's not mine...I like stuff fixed and running optimally. However, I've never been that hands on with his equipment, since I lived across the country and only managed to get out here once or twice a year for a couple of weeks.
So now - well, there's a new sheriff in town...and this guy likes stuff that works.
Thanks for listening..

 

[k0ua]

"Question: How the heck did it become so bad?. "stitch in time" and all of that."

(A bit of back story here) - my parents have had a small 5-acre farm in the North Okanagan of British Columbia. They're in their mid-80s, and the writing's been on the wall for some time that they really can't take of the place that well anymore. It's either let the place deteriorate into ruin, or they should sell the place and move someplace else (ie into town). I know the latter choice would break their hearts, so I took early retirement to relocate my wife and myself out here to take over the place. Dad has little or no mechanical inclination whatsoever, and if it isn't broken into a million pieces and still runs...it's good enough for him. When it breaks, it's time for a new one - that's his philosophy. That's not mine...I like stuff fixed and running optimally. However, I've never been that hands on with his equipment, since I lived across the country and only managed to get out here once or twice a year for a couple of weeks.
So now - well, there's a new sheriff in town...and this guy likes stuff that works.
Thanks for listening..

No problem, I believe the bucket is very repairable by someone with even my very modest welding skills. It would not be much of a job for a pro. Good luck in getting things put back in order...