SS Scoop Damage and Repair

[petersra]

When I started out several years ago, I made my own Scoop. From what I have heard, a lot of us have been there, done that. I figured out pretty quick that my home made scoop was not going to get the job done over the long run. My wife bought me a hand held galvanized scoop for $40 and then I spent the $150 for a good SS long handled water Scoop. That was about 1-1/2 years ago. I go hunting as often as I can get away, but that is only a couple time a week on average. My scoop is big so it gets a lot of torque on it when it takes a full bite. When it came in the mail, I could tell the welds were wimpy and were not going to hold up. Unfortunately, I was right. Below are pictures of the developing cracks and the repairs. I am not a pro stick welder, but I think this will hold up better than original equipment. Of course I added an extra pound of welding rods and SS supports to the weight of the scoop This is my first time welding SS, so there was a learing curve. My last welds were better than my first. Also, everything I read said you had to have argon gas blowing on the arc while you were welding, which of course I don't have. When I had the amps right and the speed right, the welds looked good without any obvious oxidation or pitting of the weld. So maybe a 316L rod is made to use without argon gas, because the results seemed OK to me. Time will tell how the welds hold up. Hope this give anyone who wants to make their own scoop an idea of the kind of stress a scoop needs to be able to take. HH to all. Ralph

 

[petersra]

Note that I also added a 1/4" mesh galvanized hardware cloth to the bottom of the scoop to reduce loosing smaller targets. I has worked well.

 

[mlayers]

looks like you did a decent job on it.....Matt

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Good looking scoopage there Ralph !!!

 

[Number9]

Hey Ralph,

If you "tig weld" stainless you will use argon gas as a shield...
If you "stick weld" using a coated rod, then the coating turns to a gas to shield your weld.
On 304 SS I will use 308L, both tig or stick. If welding using the "Mig", or wire welding, on 304 I will also use
308-308L wire and use a "tri-mix" shielding gas consisting of 90 percent helium/8 percent argon/2 percent CO2,
some will use 98 percent argon and 2 percent oxygen, depending on thickness and placement.

 

[urdaboss]

looks good!
better than i could do!

 

[captain ack1]

good job ralphy...looks great ....now get out there and dig, you got some catching up to do...hh

 

[petersra]

Hey Ralph,

If you "tig weld" stainless you will use argon gas as a shield...
If you "stick weld" using a coated rod, then the coating turns to a gas to shield your weld.
On 304 SS I will use 308L, both tig or stick. If welding using the "Mig", or wire welding, on 304 I will also use
308-308L wire and use a "tri-mix" shielding gas consisting of 90 percent helium/8 percent argon/2 percent CO2,
some will use 98 percent argon and 2 percent oxygen, depending on thickness and placement.

I should have known someone here could have given me the answer. Obviously I am more of a novice at welding than metal detecting. I know just enough to be dangerous. I could not find anywhere on the Internet or in the welding supply store sales people to tell me what you just said. I thought the flux on the rod shielded the arc, or why else would it be there.... I used the 316 rod because that was the SS rod the supply house had in stock and they said it would work fine. I feel a lot better about what I did now. I really struggled with whether to attempt it myself or take it to someone to have it done. Even though my scoop was worthless the way it was, I didn't want to screw it up totally. Thanks for the input. Breakfast and I am on my way out the door to find the treasure with my "Lucky" scoop. HH, Ralph

 

[Number9]

Most Stainless scoops are made with 304 SS metal and most of the time
using 308L welding rod, or wire, is used to weld this type.
The "L" after the 308 stands for "Low Carbon" and this is what's needed to weld a beach scoop,
because carbon is bad when it comes to corrosion resistance in stainless.
Most SS scopes use a metal thickness around 16ga(1/16", .065"), using a 3/32", 308L coated rod
would be about right. Your setting(amp) on your welding machine that you use will vary.
Different size and length welding cable, type machine, and even the maker of the rod will have an effect.
You can use most coated welding rods with a AC machine, and this is the common unit most will have at home.
But, most rods will run smoother using a AC/DC welding machine, using it on the DC setting with the electrode being
the "+"(positive) and the ground being "-"(negative). This is called "reverse polarity".

