We all start somewhere, and i'm here to remind you that you don't need to be great at welding yet. Everyone starts out with zero experience and zero confidence, let's get the confidence up- the experience will follow.
I am a professional pipe welder anytime I try to weld pretty on this kind of job you doing I end up warping it because I want to put 2 passes of beads I love your mindset it will be fine I learned something from you ( it will be fine) thanks brother hope to see you again sometimes we stress ourselves out for no reason
"send it!". I think so many beginners get lost in their welds not looking perfect, their confidence not being there because they only see welds they view as "better" then theirs and in the end- SO MANY TIMES.... it doesn't matter. I appreciate that YOU are welding our pipelines, but your buddy can weld our lawnmower decks, even if they never have. If it teaches them something, and they grow in their confidence- we all benefit. It's not hard to get started in welding- you don't have to be good, everyone starts out somewhere- that's the message i hope to continue to spread.
I appreciate the comparison to two great influences on my career. Red Green taught me to try something new- even if it wasn't done well. Derek has taught me to take chances and try things beyond my confidence, and the journey is often part of the adventure! Thanks man, i really value that comment and comparison!
Good video. Most mower owners don't understand that there's not enough beer in the world to pay someone to fix this rotten deck. It's just birdshit welds glueing shiny patches on. Well done for showing the newbies how to patch stuff using templates!
Guess I'm a little more perfectionist. I patched a mower deck several year ago, cutting and fitting as I have done for body work on rusty vehicles for years. Still I enjoy watching anyone that tackles a repair like this rather than trashing the deck and buying a new one if available. Good job, Craig, I pick up something with every video and enjoy the humor you inject.
Exaxtly! You don’t have to be perfect at everything you do, and lots of folks don’t have that skill set or equipment to lay down beautiful welds yet- hopefully we encouraged them to try.
What I've found seems to work good is cleaning the underside and applying a layer of the polyester fiberglass resin and cloth. Seals most of the moisture out from the side that stays wet with grass clumps. Makes cleaning it easier later too
Hey, I like this guy! I enjoy real-world repair videos for the home shop showing step by step. It helps to know what I'm getting myself into before I start.
Thank you for showing a real DIY job and emphasizing the non structural parts = Beginner Friendly OK to Learn on (Don’t need no stacked dimes). Most people who publish content are wary about showing anything that didn’t turn out decent looking. Truth is for most DIY welds to existing mower metal it’s probably going to look like crap when you’re done welding anyway especially if you use flux core. For anyone doing repairs remember this IF THE MACHINE WAS WORKING WITH THE BIG OL RUST HOLES THEN NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PATCH WELDS LOOK LIKE, IF THEY HOLD IT PROBABLY AINT GONNA MAKE THINGS ANY WORSE 😂
This guy gives a flux! Not only are you informative to watch, you're hilarious. I am currently fixing up my brother's newly acquired lawn mower deck that has been repaired with rebat, cold joints and bolts that looked close enough ish. I'll be glad to check out more of your videos. You've earned a new follower. Bonus points I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh!
Thanks Friend! Good luck on your brother's lawnmower repair- sounds like you're a good resource and a great person for helping them out, hopefully it brings them years of good service!
”Will weld for beer” done that more times than I’m willing to admit. Great video, your humor are on point! “it will be fine” is a motto everyone should live by. I’d love to see more videos like this.
Hilarious video Craig! Definitely learned a view things: 1. don't repair lawnmower decks, 2 use templates, 3. thin metal, stitch welds, 4. seen the copper bar trick before, but good reminder, 5. don't repair lawnmower decks.. 😂 Still astounded your video was useful! 🤣
I like that trick of using the copper bar when the steel is so thin that you end up burning through. I broke a blade spindle on my deck and thought that while it's off and I'm putting in the time to install the new one, I'll patch in some holes. Thanks for your humor as you demonstrate your repair!
Thanks for the great video. Covered the techniques needed for a functional repair in a very entertaining way . 🤣 😂 Need more of this lighthearted entertainment while showing practical information for DIY'S with basic skills.
Thanks Daniel! That's the goal! You cant convey information or share skills if people stop listening half way through! My goal is to be relatable, enjoyable, and at least vaguely educational- i'm glad you enjoyed the video!
@@TheBarefootForge The problem IS the $800 price tag for a Lincoln MIG WELDER. I can buy a NEW 46" deck shell for $800 from "Jack's Small Engine City", including shipping!
