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fanaticx

Mower deck repair

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fanaticx

I bought my mowing deck for 25 bucks but it had serious rust damage. I started patching it last week. I haven't welded in probably a decade. Here's before and after pics of the first patch. What do you guys think?e34ccf7b2f0ecc28510ab9210493c54b.jpgfbbd82fe78d08ef793634ed4826a996b.jpg

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AMC RULES

:scared-eek:   Yeah...   :) 

that's getting better. 

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Geno

With a little grinding and paint is should look just fine.   :) 

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ben06351

Well now that should clean right up.

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fanaticx

Still a bunch of bad spots but once I'm done I might get a couple more years of service

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KyBlue

bit of trimming and some grinding it'll look awesome!

 

Reminds me of what my 36" RD deck looked like long ago ...

 

before:

ImportedPhotos00009.jpg

 

after

IMG_4857.jpg

 

Keep us updated  :)

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Ed Kennell

Bout 10 more patches and you won't even have to grind.    :handgestures-thumbup:

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fanaticx

Yeah hopefully. Getting the wire speed and heat right really kicked my butt

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KyBlue

Yeah hopefully. Getting the wire speed and heat right really kicked my butt

 

I'm spoiled ... the Miller Autoset is just way to easy ...

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Molon_Labe

Peyton Manning would tell you to rub some dirt on it. Hey, it'll clean up okay with some grinding and paint, not to worry. What kind of welder are you using? I'm holding out for a Multi Plaz but till then my HF 151 mig will have to do.

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fanaticx

I have an old clarke en130. Not the greatest machine but it's what I've got

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Molon_Labe

I have an old clarke en130. Not the greatest machine but it's what I've got

As long as it works that's the main thing. I grew up a farm kid and learned real quick to fix anything that broke under my watch, including welding. And believe me, there was always something that needed fixing.

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PaulC

what kind of grinding wheel are you using for cleaning up the welds? looks to me like your using a hard wheel and those are ok for "knocking" the welds down but when you get close to the existing surface you want to blend it in and a flap disc is the way to go!! no matter how good you are you cannot get a nice finished look with a hard wheel. if you blend nicely with a flap disc and then go over the area with a orbital sander after, once you paint you will hardly noticed your patch.

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pacer

As more and more time passes our decks are getting more and more scarce and necessitates some drastic steps to keep them in use - and some other horse parts too!! This is one that was REALLY bad, but I figured I didnt have anything to lose by taking that huge chunk out of the middle of it. And, it did warp a bit but doggone if the thing doesnt cut pretty good. I had in mind to have it dedicated for use as strictly a leaf/pine straw 'picker-up' deck to use with my 'Cyclone' vacuum and it does that well.

 

post-9681-0-23086600-1414596741_thumb.jp

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fanaticx

Mines that bad in the middle

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pacer

Whoever designed that stiffener plate on the decks must've wanted to get it to be able to retain water between the plate and shell --- and it certainly does that :eek: :eek:

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fanaticx

Yeah it was kind of crappy. I have a bunch of holes to fix. Not sure if I can get them all

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Tankman

I usually unbolt all and rebolt with patches of galvanized steel.

 

Then, weld away. Stitch weld the patches in place. Years ago our tool boxes had pieces of copper flat bar in them; 3/8" to 1/2" thick x 2" wide and various lengths.

 

The copper (or brass) won't weld to the steel, clamp behind the parts to be welded. Makes for a great weld! No  burn through. Easy to plug weld holes with the copper behind your work.

 

Unbolt all, grind if you must, prime 'n paint. 

 

Bolt all back, I use stainless hardware and Never-Seez, locking nuts or Threadlocker Blue.

 

Saving our decks is extremely important! Here's a pic of just a bit of restoration. There was a lot more, unseen.

 

 

My 1st deck restore(s) years ago, were RD rectangular. Model? I forgot.

I made the decks from 316 SS bolting the cast spindles. Flatbar on the decks was heavier and tapped for new deck wheels. Of course the stainless was painted WH red but, sorry, a magnet wouldn't stick.  :laughing-rofl:  

 

I was a tin knocker building SS chemical storage tanks. Had all the equipment, brakes, shears, punch presses, spot welders, TIG, MIG and stick. And a paint shop. 

Edited by Tankman

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Butch

As more and more time passes our decks are getting more and more scarce and necessitates some drastic steps to keep them in use - and some other horse parts too!! This is one that was REALLY bad, but I figured I didnt have anything to lose by taking that huge chunk out of the middle of it. And, it did warp a bit but doggone if the thing doesnt cut pretty good. I had in mind to have it dedicated for use as strictly a leaf/pine straw 'picker-up' deck to use with my 'Cyclone' vacuum and it does that well.

 

attachicon.gifdeck 1.JPG

What did it cost to buy the steel for that plate? I keep getting sticker shock when I see the price of steel around here.

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pacer

I am fortunate to have 2 local scrap yards that allow us to roam freely looking for goodies and that piece came from there. I havent been in several months but at last visit steel was 30 cents a pound, so it was probably something like a couple bucks. I would imagine new cost would indeed give sticker shock!

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can whlvr

its good to see people fixing up these decks,im doing a 48 right now,unfortunatly its cheaper to buy a decent deck then rebuild,when spindles are involved,heres a pic of one I did years ago when the top of my 42 side discintegrated and dropped a spindle while mowing

014.jpg

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