What MIG wire for Hardfacing ?

   / What MIG wire for Hardfacing ? #11  
If you can find it locally, you could get some AR plate (I used AR400) you could do what I did for my old 580B's 2' bucket - I used 1/4" AR plate, cut into 3" wide strips (to replace worn out mild steel ones on the back and bottom of bucket) - to follow the bucket curve, stitch weld one end, preheat and beat down with about a 3 lb hammer, stitch, heat, beat, repeat -

At the time I had neither plasma or MIG so it was cut with O/A torch and welded with 7018 (DC reverse) - I also scarfed off all the old tooth shanks (rounded off from mis-use) and put new shanks and teeth on.

20 years later there's no appreciable wear on the bucket bottom, and essentially NONE on those AR wear strips.

Depending on the type of cutting edge on your augers it might be possible to use that approach on them too - but don't expect to grind much of an edge on AR plate, NOR will you be able to DRILL it for mounting -

These days I would cut the edge of a tooth at a steep angle, and for mounting I'd pierce where the bolt holes were needed (my Hypertherm PM45 will do up to 1", so a pretty steep angle on (say) 3/8" AR tooth wouldn't be a problem.)

AR plate is recommended by most to be welded with Low Hydrogen rod, but technically ER70s MIG wire IS low hydrogen. AR DOES like a preheat tho, even a propane torch would help if that's all you have.

At today's prices, NOT buying a bunch of hardface rod/wire would ALMOST pay for a plasma :rolleyes: ... Steve
 
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   / What MIG wire for Hardfacing ? #12  
I could by a lot of hard rod or wire for what my Hypertherm cost me. I have a shade over 5 grand in the machine.
 
   / What MIG wire for Hardfacing ? #13  
Yeah, my PM45's just a baby compared to the ones big enough for a serious table. It was just over $1700 back in 2012. If I'm still doing enough of this stuff when/if I finally get a second (NON woodworking) shop, might go for a 4x8 table and more power - not 'cause I'd need more for thickness, just for increased cut speed in the 1/4" to 1/2" range... Steve
 

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