Great video, makes me realize I can keep my mower for may more years. BTW on that thin plate a down hand weld is quite adequate and a lot prettier than up hand mig.
I totally appreciate the idea of "it will be fine " and I can tell those patches will hold up adequately for many years. But one should try and do as good as one can on any job. Not for the sake of perfection or appearance but for personal integrity.
I’m with ya, and I’m capable of a whole lot better- you might be too, but this video is for those that are discouraged and worried that they can’t make pretty enough welds. I hope to encourage others to just “try”, it’ll be fine, and if it’s not- you can do it again and gain even more practice when it fails again. I’ve sadly seen to many experienced folks discouraging anyone from beginning over the years- today my goal is to not be one of them.
@@TheBarefootForge my welding skills are far less developed than my grinder skills for sure. My dad is a master welder and he says I do really good gorilla welds. Lol I appreciate anyone willing to try and not be discouraged by a few imperfections.
I have a Hobart handler 140 and use flux core almost exclusively. It will do this job easily, mine is the newer( not better...) version of the 140 with only 4 voltage settings and I find that the voltage/feed chart is right on, likely with.030 flux core I would set it to 2/30 and adjust the feed. It couldn't have a worse appearance than the welds shown here, when the base metal is thin to begin with and then has wild variations in thinness due to rust your never going to get a pretty bead with a wire feed welder. I typically use .030" wire and have found that Forney flux core wire welds smoother and cleaner than Hobart, Lincoln or Vulcan wire, better bead appearance, more even slag layer, and easier slag removal. it's just as easy to find locally, tractor supply and true value hardware carry it as do many welding supply shops, 14 businesses within 25 miles of me carry it.
ty....finally someone who addresses rotted out rusty old junk. i am gonna try what you showed me. my only difference is i am gonna apply....por-15 when im finished to entire deck. i highly reccomend por-15. it is paint over rust it even restores swiss cheese back to actual metal. pros; u can file, grind, thread,. cons; u cant weld it
The POR-15 will ONLY work when applied over RUSTY metal, will NOT work on the painted metal! Don't apply it over the ENTIRE deck. A QUART can of POR-15 goes for about $60 on ebay these days. Still a LOT cheaper than paying $800 for a NEW 46" deck (MTD, 2005 vintage)!!!
Chlorine in the grass when it gets wet, eats the metal deck for fun. Top stuff, looks like some of the rusted out stuff l get to weld up! A rusty old car is plenty worse the a mower deck.
I'm a hobby welder (flux-wire, stick) and equate my work to hot glue - mostly metal art. Just in the past few days I had a neighbor bring me his lawn mower to fix hole in desk. It was an unexpected thing and I didn't have time to give it much thought. I'd weld on a patch use my slag hammer to remove the slag. Behold, that section would just drop out - not the weld mind you. I should note he bring it complete with an inch of grass on the under side. I do believe the dried grass was holding it together. I finally got a metal patch to hold but the vibration of using the mower will probably cause it to break off in short order. He is going to try and make do with it but the deck is pretty far gone. After he lelt I began to think about Bondo as a solution. I use Bondo as a final "skin" on some of my metal art. It is surprsingly strong, but then my metal art does not vibrate like a mower does. I live in a 55+ community in center Florida. The guy has a "postage stamp" size lawn (our lawns are cut weekly as part of our fees) so I'm thinking Bondo might work. I wondering if you or anyone reading these comments might have used Bondo for this purpose.
Hey Buddy! It sounds like you've been a great friend and neighbor- but you can't fix everything. If it's just that far gone that metal isn't going to easily weld to it, bondo isn't going to be your solution. Fiberglass filler (or sheet even) such as bondo is absolutely a great tool, and it has its place- but it's not going to bond well to dirty steel and it's not going to hold up well to vibration or any real pressures in this application. But.... if the deck is that far gone- "WHY NOT?". It's an easy thing to try and it wont cost much! Just be sure to scuff the metal or sand it roughly, fully degrease it or wash it with acetone or laquer thinner, before applying the filler, and then give it a go! You can use an old credit card or similar to help smooth it out, making sure to press it into the small scratches you've left on the scuffed surface. Sand it down to pretty it up if you want once it's fully cured. If it helps your neighbor get through another year, you've done all you can- and you should feel good about it!
I LOVE your video! I have a quick question. Would a $100 Harbor Freight Flux Core welder be adequate for minor deck rust out repair? I would be a TOTAL novice, since I have NEVER welded anything, but I have done TONS of soldering as an electronics repair technician for about 40yrs. Would using acid core plumbing solder and MAPP gas welder work in place of an EXPENSIVE MIG welder? Thanks in advance for ANY information you can provide!! CHEERS!
