HAWK needs help.

[HAWK]

Help!

No matter what grinder or wheel I try I am unable to dress the bucket flush to put on this new shank on the excavator rock bucket. I guess my next action is to try a pneumatic grinder with a carbide bit. I have about 3/32" or so to dress down flush for the shank to properly fit. This is my first rock bucket so I really don't know what the steel is or what will dress it.

Everything else went like clockwork. The old shank gouged out and the bucket mostly dressed up with carbon rods in less than 2 hours. This is the right edge shank and I know some welders flame cut them on an angle then weld them into the bucket sides. I have also seen guys gouge out the bucket sides and weld the shank solid. I guess this is a better method. I think I will have to take this route since the front bucket side where the shank was seems to be cracked out pretty bad.

Any help from well experienced heavy equipment repair guys is welcome.

[jeffscarstrucks]

Hi Hawk, Any chance that CAT has a factory service line that might help if you explain that you are doing a field repair? Also Fabick is a large Cat dealer in the St Louis area that might have a person that would help with a call. They have answed some odd questions for me once I have gotten to the right person. I know it's not an answer but maybe a resource. Good Luck, JEFF

[HAWK]

Good Idea Jeff

This Is A Case Excavator And I Have A Couple Leads To Call On Some Local Guys Tomorrow. I Need To Put This Project To Rest By Night Fall If Possible. However, I Will Accept Nothing Less Than A Correctly Done Job.

I Am Hoping Admweld Or Some Of These Other Experienced Guys Are Out Here This Evening.

I Did Not Mean That The Way It Sounded And Certainly Do Appreciate Your Help. Sorry If That Came Out Wrong.

[Stick rod]

Hawk,
I`ve got some experience with Esco,Hendricks and Kenco buckets.By any chance is it one of these?If it`s a rock bucket it is most likely made out of AR400.I take it you can`t carbon down a little closer.If you get a little deep it wil get filled up with weld when installing the new shank.AR can be tuff to grind at times,carbide just might do the trick,or try flame cutting it with a pad washing tip.If the corner is cracked that bad I would definatly cut the side of the bucket to accept the tooth and weld it in that way.Never had one come apart yet.If you can put a piece of wear plate on the outside of the bucket over the area where the shank is through the side I would.In your`e earlier post you said about using a 120-18 root,good way to go.Then a innershield wire to finish out,sounds good also.If there is any way you can set up a wind break a gas shielded wire would be the way to go.Not sure I gave you any information you didn`t already know or can use.Hopefully you can get some help from the "local guys"also.Assume you tried a web site for the bucket and or shank Manufacturer,to see what they recommend. Let us know how this project turns out when you get caught up.Maybe a photo or two.Again not sure any of this helps.

[HAWK]

Stick Rod,

It is an ESCO bucket. I had actually given up on the grinding if the pneumatic carbide bit did not do the trick. I am so close to where the old shank was a slightly deeper gouge would not be a real problem.

I think a wind break is out of the question. There is plenty of rock in this area, but all underground! Also I had mentioned earlier the bottom of the shank just pulled off like it was never welded. I still plan to use the 110 or 120-18 for a root pass and finish it out with flux core innershield. A good wear plate form AR 400 or something similar is a good idea.

Thanks for the extra info and I'll let you know what happens this evening. These guys are using the bucket until late afternoon even in such poor conditiion. The other shanks already have cracks in the welds.

[moe1942]

Hawk,

There are people with experience in this area at Shopfloortalk.

[MMW]

Almost all excavator buckets I have done have the outer shanks welded into the side. The sidewall of the bucket comes down onto the top of the shank and gets welded all around. That being said, I always try to put it on the same as it came off unless someone else has done it wrong before. Instead of grinding I would just gouge it a little more to get it to fit. I have also ground out the inside of a shank slightly to get a better fit over an edge. As far as the other cracks, they might be from stress or things just might be getting thin. These buckets take an awful pounding especially in rock. I just gouge them out & weld them up with a couple extra passes for good measure. Almost everything I do is done in a shop. I use ESAB 1/16 7100 ultra outershield with straight CO2 gas and have never had a problem.

