Welding Tips and Tricks

I want to repair the broken off tooth on this bar. I don't have the missing tooth.
I have some 1/4" leaf spring steel and also stainless I could cut to close this shape, bevel both sides, weld it up, re shape it and heat treat it if I use the spring steel.
The widest part of this break is about 3/8" , this is a 36" long cat claw bar.
Anyone have any ideas on what would be best to make the missing tooth out of ?
And what filler would be best for the welds and buildup ? I have er70 , er80 , 309 , 617 and 625 filler .
I'm sure I could find other steel pieces at the scrap yard also.
I know it would be easier to just buy a new one for probably 25 bucks , it's just a little project I was gona do for practice and fun. Any suggestions , thanks in advance !
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How big is it?

While I can't advise on metallurgy, I've achieved results I'm very happy with using pulse (rule of 33) and ER70-S2 on thick steel just lately. Seems easy to build up and shape however you want.

It looks like just a small Jimmy Bar, but of course if it's a biggie then building up this way would burn a huge amount of time and gas.

I admire your 'practise and fun' approach. Great mindset for improving welding skills.


Kym

Looks like a cast steel. Probably fairly hard / high carbon. I would recommend that after you weld it that you don't try to heat treat it. So if it fails in the future it will bend not snap.

I was not going to heat treat it to full hardness like a metal file. Should I not do this at all ?
There is a good video where you watch what color you heat it to, to determine what level of hardness / toughness and ductility you want. ....dull red and quench being the least brittle. Anyway, I see a similar one is only $17 for a new one at Home Depot (DEWALT Model # DWHT55131) . Still wana try and fix this thing ...haha
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Heat treatment 1
https://youtu.be/hw4Rl0uG7ok

Heat treatment 2
https://youtu.be/1wqbiU5sC30

I have a special pry bar I use if I need to tack it directly to what I'm working on. That one might be a good candidate for similar use/ abuse.

Poland308 wrote:I have a special pry bar I use if I need to tack it directly to what I'm working on. That one might be a good candidate for similar use/ abuse.

Poland , the bar I have says "Heat Treated" on what's left of the sticker.

You think I should make a new tooth out of 1/4" leaf spring steel , or some 1/4" or 3/8" stainless bar I have ?

Of the fillers I have, what do you think would be best for this ? er70 , 309, 617, 625 ???

I'm gonna clean and bevel both sides, roughly re-shape the new tooth and build up whatever else I need.

Thanks much !

Once you weld on it I wouldn't trust it! Getting it welded with regular 70s wire should be possible. I would try to just build it up with wire. But if your going to weld something on to it then maybe 309. Hard to say because the quality of the casting is unknown. Coincidering it broke once it may have been of poor quality to start. If you attempt to use it for anything after it's been welded on make sure you keep clear of any pinch points. I once worked at a place were it was standard practice to weld a hardened pry bar on to 1/4 in steel skid plates to get them into position. The results are unpredictable one work mate had a bar snap about an inch back from were the bar was welded and the weight of his body crushed 3 of his own fingers. One finger never made it back of his gloves.

Thanks much ! This was used for pulling out shingles, plywood, boards and such . Think i'm gona try using a piece of leaf spring steel...see how it goes. It's just for practice, nothing mission critical . I appreciate the response .

Btw, I found another good vid on tempering something like this .... https://youtu.be/3CnwUQZ6q78

Cut the other prong off and reforge the entire end, clean up and reheat treat.
Thats what I would do.
Just welding will effect the strength of that end, and in all probability will fail at the weld,start from scratch and it should be good as new.
Cheers

ex framie wrote:Cut the other prong off and reforge the entire end, clean up and reheat treat.
Thats what I would do.
Just welding will effect the strength of that end, and in all probability will fail at the weld,start from scratch and it should be good as new.
Cheers

That's an idea I can stand behind! It eliminates potential problems with the weld, and gives you the opportunity to practice crafts you don't usually face. A small bar end like that could be forged in an oxy-acet. flame with a rail-track anvil and a decent 3# cross-peen hammer, and then you get to learn how to harden and temper it properly, all in the original alloy.

Steve S

Thanks guys for all the ideas ! I appreciate it .
You think it's the same material as a railroad spike ? It would make sense, they take a pounding !
He just dropped off an old leaf spring , the thickness in the middle is the same. Thinking i'm gona shape the
new tooth, bevel both parts down to about 1/8" at the joint and tig it , few passes er70 . Heat up to non magnetic, quench then re-heat to 600F then slow cool wrapped in mineral wool for temper .
They only pull out 2x4's and wood with these, no ones life hanging off it. I wish I had the hammer/anvil skills .