cracked OEM fx1 rideplate

[Idok]

so, I have an old stocker lying around....its in really nice shape, other than it has about a 6" long hairline crack right down the middle.....

these plates seem VERY thin


Can I fix it by glassing it? or does it have to be welded?

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

If you have enough room for enough layers, glassing it might hold.
welding it should hold for sure though.

 

[Idok]

I just worry that the welder will burn right thru it....like I said, these plates seem VERY thin

 

[Scorn800]

I've seen them welded but they were also warped because of it.
Might need to put it in a jig before welding.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

a good welder would argon cool the backside, and use a copper heatsink/backer block.

its doable, by a GOOD welder.

a jig most probably would stress it even more given the extreme heat/cooling cycle from welding/cooling.

 

[tom21]

I'm by no means a good welder, but I can weld. send it if you want. I'm just across the state. I have one someone extended and l can make a glass one off that if you need.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

I would offer to do it to, but I no longer work at a shop with all the goodies to TIG.

 

[Bonzia Bob]

I have welded up the stocker on the FX-1000 several times, no problem.

 

[750SX]

Weld it up. If you ruin it, not a huge deal.

 

[Robert]

All you need is good welding equipment these days, not a good welder. We have the Miller Syncrowave 350 LX at my work with pulser and I could weld that in about two minutes. I would not say this if I didn't have access to this welder. I've made a few beach carts in the last couple weeks (prototypes) and the welds look like the ones you find on the T-top of a 35 foot Contender. With older style welders this task would probably be a chore.

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

that miller is a good machine, we had some syncrowave 351s too, I never used the pulser though, just modulate the foot pedal.

I disagree though, an inexperienced welder would likely botch it up with that machine or a junky TIg.

 

[thegoldenboy]

Use it as a plug and make a biaxial plate.

 

[gj_fx1]

On the cheap and simple I epoxied aluminum strips across each section then glassed over the whole mess. Looks like crap but that crack isn't going anywhere.

 

[Shonuff]

Use it as a plug and make a biaxial plate.

Yes. Or a carbon plate.