Any advice on welding 3/8 chain to metal plate

[Alabama556]

My friend bought me some ar500 steel targets a d the chain is bolted to the steel. 1st time out with a Uzi a bolt got shot off.

Does anybody have any special tips concerning welding chain to the AR500? I know I need to grind and clean both surfaces but I have never welded on chain before.

I have a basic 220v Lincoln AC welder that I use for stuff around the farm.

 

[alamo5000]

I am not a welder by any means but I am under the impression that welding on AR500 will weaken that material and the exact process that makes it "AR500".

AR= Abrasion Resistant which is created by a certain process to increase those properties of the metal and getting it super hot like that does more harm than good.

My vote is to drill a hole (if there already isn't one) and use a shackle of some sort instead. Not sure how you are going to mount it or on what but I've always heard that welding on AR500 steel is bad.

 

[c1steve]

I would bolt them on. Drill a hole for a bolt, or better use a shackle. This will make replacement easy.

If the chain is galvanized, and you are going to weld, use a fan to push the fumes away.

 

[Porksboy]

Find a good welder/ fabricator in your ao and buy them a case of beer. Or in todays climate give them a few boxes of 9mm.
Have them weld a larger loop through the hole and attach chain.

 

[MtnCreek]

Replace the bolts with links. Keep extra links on hand.

 

[PusherX11]

I am a welder and fabricator. I would not weld chain to your plates. You will not notice any difference in your plate durability the chain you weld on will get shot and massed up, and you will be welding on more chain. Cut holes with a torch and use either carabiners from Home Depot or 2 part clevis.

 

[Heavyopp]

You shouldn’t have too much problem welding chain to ar500 — yes the heat can take the hardness out of the plate

You don’t need much heat welding the chain link, it will melt easily

Just do it, go easy on the heat, make a solid weld and be done, don’t over do it

 

[Pbgt]

Welded chain to ar500, no matter how heavy the chain, will break. torch or plasma a hole, run a 3/8 carriage bolt thru from the front, use a washer and a nylock on the back, and leave it a little loose. Pop the hole in from the edge, leaving about 1 inch min material to the edge. If you want to, run a semi "u" shaped bead on the frontside of the target, 1/2 inch from the cut hole...this prevents splatter from the main body of the target from eating the soft carriage bolt edge away.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Use a grade 8 carriage bolt, the round head will take a good beating. You can weld ar500 but it makes it brittle, and as others have said, when the chain breaks you will be in the same boat.

 

[riverside jeep]

Not to derail but I got tired of chain getting shot, your local fire dept. has old fire hose they throw away and that stuff will take a million hits.

 

[jolofree]

Hard to drill holes in AR500 steel after it's tempered. Use the holes already in the target. Get a few spare grade 8 carriage head bolts, tack weld around the head on the face side. These are maintenance parts, like the chain, it will likely get shot off at some point.
I made a stand & spring loaded hanger for mine that I like better than chain.

 

[alamo5000]

I use these kinds of shackles myself. I thread it through the chain so the last link is on the rounded part and put the mouth of it over the hole and run the bolt through it. The ones without the retaining pin in the bolt also work very good but they can back out with a lot of use. I put a drop of locktite on the threads and it never came loose again.

 

[Pbgt]

The ar becoming brittle is a non issue usually, the vibration from to the target to the welded chain causes the chain to crack, cause there is a stress line where the weld stops on the chain link...unavoidable.

 

[Pbgt]

We use carriage bolts from the front, main reason is to minimize splash back from a fully exposed bolt head.

 

[alamo5000]

Hard to drill holes in AR500 steel after it's tempered.

Shoot it with a 300 RUM using 168 grain loads at 100 yards. Not hard at all to create a hole. Ask me how I know.

 

[Pbgt]

Went to another range, owner said he bought all 5/8 ar 500-550 plates...I put some 1 inch holes thru several @ 100 yards with my 50....buddy, you got taken....

 

[Beefmanne]

Used baker belt works much better than chain.

 

[Beefmanne]

“Baler”

 

[Pbgt]

and a hell of a lot cheaper than 3/8 chain!

 

[Srgt. Hulka]

Use grade 8 bolts.

