Today's Project (Deutz Green!)

[Hick]

Okay, what to do today? Fire up the home made log splitter and attack the pile of wood? Nah, too windy; get chips in my eyes.
Start in on the Deutz deck? Nah, don't really feel like cutting & welding today.  Besides, got a late start in the shop today. Slept in, helped the wife around the house a bit, then wasted (too much) time on FB.
Did get the dozer back on the John Deere that got the engine transplant & ag bar tires.  Went out and played a bit. From 10 HP to 14 and then narrower tires, spins out too easy.  But then again, wet dirt over frozen dirt may not give me a good picture.
How about taking the hood off the Deutz-Allis and seeing if I can knock out those dents? And maybe get the grill out and make a new one? 
Started in on that.  Got the hood off, grill out (interesting process), and . . . . 
Oh, my, this ain't good! Thin metal on the mount, vibration breaks. That's gonna take some REAL careful welding!!!
Cut of a piece of shaft the right radius and got the curves down to the flat mount back to specs.

Then on to the places on the hood that look like a tree fell on it! Well, a small tree. One area is where the plenum around the hydraulic cooler goes. If I get the deck running I've been told I need that plenum for mowing. The way it is bent now, it won't fit good. And there is that other dent that is not hurting anything, but bugs me. 
Using a wooden rolling pin (an extra one, NOT my wife's!) as a backing and my 3# deadblow hammer, got it shaped up pretty good. There was also a bend in one side by the grill that I was able to get straightened up.  Now to figure out something for the grill. Thinking expanded steel.

 

[PGL]

Good progress.

[dince]

Hick, next time you are at a loss trying to decide what to do, grab your shorts, tee shirt and flip flops, and a get a Qantas ticket!  You'll get the greatest welcome!!!  Don't mention this to Lloyd!

Edited February 5, 2017 by dince

[720nut]

4 hours ago, dince said:

Hick, next time you are at a loss trying to decide what to do, grab your shorts, tee shirt and flip flops, and a get a Qantas ticket!  You'll get the greatest welcome!!!  Don't mention this to Lloyd!

Seems there's some type of conspiracy going on here?  LOL

Hick try McNichols they have everything I've been looking for, I'm not sure what was used in grill but they will have.

 And as many of these Sunstars that keep losing there steering there should be lots of good grills to be had.  Just my $.02

[Hick]

Thanks, Lloyd.
The metal on the hood is very thin, so I'm going to make some backing strips from 1/16" sheet metal and clamp them in place.  That way WHEN (not IF) the weld burns through it will weld to the other plate, making the mounting area a bit stronger. With the backing, it will also be less apt to burn through. I know it is going to take SLOW and PATIENT welding, and I'm usually lacking in the latter area!!  So wish me luck!

As for Dince's offer, send money, bro!

[Hick]

Quote request sent to McNichols.  Need some steel for another project, too.

[Hick]

Making progress!  Worked on the hood Saturday. The area where the hinges mount was broken from vibration. I made backing straps from 16 ga steel. Shaped them to fit, then welded the hood. As I burned through the metal on the hood it welded the backing straps in place. I also welded the exposed edges together. I can weld heavier metal pretty good, but this thin stuff is tricky.
After it was done, needed to paint it. Didn't have any Deutz green, realized the bottom stripe was in the right spot, so just painted the bottom of the hood black. I am also going to use RTV around the edges of the backing plate to keep dust & moisture from getting behind it.

The grill was damaged, so I made a new grill from expanded steel. Larger openings than I wanted, but working with what I have. Someone mentioned to overlap two layers of the large opening metal. It looked really good, but I was concerned about how much welding it would be to keep it from rattling. Instead I made another grill with lighter ga.steel with smaller openings to put behind the large one. Not sure how I will attach the two together, and the "rattle" problem may be worse with the lighter material.  I bought door edge strips to go around the outside of the light grill, and may use pieces of that to space it away from the large opening grill out in the middle. Will see how that works after the paint dries on the grill parts. 

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Hick

[720nut]

lookin good.

[a_sannine]

Quote

 

DA my favorite

Well done

[Vagabond]

Good instructional too.

[GLPointon]

Nice job & metalworking skills there.

[B-16_IC]

Big improvement made there! Well done.