Welding Tips and Tricks

scraper blade to be applied to mini tracked transporter

Hi, a friend of mine would like me to make him a small bulldozer to attach to the front of his small tracked transporter to use both to move snow on the driveway and to level and spread gravel on his garden path. What material should I use, how would you do it? Thanks. There is a type on the market but it is not very sturdy. Thanks.

If you are only referring to the “bucket” portion of the machine, then the most durable material would be AR plate. Finding it in 1/4”-3/16” could be tricky, but it would provide the greatest durability. The outer frame of square tubing does not need to be AR, decent quality hot rolled with a 3/16” wall would be plenty. The AR can be welded with traditional stick or hard wire.

If you don’t use AR, then you’ll have to be replacing it every few years due to corrosion. The cost of the material difference versus the labor is the calculus to consider.

thanks for the right suggestions, the frame that should be fixed to the machine wouldn't it be ideal to make it in profiled perhaps shaped? thanks

https://www.raexsteel.com/en/abrasion-resistant-steel

Sorry, I missed the point that you are looking for “blade” material not bucket material suggestions.

Still, AR plate is best, but, you’ll need to have it rolled to be effective. For the frame of the dozer attachment, I’d suggest rectangular tubing, 2x3x0.250. That should be ample strength given the size/nature of that machine.

If you can’t stomach the AR plate, you can go with HR, but it still needs to be rolled. Most real dozers have wear bars at the bottom that are sacrificial and bolted on. You could go HR and hard face it (practice your design nutty ideas!). That’s a decent alternative and reasonably cost effective.

I’ve replaced a few dozer blades; it’s not always fun. You need a decent structure to support the blade and to design an attachment and build it, it’s probably more cost effective to buy it than build it. Unless you’re doing a buddy a HUGE favor. To replace a D10 blade skin is an 8 hour job and that’s with arc gouging, welding machines set up, dogs, crane and steel on hand. So manhandling that blade skin won’t be easy or a job to do without a quality lift/hoist/mechanical assist. So be careful.