Always weld patches on the inside of the deck and grind them smooth. Otherwise the grass with catch on the edges of the rusted out spot under the deck and grass with collect there and prevent flow and continue rusting.
Flux core takes a bit more... practice. It actually penetrates more than mig. Mig is more forgiving. But you clearly need more wire speed on that first patch...
I always settle on setting the heat for the thicker of the two, concentrating the heat/torch angle on the thicker piece- and just kinda briefly flickin it up into the thinner bits.
That looks to be a cup cadet mower deck from The to iBooks on the front and a quick release pins on the back of it are used to have one to only reason I know
My advice is cut the brackets off and just build yourself a new deck. Then weld the brackets on the new deck! Use at least 1/4” steel (I used 3/8” on mine) and don’t worry about recreating the shape of the factory stamped deck. You don’t need any compound curves on a mower deck. You will end up with a damn near bulletproof mower deck that will last a very long time, and you will spend less time building one then you will repairing your stamped steel POS deck over the next few years. If you build it like I did and use heavy duty spindles with tapered roller bearings you can brushhog with it without any worries of busting anything hell even hitting rocks and stumps won’t bend a 3/8” deck very much.
Awesome! Thanks for clarifying that, i had no clue what particular model it went to, but do believe it to have been a cub cadet model. It's heavy duty and well built!
The "dab work" is just 3D printing w/MIG wire. With some practice and patience (let it cool!), it's a good technique for problems like this. Besides, the hacker ethic is "If you're using it the way the manufacturer intended, you're doing it wrong"
Grass isn't nasty stuff necessarily. What it does is it is made mostly of water so it is just a rust accelerator when you pair that with the scratches and scuffs from the dirt sticks and rocks.
I've fixed decks due to rocks, stumps and bent blades. Yes, scary gashes. Broken welds. Never had to scab patches, always set in and make it look good.
looks like a IH cub cadet deck.. reminds me I have to weld the hole in my cub cadet deck ~ I would have first used the angle grinder to literally cut out all the bad stuff, create big gapping holes where the crust and rust were, then I would cut the cardboard templates and fabricate the fill in pieces, may take a few iterations of grinding so cut the fill in pieces a little bigger than the cardboard and then grinding them into a tight fit.. then tac weld them in.
early to mid 70s cub cadet 44 in deck. I need to, um, replace a lot of mine due to rust. Where outta pgh are you? I"m in beaver. I know a blacksmith or two in the area.
definitely 0.30 wire, i use that for everythign around the shop. On that machine I believe the settings were around 4 and 45, whatever that equates to.
like your videos! I have a mig welder and I can not weld very long before tripping a breaker on my shop panel. i had to resort to putting in a higher amp breaker to weld longer times that is with in normal lengths of time. do you have any ideas on this problem? thanks for any input to resolve this.
I would suggest having an electrician come check things out. A bigger breaker is never the solution without also running different wire, and it sounds like something is wrong in your case. I run up to 3 welders at a time on Normal 15 amp circuits for as long as I want without tripping breakers. (3 different circuits). Sounds like something’s off- get a pro to check it out and hopefully solve your problem easily and safely. Remember- the breaker is there to protect the wire, If the breakers tripping….. it’s very possible something’s wrong with the wire. When that goes poorly, it goes very poorly.
You made a huge mistake. The breaker is there to protect your wires. A higher amperage breaker lets more electricity flow through the little wires in your wall. That extra current will heat them up and cause an electrical fire inside your wall that you wont see till your house is burning down.
Looks like a International Harvester Cub Cadet lawn mower deck, though I'm not an expert with those. Great rescue. I have a beefed up Ford LGT17H deck that will needs some repairs and possible retro restore fabrication to restore back from the "upgrades" or whatever you call the custom craft parts. Definitely not Ron Covell, though hey, only needs to cut grass reliably and safely (low to zero liability and casualty) and not sell for the body and paint job.
I believe it's an older cub cadet model, ya it could be from an International Harvester built model, they made some great tractors! Ford LGT17 is a great little tractor- is yours the hydrostatic model?
