Farm field repairs

[Wildfire]

Every now and then I have to go on a service call and I don't mind as long as it isn't raining, snowing or too cold. Well this week started out sunny and I got the call to head to to the farm to look at a mower that had somehow became detached from the new Kubota and dug into the ground and bent up a number of pieces so I went out, cut the bent parts off and brought them back to the shop where I cut new plates, machined and milled other parts then did some welding. Monday I'll head out and complete the repair and post photos of the completed job.

 

[Wildfire]

Some more pics. Sorry. All of them were taken with the iPhone.

 

[skeets]

I ain't real sure but Im thinkin that aint a cheap repair,,, bet somebody got their peepee wacked over that,,lol

 

[skeets]

I ain't real sure but Im thinkin that aint a cheap repair,,, bet somebody got their peepee wacked over that,,lol

 

[DanDan]

I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.

Wildfire.

Simply awesome, man.

 

[Wildfire]

I ain't real sure but Im thinkin that aint a cheap repair,,, bet somebody got their peepee wacked over that,,lol

You'd never know there was a problem when I got there. All they were concerned about was it able to be repaired. I've been working for this company a long long time and if I said it couldn't be repaired they would just laugh and say fix it anyway
Good people to work for.

I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.

Wildfire.

Simply awesome, man.

Thanks Dan. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed seeing this

 

[Wildfire]

Well I got the mower repaired yesterday and here's a few photos of it. Today I went down the road to weld up a cracked Cat excavator. The weather has been great the last few days but rain is on the way for the rest of the week so that puts me back in the shop.

 

[skeets]

Sure is lucky for you , you got a Miller welder AND a Chevy truck

 

[Wildfire]

Sure is lucky for you , you got a Miller welder AND a Chevy truck

You sure got that right. Couldn't have done it without them

 

[Russell King]

Hey Wildfire - good stuff.

Isn't it amazing what a few HP can do compared to human strength? Two things always amaze me: small pieces of fairly thin steel can hold so much force and a HP or 2 can rip up large pieces of fairly thick steel.

Not complaining but do you know your pictures are huge in width in this post? Not sure if it is just me or does everyone see them about 1.5 to 2 times screen width?

 

[Wildfire]

Hey Wildfire - good stuff.

Isn't it amazing what a few HP can do compared to human strength? Two things always amaze me: small pieces of fairly thin steel can hold so much force and a HP or 2 can rip up large pieces of fairly thick steel.

Not complaining but do you know your pictures are huge in width in this post? Not sure if it is just me or does everyone see them about 1.5 to 2 times screen width?

I often think about the same thing. Sorry about the large photo's. I snapped them with the iPhone in the heat of the moment. I won't let it happen again

 

[BAP]

Good pictures. I would love to have some of the metal working equipment you have for all the projects I dream about doing. Right now, all I can do is look at pictures like yours and others and drool over the neat equipment and dream. SoooomeDaaay after I win the Powerball or the prize patrol shows up on my doorstep.

 

[Wildfire]

Good pictures. I would love to have some of the metal working equipment you have for all the projects I dream about doing. Right now, all I can do is look at pictures like yours and others and drool over the neat equipment and dream. SoooomeDaaay after I win the Powerball or the prize patrol shows up on my doorstep.

Having things like tools is great for those like myself that need them to make a living BUT I dream of the day that I don't need them to survive. If I ever won the lottery the first thing to go would be the tools lol

 

[FTG-05]

Having things like tools is great for those like myself that need them to make a living BUT I dream of the day that I don't need them to survive. If I ever won the lottery the first thing to go would be the tools lol

Fortunately (or unfortuanately depending on your point of view) I have much simpler goals in life:

To be able to weld such gorgeous welds as shown above!!!

 

[WFM]

Those are gorgeous welds. You must use a rotary table and a mig ? And as far as the tools/machinery , owning them is just that. But being capable and skilled enough to run them , fabricate in tolerances and tacked what ever comes thru the door or in the field. Not many can do it all. Your the man Wildfire.

 

[BadDog]

They are nice. Looks like a welding positioner (motorized rotary table, you can see the chuck in some pics) was used along with Spray Transfer. Most smaller home shop welders are only capable of globular transfer, which yields the welds most of us associate with MIG/GMAW welds. But if you have enough power to go into spray transfer mode, and have consistent speed/position, you get those beautiful smooth welds as shown on the round collar. It takes both professional grade equipment AND skill. Other welds can be seen that appear to be globular transfer, or possibly spray with less consistent control of a manual weld.

 

[Russell King]

"I won't let it happen again"

Don't give it a second thought, it was no problem.

 

[Wildfire]

Thanks guys. Yes I use a positioner in some of the photos. I also use either a Millermatic 252, 350P, Miller Dynasty 200 DX or a Miller 302 TrailBlazer.
Technically our little business which consists of just my wife and I is supposed to be for automotive repair but we get into all kinds of strange things on a daily basis. From dental tool repairs to ship repairs.

The mower repaired in the photos was to large to transport to our shop so it had to be done on site. They placed the damaged mower in an old barn and then I got the electrician at the farm to install a temporary 220 volt line so I could run my plasma to remove the destroyed parts and bring them back to the shop to build new ones as you seen in the photo.

The problem started when I went to install them on site. I couldn't use my gas powered Trailblazer in the old barn due to fumes so thinking I had a good power source I figured I'd take our Millermatic 252 along, plug it in and I'm good to go. Well not every good plan goes as intended.

The 220 volt drop line that the electrician put in was only on a 20 amp breaker and while I was welding it would kick out shutting me and the mig down. To overcome this I had to do short runs on my welds to keep the unit from tripping but the trade off was none consistent looking welds. They are strong and still look good but considering some of them were done out of position with a terrible power supply problem everyone including myself was pleased with the out come.

Here's a few more photos to bore the heck out of you

This one shows a good photo of the positioner with the older Millermatc 251 that was replaced by a 252.

 

[BadDog]

I find myself with a terrible case of machine envy. Not the least of which is that lift cart and welding positioner. The color of that smilie is appropriate.

 

[Wildfire]

I find myself with a terrible case of machine envy. Not the least of which is that lift cart and welding positioner. The color of that smilie is appropriate.

Ha. It's a nice unit coupled together. Here's a few more photos of how it's used and the outcome of its uses.

Here's a photo showing me with one of my biggest fans