Sprocket welding

I have an old tiling machine that needs the sprocket that drives the digging chain. A new sprocket is $1200.00. What welding rod for an AC welder would work good for building up the old sprocket?

Thank you in advance for your help!!
Don

Have you checked on the weld on sprocket rims? They are usually much cheaper than the entire sprocket with the hub. Once you find one with correct pitch and teeth, you center it over the old one, mark it with soapstone, and cut the old one off. Being careful to wrap the hub/axle seal with a wet towel to keep slag and excessive heat from the seal. Get the new one centered from the center of the hub, tack it in place, and then weld it solid after verifying it is centered and straight. I never found welding up sprockets to work very well, I saw all sorts of junk and weld piled up on sprocket teeth, and it never seemed to help.
Ross

Doa44green,1200.00, I believe tht I would try and replace it with one of these.
SPROCKETS

I don't think that's the type sprocket he is referring to .

7018A is a good rod for build up

I also do not think that is what he is refering too.

lots of bulldozer guys use weld in sprocket liners

I can't imagine a sprocket costing that much other than one from the manufacture. is it a roller chain sprocket, or drag chain style sprocket? I've replaced a lot of sprockets. most bearing supply houses can get you what you need. flame cut specially sprockets are not that expensive. one thing to be aware of if you decide to build up the sprocket teeth, is that unless you do a perfect job it will be out of pitch and will destroy your chain. the chain may cost more than the sprocket. good luck in what ever you choose to do

A company named Stoody makes specialty electrodes for applications like building up wear surfaces on equipment. Lincoln Electric makes a whole line of hardfacing products under the Wearshield label. Go to the online site of either company and you should be able to narrow it down to the product that is right for your situation. I have no idea about whether you will find the electrode you need which also happens to run on an AC welder. Considering that the alternative you mentioned is a replacement sprocket at a cost of $1200, maybe it would be worth your while to rent or borrow a DC welder to do the build up if that's what is called for.

Stan

I agree mjsnodgrass, trying to weld up a sprocket would be tedious work. It would need to be machined back to specs in order to work, not hand ground. Also, replacing a sprocket, and running the old worn chain will quickly trash the new sprocket...

If this is a working tiller, it will need to be fixed right to work.

Good grief guys he aint talking about bicycle chains here,, check out "engineering chain"

Those sprockets are made from a wide variety of materials from flame cut A36 and T-1 to cast manganese. You need to know what you are working with. For A-36 and T1 multi layered build up we used to use a Hobart rod called BU90, I think it is sold by Lincoln these days are Jetweld LH BU90. The top layer can be something like 110-18 to give a bit better wearing surface. Some digging equipment sprockets are cast Manganese which work hardens giving a very hard but very thin surface. Anything will lay a pretty bead on it it will quickly spal if not the correct rod and procedures. Google welding manganese steel. Not often encountered is cast iron, never had any luck building them up.
Second job out of school was on a mining dredge as a welders helper (gopher/grinder operator) I ran a straight shaft Black and decker high cycle grander with a 4" diameter stone dressing out the digging chain sprockets after being welded. They had a template made up from a new sprocket that was used as a guide. I think that chain was 24" pitch.

Don I know what you are talking about my late Father in law had a Buckeye tiling machine. He welded up the drive sprockets all the time, also changed so drive the other side. ( maybe yours arn't made that way) 2 piece sprockets made to change fast. I don't know what rod he used can try to get hold of my brother in law and see if he rembers. What machine do you have? Wish you luck!
I found photoes , his machine is like pic #2 , half track with front wheel drive.
joe
buckeye machines

Joe, that is what I thought of, I think most are thinking tilling like in garden tiller.

Leroy , did you see the tilling machine at the Winamac show last few years? That is/was my father-in-laws machine. It has installed a lot of tile around here. From back when the large tile was cement ( 12 to16 inch) down to 4inch clay tile right on to this plastic stuff. He could run a grade Better than these lazer stuff they use now. He ran a lot of tile in muck ground, would like to see one of these wheeled plows do that. Keep warm, we are sending cold over to Ohio just for you. later joe

Yes, not to get off topic, but what are you tiling with? I'm a bit fascinated with tiling machines.

I'm a youngster (34), but I can remember grandpa and uncle tiling with a Buckeye wheel type tiler when I was VERY VERY little.. I always thought it was a Cleveland Trencher, but googling it I see no Cleveland's that were "half track" machines. Theirs had dual truck style wheels on the front, tracks in the rear.

When the Buckeye Left, It was replaced with a Dynapac-Hoes chain type, then they had a pair of Dynapac's that were nearly identical. If I recall correct, they had one set up for 4-6", and one for 8-12" tile (would have to ask, as the machines have been gone for close to 20 years).

I believe the next one was also a Dynapac chain type, just a much newer unit.. It had a cab! I can also rcall many summer days helping change the shovels on the chains for different width trenches.. Seems like there was close to 50 shovels, and the 1" impact would whoop my butt after rattling all those nuts off, then back on.

Now they run a Inter-Drain plow type machine.. It's ran many many many feet of tile, and has come a LONG way from the days of setting up a transit and the grade stakes.

Thank you for responding. My machine is a Vermeer PT 12. Works good, but slow.
Don