@@TheBarefootForge Yes and actually just brought back the last haul of er, the hydro Peerless 2500 series with all the hoses and all attached so less a mess to move around. I'll try to make a video tomorrow and post as I've not unloaded yet. I have most of a free made in Goergia Olympic Raku kiln I picked up afterwards to to unload in the morning. Most of my videos regarding the LGT17H are me noting details of disassembly so I don't forget and I left those private, though I did show the one I think since was like a "Prius first" with the chassis and front axle. :-)
Flux core has it's place, and it's place isn't in my shop. I find that solid core wire not only makes "prettier" welds most of the time, in an enclose shop space- flux core can really fill the room with some nasty smells and smoke, i'm just not a fan. Don't get me wrong, flux core is fantastic for projects like this! If you're outside, and you've got dirty metal- flux core is your friend!
Looks like someone dug that out of the scrap pile. Yep,I've welded on my mower deck as well as my twin brother's. It doesn't look pretty,but its functional.
The deck was from a Cub Cadet probably from the 80’s. Unfortunately you never said what gauge metal you were using. I would bet the solo flea are shot on it also!!
I love this guy!! More of him please. And a good, practical subject all of us amateurs can relate to - great video!!
We all start somewhere, and i'm here to remind you that you don't need to be great at welding yet. Everyone starts out with zero experience and zero confidence, let's get the confidence up- the experience will follow.
Thanks barefoot great vid and I'm a newbie to welding and practice practice practice helps alot
The humor was great apart from the Tig nickname...
@@BrettCooper4702 what did I call a tig!?
I am a professional pipe welder anytime I try to weld pretty on this kind of job you doing I end up warping it because I want to put 2 passes of beads I love your mindset it will be fine I learned something from you ( it will be fine) thanks brother hope to see you again sometimes we stress ourselves out for no reason
"send it!". I think so many beginners get lost in their welds not looking perfect, their confidence not being there because they only see welds they view as "better" then theirs and in the end- SO MANY TIMES.... it doesn't matter. I appreciate that YOU are welding our pipelines, but your buddy can weld our lawnmower decks, even if they never have. If it teaches them something, and they grow in their confidence- we all benefit. It's not hard to get started in welding- you don't have to be good, everyone starts out somewhere- that's the message i hope to continue to spread.
Nothing eats a deck faster than mowing wet grass, neglecting to clean it and letting everything rot in storage.
like, what else would rot a deck
@@hbeezey Lawn fertilizer in addition to a WET lawn?
I love this guy we need more of him
I love you too Bobby!
Thanks for welcoming me into your community, i'm glad we could share a smile today!
Yes!!!!!
Our spicy glue gun 😂😂😂😂
Your delivery comes across as a combination of Red Green and Vice Grip Garage. Thanks for the great advice and smiles! Keep up the great work!!
I appreciate the comparison to two great influences on my career. Red Green taught me to try something new- even if it wasn't done well. Derek has taught me to take chances and try things beyond my confidence, and the journey is often part of the adventure!
Thanks man, i really value that comment and comparison!
Yeah, I heard a bit of Vice Grip Garage in there too.
Good video. Most mower owners don't understand that there's not enough beer in the world to pay someone to fix this rotten deck. It's just birdshit welds glueing shiny patches on. Well done for showing the newbies how to patch stuff using templates!
cut some metal, make stuff shiny, weld it together- you added metal..... even if you did it poorly- it's better off then it was!
I love doing jobs like these that’s what DIss Fix’n Fab specializes in 👍🏼👍🏼
Guess I'm a little more perfectionist. I patched a mower deck several year ago, cutting and fitting as I have done for body work on rusty vehicles for years. Still I enjoy watching anyone that tackles a repair like this rather than trashing the deck and buying a new one if available. Good job, Craig, I pick up something with every video and enjoy the humor you inject.
Exaxtly! You don’t have to be perfect at everything you do, and lots of folks don’t have that skill set or equipment to lay down beautiful welds yet- hopefully we encouraged them to try.
this guy is my spirit animal
Hey Braylon- i'm honored to be your spirit animal!
My Name's Craig, pleasure to meet you!
What I've found seems to work good is cleaning the underside and applying a layer of the polyester fiberglass resin and cloth. Seals most of the moisture out from the side that stays wet with grass clumps. Makes cleaning it easier later too
Brillant, Love the humor and the straight-up factual anecdotes.
That was excellent. Laid back but only to a sensible degree. Nice sense of humor too !
Thanks Rathlin! I'm glad i could share a smile with you today!
thanks for the encouragement. My lawnmower deck has holes in it..
Hey, I like this guy! I enjoy real-world repair videos for the home shop showing step by step. It helps to know what I'm getting myself into before I start.