[admweld]

Hawk Sorry So Late On Reply

Hawk,If it,s an esco bucket your working on the corner shank as mmw said will be a little hanging outside of the bucket under the side cutter they can be tuff to grind but i have done it in the past with success. I use sait wheels with my 4 1/2in grinder if that fails then i come out with the big 9in .It also gets in deeper with the bigger wheel.Are you grinding the front cutter down to accept the shank?Or tryingl to grind the shank?I have done many buckets esco,cat,wainroy,lemac,hensley they can eat a grinding wheel fast.If all fails air arc it down Good luck hope this helps if not too late.PS Make sure you got the right size shanks have had customers get me wrong esco shanks in the past

[HAWK]

admweld,

Thanks for the info. I had to slighty dress the front cutter edge of the bucket to accept the shank. I was lucky the shank length matched the bucket lip length too! I found a 15 amp vibration reduction BOSCH 7"/9"(depending on the guard size) grinder with REX-CUT SIGMA-GREEN wheel will grind anything including the shanks and the AR 400. I ordered a pre cut plate of 4"x8" .250" AR 360 to plate the outside of the bucket where the side of the shank meets the bucket. It should be ready tomorrow.

I have learned a couple of valuable lessons today: Some people put the shanks on wrong to start with leaving a mess and then some, A good 185CFM 125PSI compressor is a lifesaver with the 5/16" and 3/8" rods, and I have no idea how I lived without the new BOSCH grinder with the REX-CUT SIGMA GREEN wheels.

It has been a busy day of gaining knowledge, experience, and spending money! Believe it or not I was ready to make the final gouge and the sky dropped out. Still a great day!

Thanks StickRod, moe, mmw, and admwelds.

[admweld]

Hawk,I HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE REX-CUT GRINDING WHEELS I,LL HAVE TO TRY THEM OUT THEY KICK SOME BUTT HUH! Glad all went well.ONE THING HOW COME AR360 WEAR PLATE AND NOT AR400 OR HARDOX?any the less if your looking for some hardface wire i run the lincore 60-0 1/16 dia.i use on the front cutter, shanks, sides of bucket

[HAWK]

The Rex-Cut Sigma is the best I have found bar none! The AR 360 was the only thing available. Thanks for the tip on the HF material! I finsished up this evening, but fought many torrential down pours. My wire feed was on the blink so root, hot pass, fill and caps were all 1/8 and 5/32" 110-18. It is **** welding with anything in the rain, but a good stick is the lesser of the evils I think. And not to mention the cops stopping in to check things out at 10:00PM this evening due to a neighbors phone call. I guess they thought I was out to steal a Track Hoe or something...

[Stick rod]

Hawk,
Glad to hear everything turned out for you. It`s a real shocking experience welding in the rain, heh?Sounds like you did a first class job.I`m going to have to check out the REX CUT wheels they just may be the next best thing to come along in a while.

[Wheat]

Hawk and for others, slightly off topic. I have been using the Rex Cut wheels to prep aluminum prior to welding. So far it has been giving this rookie positive results...HTH...

[HAWK]

Hawk,
Glad to hear everything turned out for you. It`s a real shocking experience welding in the rain, heh?Sounds like you did a first class job.I`m going to have to check out the REX CUT wheels they just may be the next best thing to come along in a while.

Maybe I can get you some pictures. I use these wheels to cut AR400, 120-18, and other stuff a grinder typically won't touch. Welding in down pour sucks! You do have to be carefull no to get across 600 short circuit amps! Dead men tell no tales...

[HAWK]

Hawk and for others, slightly off topic. I have been using the Rex Cut wheels to prep aluminum prior to welding. So far it has been giving this rookie positive results...HTH...

Never tried them on anything other than heavy equip. Mine are the Sigma Green variety. Do they make some just for AL?