Been wanting to do this for a while, but since i hate cutting and fitting pipe...i put this off. However with the beer virus still putting a quash on other plans...i finally got of my ass to get this going. Eventually ill add some more ROPS with heavy screen for more brush/limb protection with clearing brush/trees and scrub. The blade is the start. Going to add 4 more vertical pipes. This is just the tack welded start. May extend blade higher later, since ill already have support structure there. Its no fun trying to get at Scrub and misquites trees with low trunks that protrude out from the base at odd angles. Seems like everyone of them wants to impale you or slap you outta your seat.
Finished. sanded primed and slapped some cat yellow on it. I forgot how much i hate welding rusty drill pipe with gaps to fill. Next im looking at fixing the dented deformed steel around the radiator. I know its just superficial...but i eyes always pick this out. Basically its fixing the previous owners pushing trees with the nose of this dozer.
Very nice
Looks good. If the drill stem is magnetic, the only potential worry is if the welds hold.
Explain magnetic and arc blow out? because a 2-3 times i experienced weird bright ass flashes (way brighter than the normal arc) it was like someone lit a sparkler up and practically blinded me. I only noticed it in two sections and when i was building up welds for filling in shoddy gaps. However these were welding on the frame of the dozer blade frame not on the drill stem. After the first pass it stopped doing it. Never seen anything like it. Was using a old AC buzzbox running 1/8 6011 and 6013. Depending on the gaps i was running 115 to 135 amps. All welds are bulit up multiple passes. ironically my best looking welds were the last ones...since they were ideal areas to weld.
You wouldn't get arc blow with an AC welder. A lot of drill stem is magnetic and not intended for welding. It's used a lot a lot for fencing and other non critical stuff. Not sure what the bright flashes were. Could have been something on the steel like oil or something. Hopefully it holds together as the best choice of rods would have been 7018.
it may have been in the paint on the dozer blade frame. I hit it with the grinder first but this tight area i couldnt get to. I didnt have the hind site to grind the paint and or any rust off the whole area before fitting and tack welding. Rookie wanna act like a welder mistake.