Thank you for showing a real DIY job and emphasizing the non structural parts = Beginner Friendly OK to Learn on (Don’t need no stacked dimes).
Most people who publish content are wary about showing anything that didn’t turn out decent looking. Truth is for most DIY welds to existing mower metal it’s probably going to look like crap when you’re done welding anyway especially if you use flux core.
For anyone doing repairs remember this IF THE MACHINE WAS WORKING WITH THE BIG OL RUST HOLES THEN NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PATCH WELDS LOOK LIKE, IF THEY HOLD IT PROBABLY AINT GONNA MAKE THINGS ANY WORSE 😂
This guy is great. Good topic. Hilarious but informative presentation.
i'm glad i could entertain and inform!
What project would you like to see next?
This guy gives a flux! Not only are you informative to watch, you're hilarious. I am currently fixing up my brother's newly acquired lawn mower deck that has been repaired with rebat, cold joints and bolts that looked close enough ish.
I'll be glad to check out more of your videos. You've earned a new follower. Bonus points I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh!
Thanks Friend! Good luck on your brother's lawnmower repair- sounds like you're a good resource and a great person for helping them out, hopefully it brings them years of good service!
YES, this dude is a real "Mother Fluxer"!
”Will weld for beer” done that more times than I’m willing to admit.
Great video, your humor are on point! “it will be fine” is a motto everyone should live by. I’d love to see more videos like this.
Thanks friend! Ya, I think people take life to seriously sometimes….. live like you’re repairing a lawnmower deck, and it’ll all be fine!
Yeah heck if you can welding on a lawnmower deck you can weld on anything.
Central California watching
This is a relatable, approachable project!
Hilarious video Craig! Definitely learned a view things: 1. don't repair lawnmower decks, 2 use templates, 3. thin metal, stitch welds, 4. seen the copper bar trick before, but good reminder, 5. don't repair lawnmower decks.. 😂 Still astounded your video was useful! 🤣
Thanks Dude! I am often astonished when things i make end up useful- at least we're on the same page!
You are super terrific at communication my friend. I really enjoy your verbage. Thoroughly enjoy learning thru you.
Nice work 👍🧑🏭 greet from Slovakia 🇸🇰👋
The 'perfect' is the enemy of the 'good enough'. Very humorous and enlightening video. Thanks for the laughs and the tips.
more of this please, really down to earth
I relate so much to…I was getting tired of all the welding engineers doing everything so perfect …now this is perfect in my world !1
One of the best to date guys, funny as lol
Thanks Ralfy! I'm glad i could share a smile with you today!
I like that trick of using the copper bar when the steel is so thin that you end up burning through. I broke a blade spindle on my deck and thought that while it's off and I'm putting in the time to install the new one, I'll patch in some holes. Thanks for your humor as you demonstrate your repair!
NICE PROJET THANKS
Thanks for the great video. Covered the techniques needed for a functional repair in a very entertaining way . 🤣 😂
Need more of this lighthearted entertainment while showing practical information for DIY'S with basic skills.
Thanks Daniel! That's the goal!
You cant convey information or share skills if people stop listening half way through! My goal is to be relatable, enjoyable, and at least vaguely educational- i'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Thanks for showing something that this newbie can probably do.
You can do anything you want- even if you don't do it well! Don't be afraid to try!
@@TheBarefootForge Exactly!
@@TheBarefootForge The problem IS the $800 price tag for a Lincoln MIG WELDER. I can buy a NEW 46" deck shell for $800 from "Jack's Small Engine City", including shipping!
hi from Australia, Great Video well done
Great video enjoyed it thanks for sharing 👍👍
LOL. Nice work man.
Great video, makes me realize I can keep my mower for may more years. BTW on that thin plate a down hand weld is quite adequate and a lot prettier than up hand mig.
Appreciate the video
Great video, thanks for sharing.
I totally appreciate the idea of "it will be fine " and I can tell those patches will hold up adequately for many years. But one should try and do as good as one can on any job. Not for the sake of perfection or appearance but for personal integrity.
I’m with ya, and I’m capable of a whole lot better- you might be too, but this video is for those that are discouraged and worried that they can’t make pretty enough welds.
I hope to encourage others to just “try”, it’ll be fine, and if it’s not- you can do it again and gain even more practice when it fails again.
I’ve sadly seen to many experienced folks discouraging anyone from beginning over the years- today my goal is to not be one of them.