 

[Alabama556]

Thanks. Clovis pin or carabiner looks like a good idea.

the plate already has holes in it for bolts.

 

[...]

You shouldn’t have too much problem welding chain to ar500 — yes the heat can take the hardness out of the plate

You don’t need much heat welding the chain link, it will melt easily

Just do it, go easy on the heat, make a solid weld and be done, don’t over do it

doesnt take much heat to melt the chain.....but youll need the heat for the weld to penetrate into the plate to get the weld to stick.

you arent going to get a "solid weld" in a thick ass steel plate if you "go easy on the heat".

 

[Bradu]

Thanks. Clovis pin or carabiner looks like a good idea.

the plate already has holes in it for bolts.

If you have holes in it, grade 8 bolts and rubber belting is the way to go. Chain sucks because someone always shoots it

 

[Heavyopp]

doesnt take much heat to melt the chain.....but youll need the heat for the weld to penetrate into the plate to get the weld to stick.

you arent going to get a "solid weld" in a thick ass steel plate if you "go easy on the heat".

And we know he has thick ass steel plate to weld to...

Point was it’s real easy to vaporize your chain

My club welds all attachments to their ar500 plate for the weekly steel challenge shoots — mostly 1/4” thick plates all shot with handguns thousands of times a month

Welds break but considering the amount of use it certainly is a viable option — hangers used to be made from old axle U bolts — they have switched to angle iron on the plate and post mount

And yes, I have been on the welding crew

 

[Dunraven]

i

I am not a welder by any means but I am under the impression that welding on AR500 will weaken that material and the exact process that makes it "AR500".

AR= Abrasion Resistant which is created by a certain process to increase those properties of the metal and getting it super hot like that does more harm than good.

My vote is to drill a hole (if there already isn't one) and use a shackle of some sort instead. Not sure how you are going to mount it or on what but I've always heard that welding on AR500 steel is bad.

have worn out several drill bits trying to drill ar500

 

[ggmanning]

Welding is not a problem with AR500. Most every AR500 target I shoot I have welded to my own built T post sleeves. Set your heat/amps for the plate and keep the stinger/puddle mostly on the AR500. All my resetting pistol racks and dueling trees are welded AR500

 

[...]

And we know he has thick ass steel plate to weld to...

Point was it’s real easy to vaporize your chain

My club welds all attachments to their ar500 plate for the weekly steel challenge shoots — mostly 1/4” thick plates all shot with handguns thousands of times a month

Welds break but considering the amount of use it certainly is a viable option — hangers used to be made from old axle U bolts — they have switched to angle iron on the plate and post mount

And yes, I have been on the welding crew

all of the steel is "thick" relative to the chain.....technically the "thickness" is irrelevant....its the amount of heat you are putting into it.

either you are putting enough heat into it get a solid weld....in which case you are not going to have a localized heat treat in the area surrounding the weld.

or you are not going to put enough heat into the area....in which case the welds will not stick (which you are seeing in your clubs plates).....and the welds will crack.....this will require you to reweld the chains back on repeatedly.....taking away more and more hardness each subsequent reweld.

they are drilled for this very reason.

 

[...]

Welding is not a problem with AR500. Most every AR500 target I shoot I have welded to my own built T post sleeves. Set your heat/amps for the plate and keep the stinger/puddle mostly on the AR500. All my resetting pistol racks and dueling trees are welded AR500

the type of steel is irrelevant....ar500, ar400, 01, 1095....hardness is hardness....and if you are heating your steel up to welding temperature, you are drawing back that hardness in the heat effected zone of the weld.

this is the same reason you dont plasma cut ar500 steel......you will end up with softness around the edges of the steel.

 

[eelman308]

As stated above....DO NOT WELD. The plate has already been softened slightly by cutting it out and cutting holes. Two reasons. The biggest is that is DOES take the temper out of your plate where it's welded. Second, you gonna keep a welder on hand at the range for the inevitable target breakdown?

Also stated above....use Grade 8 carriage bolts. Also stated above...Use conveyor belting or fire hose. Skip the chain.

Have additional supplies on hand for target repair if needed.