On a PAT blade, when the end bits get worn down on the corners, does anybody build them up so that they last a bit longer until the rest of the cutting edge is worn out? If so, what method do you use to do it? It is not worth putting on new end bits as the main cutting edges are getting fairly worn, but also not worth changing the main cutting edges when it's only the corners of the end bits that are actually worn out.
I have about 10 hours of total seat time on a dozer. Got a small used one about a month ago. My end bits were rounded at the corner when I bought it. I just used a MIG welder with shielding gas (not flux cored wire) to build up the area. Build it up, then use an angle grinder to shape it. Build it up some more, then hit with grinder. Took about an hour of casual labor per bit.
Yair . . . Plant Fitter . paulinkansas The economics of rebuilding stuff have changed and, as I have said on here before, you can reclaim almost anything with a welder . . . it is just how much you value your time, I reckon if it works for you go for it. I used to rebuild ripper boots and stinger teeth with all the butt ends/half used packs of rods laying around the workshop, bring them up to profile and hit them with some Carbaloy hard facing, it worked for me. Cheers.
Yup, I know exactly what you are talking about. When my corners are about worn up to the moldboard, I flip the corners over so they are back to new specs again ( that is if yours can be reversed), then by the time they are worn out again the center can be flipped. They hang down a little farther than the center for a while, but not a big deal. As expensive as parts are a person has to use everything that's there. Good Luck!
Thanks for the replies, the end bits on this machine are not reversible, which made me think of building them up. I just wasn't sure of what type of welding to use on the hardened cutting edge, but sounds like anything works. I'll give the MIG a try and see how it goes. I'll be doing it myself, so the labour costs wont be a problem.
I know the labour costs won't be a problem, but at least look at the value of the materials used to build up the end bit is compared to the cost of a replacement. You may surprise yourself. I've never found an instance where building up end bits was cost-effective unless it was that replacement parts were not available in which case it was done from necessity rather than from choice.
I know what you mean, welding wire is not free. I don't intend to build them up to new size, I just want to put a bit on them so they last long enough to get full life out of the main cutting edge. When the main cutting edge is ready to be turned I will put on new end bits.
just one thought mate; PAT blade, end bits are usually 'straight' or whats called a finishing end bit. You can swap them side to side and they get turned upside down by doing so. So that way your previously unworn side is now used. Obviously depends on your end bit design tho. Have made up many 'custom' toes for myself though, making stinger or ripping toes. As alot of my bulldozing is sidecutting and am always leading with one side of the blade. Have welded grader scarifier tips on, or made a real 'cupped toe' out of old cutting edge welded on the end bits. Times free on wet days and keeps you up on your welding skills ! Preheat first so its all warm; I use a iron powder low hydrogen rod; then some 600 hardfacing over the top. Like yourself its mainly when turning centre section upside down. And then next time start again new. As Nige said probably not cost effective on big gear, but is on smaller to medium dozers. Or if your 'short on money and long on time
These end bits are straight, but they can't be reversed as they have angled outside edges. I don't have a problem with putting on new ones when I turn the main edges, just want to get a bit more life out of them before I do. Building up "stinger teeth" has been mentioned, I have never heard of them before and just wondering what they are?
Juist thinking about your dilemma of wearing out endi bits before the cutting edges are ready for turning. What about using either thinner cutting edges or thicker end bits to even out the wear..?
pic of toes on my D6, they suit what im doing, but wouldn,t be for other people know what you mean about outside edge is angled, but id just turn them and weld some old cutting edge on the angle, to make it angle the other way then cut it square or angled again. Guess your application depends on weather the man in the seat is finishing or just bulldozing
I can't reverse mine either; they're mounted with two rows of bolts, that are not equal in number or spacing. Conner bits usually wear at an angle, from the end, towards the first main edge, so I cut the old bit straight using, a plasma cutter... since I have one. .. (cutting torch works fine, also) I cut a very slight angled bevel where I just made the straight cut... I find an old main edge, bevel it slightly, tack it to the corner bit, preheat where I'm going to weld, turn my mig up to what ever... (what ever works good... lol), and usually only run one pass on each side. I haven't cut the old "main edge" to length yet, so I use a new corner bit as a template for the "outside angle"... or just guess. I usually make a "width" cut, the top to bottom dimension... this removes the unused bolt holes from the old edge, also. You don't have to make this cut if you rather not, but when people see the old bolt holes hanging there, they always ask... "Oh, did grandpa put those on for you?" ← :lmao Also, make sure you don't leave a "mound" of weld on the back side, if the weld is a little high, grind it flat with respect to the rest of the bit. IIRC... the last set of corner bits I bought, for our JD 750C 6-way, were $75.00 apiece. Lol... It also seemed to take longer to write about this, then it does to do what I just wrote about... Hmmm... didn't Festus say something about like that? :tong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8363Z3V0Es OCR
Thanks for the ideas OCR, I'll give it a try. Can anybody tell me what a stinger is?
Yair . . . Plant Fitter . I have been wondering myself when it comes to graders. In my context (and in my day) the centre projecting section of a scraper cutting edge was known as a "stinger" (frost blade in US?) and on J621's and 627's could be fitted with I think four teeth to rough up the next cut. The boots were high wear items and for some reason quite expensive. Cheers.
Thanks for the explanation Scrub, I've never been anywhere near a scraper. (I guess I'm lucky?)
Here's what I came up with. Used a piece of old grader blade. Seems to have done the job.
Looks good! End bits will probably last longer than the edges now.
Nice welding job, looks good. I do the same thing, it's not worth the time if you are paying a welder to do it but my labour is always free and new parts never are. When you put on the new end bit, put some hardface on it, it will slow down the wear some and may allow your corner to last until you flip/replace your main cutting edge.
When I had dozers we used to buy forged steel end pieces to weld onto the corner bit just as you have. These weld on pieces were thick and tough and lasted better than the original end bit itself. We obtained them from the same people who supplied our ripper teeth and other ground engaging tools. Might be worth asking your GET supplier if they are still available. Worked out way cheaper and better for us. AusDave
Well been at this 40 + years was always told you cant weld on cutting edges it wont hold! Nice to know you can still learn something new every day. That looked like a good job Plant Fitter.
Perfect!!! ... :thumbsup OCR
I've heard that for nearly 30, but, before they told me I welded a piece of grader edge to a little loader bucket w/ 7018 and it held til it wore out. I weld them all the time, and hear that I can't all the time.
Whoever says you cannt weld up a cutting edge - dont know what he is talking about. I weld up the ones for my dirt pans all the time and only broke one and it hung on a slab of Granite and something had to give. By the way it has 500 hp hooked on front pulling the pans .
Used to build up ripper teeth also, they would hold unless you hit something super hard then it would break below the weld. Don't do it anymore but it can be done
We used to weld old grader blade to shovel buckets for wear strips. Buttered both surfaces with stainless rod and welded them in with 7018 or 11018 then hard surfaced them. Bit of a pain having to air arc them off to to replace but couldn't leave them to wear enough to pull loose and go through the crusher. d.d.