mower blade holes

[Glenn]

Hi all! I am new to forums, but have read some of your posts recently in an effort to learn about Mig welding. Have watched a lot of uTube as well. i have just welded & reinforced the holes in my ride on mower base plate where the blades attach. I used steel washers to reinforce the pulled out/torn areas, then welded the D plates over the washers & blended it all into the curved lip of the base plate. A friend has since informed me that welding may overheat the steel and become dangerous when spinning under the mower, especially if the blades hit a rock?
Does anyone have any comment on welding mower blade holes?
My welding career has been almost........ three hours now.http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/images/smilies/laughing.gifLOL! So I really don't have a clue.

 

[shenion]

Are you talking about the hub the blades bolt to or the deck where the spindles bolt to?

Some are cast steel, others machined. An old mower might actually have a cast iron one.

As steel would probably be fine. In my experience, the spindle casting will break before the spindle would shear or shatter. Most are cast aluminum these days or pot metal.

 

[outofthefire]

If you let the blade cool down slowly you might have softened it a bit and it might bend if you hit a stone but as you've strengthened it i'd be surprised, I wouldn't worry.

 

[pedrobedro]

You've made it better than it was and there is supposed to be a cowl round it to stop it flying off so don't worry about it as above.

 

[Glenn]

Mower base plate question. Thank you to those who responded to date. I felt that welding steel to steel would strengthen rather than weaken. Also why would they sell the D plates if welding was not recommended? Thanks for the feed back. Time will certainly tell.

 

[outofthefire]

Mower base plate question. Thank you to those who responded to date. I felt that welding steel to steel would strengthen rather than weaken. Also why would they sell the D plates if welding was not recommended? Thanks for the feed back. Time will certainly tell.

Your right here but the heat from the welding will effect the hardness of some steels if they've been heat treated.