@@TheBarefootForge my welding skills are far less developed than my grinder skills for sure. My dad is a master welder and he says I do really good gorilla welds. Lol I appreciate anyone willing to try and not be discouraged by a few imperfections.
Great video! Thanks. Please do more.
Good video.
Cub cadet mower deck I have one a little similar love this vid!
Nice! What model?
I have a Hobart handler 140 and use flux core almost exclusively. It will do this job easily, mine is the newer( not better...) version of the 140 with only 4 voltage settings and I find that the voltage/feed chart is right on, likely with.030 flux core I would set it to 2/30 and adjust the feed. It couldn't have a worse appearance than the welds shown here, when the base metal is thin to begin with and then has wild variations in thinness due to rust your never going to get a pretty bead with a wire feed welder. I typically use .030" wire and have found that Forney flux core wire welds smoother and cleaner than Hobart, Lincoln or Vulcan wire, better bead appearance, more even slag layer, and easier slag removal. it's just as easy to find locally, tractor supply and true value hardware carry it as do many welding supply shops, 14 businesses within 25 miles of me carry it.
Great video!!
Great presentation! Informative and fun to watch. Thanks!
Thanks Clint! I'm glad i could help you through your day!
Great work man!
If this guy dosen't already have his own channel he's missing an opportunity.
I do! Check it out at UA-cam.com/thebarefootforge
ty....finally someone who addresses rotted out rusty old junk. i am gonna try what you showed me. my only difference is i am gonna apply....por-15 when im finished to entire deck. i highly reccomend por-15. it is paint over rust it even restores swiss cheese back to actual metal.
pros; u can file, grind, thread,.
cons; u cant weld it
The POR-15 will ONLY work when applied over RUSTY metal, will NOT work on the painted metal! Don't apply it over the ENTIRE deck. A QUART can of POR-15 goes for about $60 on ebay these days. Still a LOT cheaper than paying $800 for a NEW 46" deck (MTD, 2005 vintage)!!!
Wow, Jason has changed a lot.
amazing. top notch.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing. When I saw your beer box I knew you were from PA.
The yuingling company has been making quality boxes for generations!
Lol got to "touch up" my mower deck today. Main problem is discovering there ain't no shiny bits under the rust. Just air! Thanks for the therapy.
I’m glad I could share a smile with you today!
When all you’ve got is air, it’s time to take a deep breath and figure it out- you’ve got this.
This boys a gem !! More please bro
Good job! I would power wash, soda blast, and repaint also.
I really enjoyed the video! Great presentation style and informative too!
Chlorine in the grass when it gets wet, eats the metal deck for fun.
Top stuff, looks like some of the rusted out stuff l get to weld up!
A rusty old car is plenty worse the a mower deck.
why's there chlorine in the grass!?!?!?!!?!?
Many thanks for the entertainment and information!
i'm glad i could share a smile with you!
this video cracked me up all the way through! Great video!
Thanks Jesse! i'm glad we could share a smile today!
Great video, very entertaining!
I'm a hobby welder (flux-wire, stick) and equate my work to hot glue - mostly metal art. Just in the past few days I had a neighbor bring me his lawn mower to fix hole in desk. It was an unexpected thing and I didn't have time to give it much thought. I'd weld on a patch use my slag hammer to remove the slag. Behold, that section would just drop out - not the weld mind you. I should note he bring it complete with an inch of grass on the under side. I do believe the dried grass was holding it together. I finally got a metal patch to hold but the vibration of using the mower will probably cause it to break off in short order.
He is going to try and make do with it but the deck is pretty far gone. After he lelt I began to think about Bondo as a solution. I use Bondo as a final "skin" on some of my metal art. It is surprsingly strong, but then my metal art does not vibrate like a mower does. I live in a 55+ community in center Florida. The guy has a "postage stamp" size lawn (our lawns are cut weekly as part of our fees) so I'm thinking Bondo might work. I wondering if you or anyone reading these comments might have used Bondo for this purpose.
Hey Buddy! It sounds like you've been a great friend and neighbor- but you can't fix everything. If it's just that far gone that metal isn't going to easily weld to it, bondo isn't going to be your solution. Fiberglass filler (or sheet even) such as bondo is absolutely a great tool, and it has its place- but it's not going to bond well to dirty steel and it's not going to hold up well to vibration or any real pressures in this application. But.... if the deck is that far gone- "WHY NOT?". It's an easy thing to try and it wont cost much! Just be sure to scuff the metal or sand it roughly, fully degrease it or wash it with acetone or laquer thinner, before applying the filler, and then give it a go! You can use an old credit card or similar to help smooth it out, making sure to press it into the small scratches you've left on the scuffed surface. Sand it down to pretty it up if you want once it's fully cured.
