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Is hard surfacing wire all the same?

I was asked to hard surface the cutting edge on a dozer bucket. The owner wants me to just run a bead from one end to the other on the edge. He is getting wear and wants it hard surfaced to try to prevent the wear. Says he will not grind it, just leave it rough. It will basically be about an 1/8" straight bead.

Is there any differences in the hard surfacing wire sold by different manufacturers? I am sure there are some differences but it is something that really matters in this application?

I just got a mig welder and this will be my first project.

The wire I found is .45 solid wire. I have a new Miller 251 and the tip is .35 I assume I can change out the tip and run the .45, is this correct?

thanks,

Oso

Reply to
Oso
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Ah, so he is clueless.

Yes, there are many different types of hard surfacing electrodes. Each has its own range of uses.

Ah, so you're clueless too.

You can change the tip, but your machine is going to really be pushed to run that thick a hard wire.

I think you're setting yourself up for trouble here. You're attempting to do something you don't know how to do, and you're being asked to do it in a way that is almost certain to provide an unsatisfactory result.

Gary

Reply to
Gary Coffman

0.045" hardfacing wire is actually a dual-shield process. There is a shielding gas and a flux layer left on the bead. 0.045" is the limit of a Millermatic 251. You will be running pretty hot. Make sure not to feed too much wire or you will get bad porosity.

I have run many pounds of 0.045" Rankin Ranomatic DDG and BBG for anvil surfaces.

The Rankin stuff was considerably cheaper than Stoody or UTP, and has worked great.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Yes you can change the tip to .045 Your machine will be at its limit but since you are only running one small bead it should be ok. The choice of wire and the application is unknown. If the bucket is being used on sand and earth you can have a relatively hard and brittle weld. If the bucket is going to be striking rock on a regular basis too hard a bead will fracture off. Some hardsurfacing will require preheat.. Generally hardsurfacing beads are run cold to limit dilution of the weld bead material with the parent metal. Yes there are a wide range of hardsurfacing consumables. The safest way is to ask the supplier for advice. Even that is not fool proof since there are many fools selling hardfacing materials. Ask for some product literature and take your chances. There have been many people who have been turned off hardsurfacing simply because they have used it in the wrong application or used the wrong wire.

Randy

Reply to
Randy Zimmerman

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