A Reel Repair Cancel The title field is required!

1. Hector Velazquez

   

   0 posts
   
   12/31/2013 3:12 PM

   Reel took a real Hit
   Click the link below to see how I managed to salvage this reel from the scrap yard.
   
   http://www.hectorsshop.com/2/post/2013/ ... epair.html

   
   
   
   
2. Nowakowski Michael J

   
   1/2/2014 11:01 AM

   Nice work Hector. Not sure I could do the welding part but the rest looks like something I could accomplish.

   
   
   
   
3. Hector Velazquez

   

   0 posts
   
   1/2/2014 4:01 PM

   Thanks Mike,

   
   
   
   
4. Jon Gansen

   

   1 posts
   
   1/3/2014 10:01 AM

   What will the effect be on the metals temper be after the heat to straighten and the welding? Wont it become to brittle?

   
   
   
   
5. Hector Velazquez

   

   0 posts
   
   1/3/2014 3:01 PM

   Jon Gansen said: What will the effect be on the metals temper be after the heat to straighten and the welding? Wont it become to brittle?

   
   
   Well, One thing I had going for me here that it was inbetween spiders. Also during the heating process I heated it just enough to straighten out. but, I still had to deal with about a 1/4" hole in the blade
   
   During the welding, it was a long process, little welding then cooling. More welding and more cooling. ect....
   
   Now, did all this effect the temper? I am pretty sure it did, at the very least its not like it used to be. anytime you "heat" metal up to any degree you are messing with its temper
   
   None the less, I had to do something. I'd never had to make a repair like this so it will be interesting to see the long term effect. Personally, I think it will be fine. These are Fwy units so I run these with a .002" gap.
   
   It was this, or replacing the reel stock.

   
   
   
   
6. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/3/2014 3:01 PM

   Hector did you fill the gap with welding rod? Or stick some steel in there and weld it in place? (I have no clue about welding except what I learned or failed to learn at Lake City, I would stick a couple of rods to my practice metal, knock them off and then see the cafeteria had opened and headed to dinner).
   
   Has welding advanced enough that there is a product that you can "melt" into the hole in the reel?
   
   Thanks!
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. Henry Heinz

   

   0 posts
   
   1/4/2014 5:01 AM

   The JD reels, 9 and 11 blades are so soft that you do not need to heat them to bend them back. If you have a crack or missing piece, the quick welds will not make enough heat to change things. I ran the 11 blades on 7 7500 fairway units and if you were to hit something it would pop the first blade and bend anywhere from 2 to 4 more. We were mowing really low! I use a 3/4" aluminum shaft about 8 to 10" long and a large hammer and they go right back in place. In the case where they'er just bends,it goes so smoothly that you don't even need to re-grind it most times. That's the pros and cons of having a soft steel reel. The JD heavy section reels are a different story, and you'll need heat with them.
   
   Regards,

   
   
   
   
8. Jon Gansen

   

   1 posts
   
   1/4/2014 9:01 AM

   Hector L Velazquez said:

   Jon Gansen said: What will the effect be on the metals temper be after the heat to straighten and the welding? Wont it become to brittle?

   
   
   Well, One thing I had going for me here that it was inbetween spiders. Also during the heating process I heated it just enough to straighten out. but, I still had to deal with about a 1/4" hole in the blade
   
   During the welding, it was a long process, little welding then cooling. More welding and more cooling. ect....
   
   Now, did all this effect the temper? I am pretty sure it did, at the very least its not like it used to be. anytime you "heat" metal up to any degree you are messing with its temper
   
   None the less, I had to do something. I'd never had to make a repair like this so it will be interesting to see the long term effect. Personally, I think it will be fine. These are Fwy units so I run these with a .002" gap.
   
   It was this, or replacing the reel stock.

   
   
   
   Thanks Hector that's what I was wondering on the process you used.

   
   
   
   
9. Hector Velazquez

   

   0 posts
   
   1/4/2014 5:01 PM

   I have had a few hot sprinkler heads that have bent the leading end of the reels I just use my biggest pair of crescent wrench to bend those right back in place. And just like Henry said rarely ever do you need to grind your reel. Trust me anytime you don't have to use heat on a reel don't!
   
   On this particular repair that I had to do I had no choice due to the hit that it took. It's almost like it hit a 1/4" rebarb. The Bedknife JRM all it took was a few swipes with the facer and it was good.
   
   Melvin, I used a mig welder. I wanted to use a tig but I had to do some filling. Mig was just the right choice for me.

   
   
   
   
10. David Stout

    

    0 posts
    
    1/8/2014 5:01 PM

    In certain instances, especially if your are welding cast Iron, placing the welded item in a bucket of sand slows the cool down time and helps reduce further brittle .