If it helps your neighbor get through another year, you've done all you can- and you should feel good about it!
I LOVE your video! I have a quick question. Would a $100 Harbor Freight Flux Core welder be adequate for minor deck rust out repair? I would be a TOTAL novice, since I have NEVER welded anything, but I have done TONS of soldering as an electronics repair technician for about 40yrs. Would using acid core plumbing solder and MAPP gas welder work in place of an EXPENSIVE MIG welder? Thanks in advance for ANY information you can provide!! CHEERS!
Just what I needed, my deck is on it's last leg now I just need to learn how to weld with my weld pack (LOL)
Always weld patches on the inside of the deck and grind them smooth. Otherwise the grass with catch on the edges of the rusted out spot under the deck and grass with collect there and prevent flow and continue rusting.
That was a fun one!
That’s the goal!
Will weld for beer. Gotta get one of those t shirts.
Very entertaining and informative!
Thanks Jessica! I love sharing my personality and joy for things while bringing at least a dash of useful information along for the ride!
Spicy glue gun... excellent description!
It's the OF of hand held welding apparatuses!
Flux core takes a bit more... practice. It actually penetrates more than mig. Mig is more forgiving. But you clearly need more wire speed on that first patch...
Sandblast epoxy sealer spray bedliner and it'll look better than new
I do welding enjoy it getting decent weld on different thickness metal finding difficult sometimes
I always settle on setting the heat for the thicker of the two, concentrating the heat/torch angle on the thicker piece- and just kinda briefly flickin it up into the thinner bits.
Like the “T”!!’
That looks to be a cup cadet mower deck from The to iBooks on the front and a quick release pins on the back of it are used to have one to only reason I know
It will be fine because its a lawnmower, not the space shuttle.
Stolen from Taryl Dactal, the king of lawn mower repair.
EXACTLY, it all works out in the end. It's a lawn mower.
what gauge is the steel you used for that repair
My advice is cut the brackets off and just build yourself a new deck. Then weld the brackets on the new deck! Use at least 1/4” steel (I used 3/8” on mine) and don’t worry about recreating the shape of the factory stamped deck. You don’t need any compound curves on a mower deck. You will end up with a damn near bulletproof mower deck that will last a very long time, and you will spend less time building one then you will repairing your stamped steel POS deck over the next few years. If you build it like I did and use heavy duty spindles with tapered roller bearings you can brushhog with it without any worries of busting anything hell even hitting rocks and stumps won’t bend a 3/8” deck very much.
LMAO🤣🤣 great video!
That mower deck is for an older IH Cub Cadet tractor, circa 1974-?. I had that deck on a Model 129.
Awesome! Thanks for clarifying that, i had no clue what particular model it went to, but do believe it to have been a cub cadet model. It's heavy duty and well built!
The "dab work" is just 3D printing w/MIG wire. With some practice and patience (let it cool!), it's a good technique for problems like this. Besides, the hacker ethic is "If you're using it the way the manufacturer intended, you're doing it wrong"
It's pretty wild how you can truly 3d print with a MIG welder if ya just keep spooling out a little wire and a little control at a time!
Grass isn't nasty stuff necessarily. What it does is it is made mostly of water so it is just a rust accelerator when you pair that with the scratches and scuffs from the dirt sticks and rocks.
for sure! It's a harsh environment, and mowers are put away wet and often stored outside!
I've fixed decks due to rocks, stumps and bent blades. Yes, scary gashes. Broken welds. Never had to scab patches, always set in and make it look good.
Sounds like you've made some pretty epic lawnmower deck repairs!
@@TheBarefootForge
It was honest work. The deck is a safety shield, especially when operators misuse them as rock grinders.
looks like a IH cub cadet deck.. reminds me I have to weld the hole in my cub cadet deck ~ I would have first used the angle grinder to literally cut out all the bad stuff, create big gapping holes where the crust and rust were, then I would cut the cardboard templates and fabricate the fill in pieces, may take a few iterations of grinding so cut the fill in pieces a little bigger than the cardboard and then grinding them into a tight fit.. then tac weld them in.
sounds like you've done a very impressive repair! I bet it looks awesome and will perform well for years to come! What model is your tractor?
early to mid 70s cub cadet 44 in deck. I need to, um, replace a lot of mine due to rust.
