Thoughts on this welding please.

[Mick!]

I’ve had a number of failed welds on my chipper, this is the most serious.

It’s a plate that holds the second vertical anvil in place, those who are au fait with chippers will know what I’m talking about. Anyway the plate and the anvil (which I found) let go and went through the machine, bad juju.

So I know there are some pretty handy welders on here and while I discuss options with the manufacturer I was hoping someone could have a good look and opine on this.

I suspect that they will say something went through it to absolve themselves, it looks to me like another (in a series of) failed welds on this machine.

The second less clear one is an upshot from underneath.

Thanks in advance.

 

[FireFighterZero]

That weren't much of a weld.

That second picture is kind of creepy if you look at it for a bit.....

 

[Mick!]

Yeh, sorry! My brother days there seems to be little material inclusion, more of a glueing.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Yeah, looks like a pretty good tack weld.

From what I can see, it just looks like a pretty poor design really.

Would have liked to see more reinforcement, or at least a multi pass weld.

 

[Mick!]

Thanks.

 

[lumberjack]

Yeah, not much of any penetration in that weld, if I'm looking at it correctly.


Is the machine under warranty? I assume not given the previous repair work done at your shop.

 

[Mick!]

Well it’s complicated..

The French distributor just ghosts me now, has done for two years, just don’t return calls or messages, very Gallic, the guarantee has expired, I think, I’ll check, they won’t do anything anyway

I deal with the British manufacturer, who are helpful but... you know.

I’m a bit depressed about it, I’ll have to buy another stop gap to get the work in the books moving as the one I want is a 6 week waiting period.

It’s all a bit up in the air at the moment.

 

[Tree09]

I hate to say it, but it's fairly typical. Bad design on the weldment, and terrible execution. I would bet good money on the fact the weld was attempted in position, and hardwire mig (what is was built with) is absolutely horrible in position. When you have the next guy weld it on, if he shows up with anything other than a brand new can of low hydrogen stick rods, send him down the road. This is exactly what i was talking about earlier. Complete lack of fusion on the entire side, caused by an unskilled mig welder.

Most things like chippers, tractors, excavators, etc are mig welded by guys who make less than $20 an hour. The money isn't there, so neither is the skill level. This is industry wide, and will only get worse over time as new technology is pushed as the fix rather than training and decent pay. A chipper is attempting to tear itself apart every second it's in operation, and time will expose bad welds. I hate to say it, but i have a sinking suspicion that this is not the end of your woes.

 

[Nutball]

Hard to tell from this angle, but looks like the weld was applied on the surface like caulk. I probably would have welded all sides.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Hehehe! Low hydrogen snob!

 

[Mick!]

Thanks guys and once this is fixed this machine is down the road!

I wanted to go Bandit but the French distributors are, of course, the distributors of this marque and won’t even give me a price.

 

[Tree09]

That would be a wise move there

 

[FireFighterZero]

faible teneur en hydrogène

 

[Tree09]

Lol Jim I'm sure you know that i actually use xx10 rods for about everything right? About as far from low hydrogen as you can get. But on that piece, with the forces in play, low hydrogen would definitely be a wise choice for the ductility and toughness, and less likely to tear out the heat affected zone.

 

[Altissimus]

Morbark missed one entire seam (of four) on my infeed ... Had a local gifted welder get it right. Serious both sides full penetration , actually better than the factory.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Its all I use.

Once in a while use a 6011 or 10.


Oh, and a stock of 9018 for special occasions.




My wife's grandmother used to say that you should re sew all the buttons on a new shirt. Saves time and embarrassment.


Its getting to where you have a pretty good look at new machinery......



BTW Kyle.....what do you cap with??

 

[Tree09]

Depends what we're doing exactly, but about everything out here is 6010 bead, 8010 out. We're running 8p+, runs really nice brand new 7018 for inservice welds, such as a short stop or stopple.

 

[Al Smith]

There's an old trick for welding hard steel .First use something like 7018 with multiple passes no more than about 1.5 times the width of the rod .After you get the proper amount built up use what's called annealing passes on either side .Don't leave craters on the ends of the passes . MIG, microwire inert gas is not the best choice for this type of welding .Best to use electrodes .BTW 7018 is a DC reverse polarity rod .However some make an AC version which works well also .

 

[FireFighterZero]

Send me some of that "old" low H rod.

You know...when you have to open a new can and dont use it all......

 

[Tree09]

Sure thing. You need some cellulose ones too? After they have been open a bit they pitch the whole 50 pound can. 1/8 to 3/16 8010, and 3/32 to 5/32 6010. They have to pitch them because no one carries a rod oven. All dc rods tho, which I'm sure is no problem. I use ammo cabs to keep my stuff good, but there is nothing worse than fighting a bead as the rod is fingernailing, or having pinholes due to shitty rod.

 

[cory]

So I know there are some pretty handy welders on here

Understatement of the (fill in preferred very long time period).

 

[cory]

I wanted to go Bandit

FWIW my bandit is built like a damn tank. Zero problems after 4 years of daily heavy use, so far. Knock wood. I realize 4 years is no time at all but its 4 y o so yeah.

 

[FireFighterZero]

My machine does not do AC.

Anyway...thats okay. It would be too damn much for shipping!

 

[cory]

I hate to say it, but it's fairly typical. Bad design on the weldment, and terrible execution. I would bet good money on the fact the weld was attempted in position, and hardwire mig (what is was built with) is absolutely horrible in position. When you have the next guy weld it on, if he shows up with anything other than a brand new can of low hydrogen stick rods, send him down the road. This is exactly what i was talking about earlier. Complete lack of fusion on the entire side, caused by an unskilled mig welder.

Most things like chippers, tractors, excavators, etc are mig welded by guys who make less than $20 an hour. The money isn't there, so neither is the skill level.

My boy is a goddamned forensic/Sherlock Holmes weld specialist!!

 

[Altissimus]

Logger who delivered last Log Truck here broke flat steel on the bottom of the stabilizer. Kind of a shit tack weld but was fine for downward pressure. After delivery when retracting , the flange hooked on a small root and it pulled it right off.