Make sure to follow all safety concerns when welding! Make sure every part of your body is covered to prevent skin burn.
An arc welder will give your skin a burn in just a few minutes compared to a few hours in the Sun! Using a #10 filter in your welding hood is standard, some will use a #11 filter at higher amperage. A very bad mistake is using gas goggles to weld with!
They use a #5 and not made for arc welding! I had a friend that used sunglasses to arc weld with and almost lost vision in both eyes! Never look at an arc from a welder while someone is welding, an arc burn to the eyes is like having ground glass in your eyes for several hours!

Best at ya!
-Wayne

 

[petersra]

Most Stainless scoops are made with 304 SS metal and most of the time
using 308L welding rod, or wire, is used to weld this type...........

Make sure to follow all safety concerns when welding! Make sure every part of your body is covered to prevent skin burn.
An arc welder will give your skin a burn in just a few minutes compared to a few hours in the Sun! Using a #10 filter in your welding hood is standard, some will use a #11 filter at higher amperage. A very bad mistake is using gas goggles to weld with!
They use a #5 and not made for arc welding! I had a friend that used sunglasses to arc weld with and almost lost vision in both eyes! Never look at an arc from a welder while someone is welding, an arc burn to the eyes is like having ground glass in your eyes for several hours!
Best at ya!
-Wayne

Wayne, Thanks for the SS Scoop welding 101 short course. I know there are lots of folks who buy a welder and think they are good to go. Most survive, but you are right that some do get hurt or worse. You forgot to tell us that chromium fumes coming off the SS can cause cancer, so have a fan blowing fresh air toward you, with the work behind you in the air stream.... I did try to be safe in what I was doing, which is why I struggled with doing it myself or not. Your expert input is very much appreciated. I took a mini-course in welding as part of a sculpture class about 35 years ago. I was mostly tack welding and short beads, nothing structural. As I said, I know enough to be dangerous, and the best part of that is that I know it can be dangerous. I try to study up each time I need to do a welding repair, so I safely get it done right. It just doesn't usually start to look pretty until I am about finished. I just don't weld often enough and have only stick welded. I am sure lots of folks on here will benefit from your input. BTW, I used the scoop this morning and it worked great. Stronger than ever. HH to Ya'al. Ralph

 

[kc10bull]

Your scoop back where the handle is installed needs additional support or bracket on the back or it will continue to have stress cracks. It looks like you fixed the top plate cracks with the L brackets welded into place. Here is the link to my scoopzilla for you to look at. It has additional support and I even folded the metal three times in the back basket area. This scoop is a beast especially full of sand shells and muck! http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,225979.0.html let me know what you think!

 

[Number9]

Hey Ralph,

Yes, I didn't say anything about the "unseen hazards" of welding stainless. You would think stainless being used in our every day life wouldn't have many harmful health problems... after all, we cook and place food in our mouth with stainless!
...But you would be wrong!
Stainless, and other alloys that contain chromium compounds, are known to be a potential occupational carcinogen when welded. Tig welding produces the least hazard compared to wire and stick welding stainless, but even grinding stainless is also a hazard!
You can't have a fan blowing at the weld point because it will remove your shielding gas, but you do need proper ventilation!

 

[petersra]

Your scoop back where the handle is installed needs additional support or bracket on the back or it will continue to have stress cracks. It looks like you fixed the top plate cracks with the L brackets welded into place. Here is the link to my scoopzilla for you to look at. It has additional support and I even folded the metal three times in the back basket area. This scoop is a beast especially full of sand shells and muck! http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,225979.0.html let me know what you think!

Bull, You have quite a monster scoop there!!!! Unseen in the photos of mine is the plate that was welded to the back of the basket in front of the handle and folds over the top of the basket in the back. You are correct, that there is a lot of torque on the back of this cantelevered basket. If it fails again, I will weld some side straps that go from the sides of the basket back to a higher point on the handle. For now I will try it like it is and see how it hold up. BTW your welds look prettier than mine Thanks to all for you comments and words of encouragement. HH, Ralph

 

[wildman4910]

That's a good lookin scoop!

Look's a bunch better than my first attempt at making my own scoop!
Second one turned out better tho.

Your repairs looked good tho, should hold up.

 

[digum smacks]

i used er308/308L but i didnt stick weld it.i used my mig welder and yes you need argon. been holding up for a year now, welded the dog snot out of it.i dont think i will have any problems anymore.i also took 2 fence clamps and welded them together for the pole holder strong as an ox. and iam brutal with scoops! there isnt one made that i cant destroy fast, you almost have to baby them when you dig so they wont break