reskinning a bucket

[MTNGUN]

Neighbor's other backhoe bucket. The bottom was worn thin, then punctured while pounding fenceposts. It has other things wrong with it, too (note the missing teeth), but I only signed on to reskin the bottom.


The old skin was cut out with an oxy torch and a 4 1/2" grinder was used to clean up the edges. An air-arc would have been faster, but Santa hasn't brought one yet.


Rebar was tacked inside the bucket to guide the new skin as it gets bent around the curve of the bucket.


I cut the replacement skin out of 1/4" mild steel plate -- the same plate that I used to make my truck bumper (which is why I made the bumper out of plate). I had no way to brake the plate to the contour of the bucket, so it will have to be bent and tacked a little at a time.

[MTNGUN]

I've never reskinned a bucket before, so I wasn't sure how to bend the 1/4" plate. I thought about making a brake attachment for my 20 ton press, but I don't think the 20 ton press is sturdy enough to bend 1/4" x 24" plate. So I improvised.

I started out using a come-along to bend the plate.


The come-along quickly ran out of room to manuever


I added some levers and switched to a farm jack. The farm jack had plenty of power for the job, but it wasn't a real stable situation, and I don't recommend doing it this way, even though I made it work.


This was as far as I could get with the jack.

[MTNGUN]

This is as far as I got today.


Tomorrow I will finish tacking the plate.

In hindsight, it would have been easier -- and safer -- to use the loader bucket to bend the plate. But, that's hindsight, and the backhoe is 7 miles away, with a flat tire. I made do with what I had available.

I curious to hear Torker explain how pros do this job ?

[boslab]

Good job, i did one on the machine [i have another to do weather permitting so i'll take some snaps] i used the machine to bend the sheet round after it was welded at the top by the hitch and piled the weld in from inside the bucket, rooted with stick capped with MIG [it was windy so working inside the shell stopped the shrouding blowing off] but as you did not have that luxury i think that would be the way i'd have at it.
Good job well done
regards
the other
Mark

[torker]

MNTGUN...I do it the same way but I use those little chain comalongs...they are shorter.
Where you are now...I would use draw down wedges on both sides if I had to....
BUT...I wouldn't....I'd weld two lugs on the sides...then loop a chain thru that and up over the top of the plate.
Put a hydraulic jack on the plate (with a U shaped adapter for the chain to run thru)...run the chain over the jack....pump up the jack till it bends the plate down and you got it!
You'll need wedges for the last bit no doubt. Just cut 1" or so holes on 1/4" plate ...tack it to the sides...run the wedges in from inside to out....and you'll suck the plate down very tight!
Russ

[MTNGUN]

Torker, I like your suggestions on the wedges and chained jack. I hadn't thought of either of those tricks.

However, the new skin has started to run crooked, with 1/4" gap on one side while rubbing on the other side. I was thinking to torch off the remaining plate so I could reposition it in the center of the bucket. The remaining section has very little curve so little or no bending would be required if I cut the plate.

Thanks for the feedback, Torker. One of these years you'll have to show us one of your bucket repairs.

Looking forward to seeing your pics, boslab.

[Errol]

I would be tempted to use some heat. But remember to keep your torch moving. I've done quite a few curves by tacking and torching including a bucket bottom that I built quite a few years ago. Careful or you will get "lumpies"

[AussieChris]

That's what one of my hoe buckets looks like. Thanks for posting this thread and giving me some ideas how to repair it.

Chris
Brisbane Australia.

[MTNGUN]

AussieChris, glad this thread is helping you. But, I am just an amateur welder. Torker is the master bucket builder.

Anyway, taking up where I left off...... since the new plate was running a little crooked, I cut it off so that it could be reoriented.


Refitted.


The curved part of the bottom did have a slight convex bow, so I employed Torker's excellent suggestion to use a bottle jack and a chain. The bottle jack easily straightened out the bow. Thanks, Torker.


I'd been tacking with KT 3/32" 7018, but finally used it all up, so I opened a new 50# can of Lincoln 3/32" 7018AC. I bought the 7018AC because it seemed like the logical choice for my buzzbox, even though I normally run DC. However, I have since heard that 7018AC does not run as well as normal 7018. That proved to be the case.

My first serious effort with the 7018AC rod, dragging at 85 amps DC. Not nearly as smooth as regular 7018.


The 7018AC did strike an arc effortlessly. It seemed to freeze faster than regular 7018, and I had no problem using it to fill 3/16" gaps, and no problem welding out of position. It seems to need more heat than regular 7018, and I eventually settled on 95 amps. Even at 95 amps, it still has a fast freeze, and that makes it challenging to get a smooth, consistent bead. When I use up this can, I will probably go back to regular 7018.

[MTNGUN]

The outside of the bucket got a root pass with the 3/32" 7018. Later, the outside will be capped with 5/32" 7018.

Meanwhile, I started welding the inside with 5/32" 7018. For the inside, I skipped the root pass. Dragging at 160 amps DC.


While I was welding the inside, I noticed a crack.


The crack was ground out.


The crack got a root pass with 1/8" 6011 at 95 amps, followed by a 5/32" 7018 cap at 160 amps, weaving a little.


There's another evening's welding left to do, but nothing too exciting, so that's probably all the photos for this project.