Welding heavy steel with stick or mig welder

[chris_8126]

I was going to be welding some heavier steel than I usually do to build a box scraper. Some of the steel could be 3/4" to 1" thick. I have a miller thunderbolt xl stick welder and a miller 210 mig. I can weld fair with each but I have always had trouble with multi passes. Should I just use the stick or can I use the 210 mig with multiple passes for that thick, max single for this machine is 3/8". What types of rods or wire and specific techniques should I use.
Thanks

[Bert]

I was going to be welding some heavier steel than I usually do to build a box scraper. Some of the steel could be 3/4" to 1" thick. I have a miller thunderbolt xl stick welder and a miller 210 mig. I can weld fair with each but I have always had trouble with multi passes. Should I just use the stick or can I use the 210 mig with multiple passes for that thick, max single for this machine is 3/8". What types of rods or wire and specific techniques should I use.
Thanks

WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!!!!!!!
Both should work good for you.
What are you using for a handle? Sched 40 pipe??
Got any pics???

Personally, I'd stick it with 6011, then make passes over it with 7018.
Multi-passes/pad build-up same thing. Practice, practice, practice. Do you
have scrap of those thicknesses you can practice to join together???

WE ALL LOVE PICS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul Seaman]

I would use mig, however I would preheat the piece of heavy plate to assure you achieve penetration.

Paul

[boilerman79]

If you can clean the metal up a little and have pretty tight fitup,I would crank the amps up and burn some 5/32 -7018s[try 155 to 175 amps to start]
but 1/8 or 3/32-7018s will work just fine,just need to make more passes.

With the mig,you could switch to flux-core wire and crank it up,but stick is your best bet.

[august]

I would stick with 6011 for the first pass then switch to 7018 but practice first

[Flyingpig]

I dont think theres going to be a handle. I think this is an implement that will be towed by a tractor in a field.

[Bert]

I dont think theres going to be a handle. I think this is an implement that will be towed by a tractor in a field.

Yeah...I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about. When he said box scraper, I'm thinking of a scraper to scrape all the [email protected] out of the dumpster...
thanks FP

[bayweld]

Box Scraper

fits on a 3 point hitch behind a tractor for moving dirt around and leveling
Some are equipped with rippers to break up hard packed soil....Good luck

[Bert]

fits on a 3 point hitch behind a tractor for moving dirt around and leveling
Some are equipped with rippers to break up hard packed soil....Good luck

lol...thanks Bayweld!!!! Not much land in Hawaii to do that

[bretsk2500]

If it was me, I'd either stick it w/ 5/32 7018 @160+ amps, or get some .045 NR232 and test out the duty cycle of the MM210. 6011 wouldn't come any where near it.

[davedarragh]

"Gannon"

fits on a 3 point hitch behind a tractor for moving dirt around and leveling
Some are equipped with rippers to break up hard packed soil....Good luck

Commonly referred to as a "Gannon." Named after Roy Gannon, who invented it back in 1948. It IS the standard of the "earthcavator" industry.

[davedarragh]

"thick"

I was going to be welding some heavier steel than I usually do to build a box scraper. Some of the steel could be 3/4" to 1" thick. I have a miller thunderbolt xl stick welder and a miller 210 mig. I can weld fair with each but I have always had trouble with multi passes. Should I just use the stick or can I use the 210 mig with multiple passes for that thick, max single for this machine is 3/8". What types of rods or wire and specific techniques should I use.
Thanks

That's some mighty thick steel for either one of those 2 machines.

Why so thick? You can do a lot with 3/8" - 1/2" material, if you have proper joinery and good fit up.

[bayweld]

Bert...Yeah I know....Not a lot of dirt available..I lived in for a few years in Waianae while working on the Tripler Army Hospital and the Waianae Sewage Treatment Plant...Sure liked the weather..

[chris_8126]

Pull Type box scraper

I guess I should have explained more clearly. I'm not quit sure of the thickness because I am still trying to find a blade to use. I found an old road grader blade that is 5/8" thick and I was looking for an old angle dozer blade. The blade of either is 12' wide and hopefully when I'm done the box scraper will move around 4 yards of dirt. If I had it finished now I would be using it to move sand that the river washed out across the field we farm. Lots of uses for one around the farm and we have several tractors 200+ hp to pull it. We have some old field cultivators that we don't use anymore I'm going to get other parts from. Here are a couple links showing an example.

http://www.garfieldequipment.com/products/hd.html
http://mancomanufacturing.com/bpm_8010.htm

[Bert]

I guess I should have explained more clearly. I'm not quit sure of the thickness because I am still trying to find a blade to use. I found an old road grader blade that is 5/8" thick and I was looking for an old angle dozer blade. The blade of either is 12' wide and hopefully when I'm done the box scraper will move around 4 yards of dirt. If I had it finished now I would be using it to move sand that the river washed out across the field we farm. Lots of uses for one around the farm and we have several tractors 200+ hp to pull it. We have some old field cultivators that we don't use anymore I'm going to get other parts from. Here are a couple links showing an example.

http://www.garfieldequipment.com/products/hd.html
http://mancomanufacturing.com/bpm_8010.htm

Chris, I've been unfortanate never to have worked on bulldozers and such. Always thought it would be cool to repair and hardface the teeth and blades on them. Thanks for the links to see what you are talking about.

Bayweld, was this a repair or renovation??? or did you actually help build the hospital??!!! Are you 200 years old??!!!