Where outta pgh are you? I"m in beaver. I know a blacksmith or two in the area.
Like your attitude, 'I think you can fix your lawn mower. ...I think you should try'. Better than 'Don't try this at home'.
Nice. Was you using .030 wire? What numbers on voltage and wire speed?
definitely 0.30 wire, i use that for everythign around the shop. On that machine I believe the settings were around 4 and 45, whatever that equates to.
like your videos! I have a mig welder and I can not weld very long before tripping a breaker on my shop panel. i had to resort to putting in a higher amp breaker to weld longer times that is with in normal lengths of time. do you have any ideas on this problem? thanks for any input to resolve this.
I would suggest having an electrician come check things out. A bigger breaker is never the solution without also running different wire, and it sounds like something is wrong in your case.
I run up to 3 welders at a time on Normal 15 amp circuits for as long as I want without tripping breakers. (3 different circuits).
Sounds like something’s off- get a pro to check it out and hopefully solve your problem easily and safely. Remember- the breaker is there to protect the wire, If the breakers tripping….. it’s very possible something’s wrong with the wire. When that goes poorly, it goes very poorly.
You made a huge mistake. The breaker is there to protect your wires. A higher amperage breaker lets more electricity flow through the little wires in your wall. That extra current will heat them up and cause an electrical fire inside your wall that you wont see till your house is burning down.
Ur a cool dude great video!!!
Thanks Elbert!
Looks like it is from a lawn boy by structure but it isn’t green.
apparently it's a cub cadet.
Looks like a International Harvester Cub Cadet lawn mower deck, though I'm not an expert with those. Great rescue. I have a beefed up Ford LGT17H deck that will needs some repairs and possible retro restore fabrication to restore back from the "upgrades" or whatever you call the custom craft parts. Definitely not Ron Covell, though hey, only needs to cut grass reliably and safely (low to zero liability and casualty) and not sell for the body and paint job.
I believe it's an older cub cadet model, ya it could be from an International Harvester built model, they made some great tractors! Ford LGT17 is a great little tractor- is yours the hydrostatic model?
@@TheBarefootForge Yes and actually just brought back the last haul of er, the hydro Peerless 2500 series with all the hoses and all attached so less a mess to move around. I'll try to make a video tomorrow and post as I've not unloaded yet. I have most of a free made in Goergia Olympic Raku kiln I picked up afterwards to to unload in the morning. Most of my videos regarding the LGT17H are me noting details of disassembly so I don't forget and I left those private, though I did show the one I think since was like a "Prius first" with the chassis and front axle. :-)
could not work out why this guy was so damn happy! then the empty box of lager shows up 🤣
gota get the cardboard somewhere! Cardboard doesn't just grow on trees!
I wonder how many of us are in both the 25% and 75% categories? Wanting to see how other people have done it.
Because you can. Good reason to revive a dying mower deck. Just pump some juice into it and voila she lives.
exactly! The right application of amps and wire and just like magic- the holes are gone!
I'm just learning to weld and was wondering why no flux core?
Flux core has it's place, and it's place isn't in my shop.
I find that solid core wire not only makes "prettier" welds most of the time, in an enclose shop space- flux core can really fill the room with some nasty smells and smoke, i'm just not a fan.
Don't get me wrong, flux core is fantastic for projects like this! If you're outside, and you've got dirty metal- flux core is your friend!
@@TheBarefootForge thanks for the opinion. i'm just learning.
Also that pokadot welding mask needs some micky mouse ears added to it 😂
That deck goes to a sears suburban 70s
Haha he's funny
u layin on the ground? where the hll is the dirt and grass.
That deck is in bad shape. I congratulate you for giving it your best shot.
Sometimes with metal work, especially if you're a beginner- the best shot is all you've got. Most times, the best shot is fine!
Looks like someone dug that out of the scrap pile. Yep,I've welded on my mower deck as well as my twin brother's. It doesn't look pretty,but its functional.
I actually purchased that deck!
It is now in the scrap pile. lol
The deck was from a Cub Cadet probably from the 80’s. Unfortunately you never said what gauge metal you were using. I would bet the solo flea are shot on it also!!
Looks like a 782 Cub Cadet deck
Just looked that up- ya it does look similar! This is a 60'' deck i believe, did they make a 60'' deck in that model?
People who “do “grass LOL 😂!
He didn't listen to his mama hahaha
Oh i sure did!
Got an electric powered lawn mower and will never go back!