Neal's Mobile WeldingMcMinnville, Oregon (541) 280-7793 Get a quote
Neal's welder set up in front of a big wood grinder at a recycling yard

Mobile heavy equipment repair in McMinnville.

A cracked bucket or a mount torn loose. The welding truck comes to the machine, the break is repaired, and plate goes on where it failed so the repair holds.

I especially love that he is mobile, moving a 500 pound harrow that is not street legal would have been difficult.Jean C., Google review, 5 stars

5.0 on Google, 98 reviews. Oregon CCB #259068.

Repaired where it's parked

When an excavator or tractor is down, the whole job waits. Hauling it out takes a lowboy and another lost day, and some equipment, like a harrow, can't legally go on the road at all.

Most equipment cracks from fatigue. Every load flexes the steel, and over thousands of cycles a crack starts at the toe of a weld, the edge where the weld meets the base metal. I grind the crack out completely, because any crack left behind keeps growing. The joint is then rewelded with low-hydrogen 7018 stick rod, the same rod used on my AWS D1.1 structural test. It resists the cracking that thick, heavily loaded steel is prone to.

Plate then goes on where it failed to spread the load, so the repair holds through the next season of work. While I'm there I inspect the rest of the machine. On one nursery job that turned up a second weak spot, and it was reinforced before it failed.

What I do

  • Excavator buckets, booms, sticks and thumbs
  • Mounts and brackets torn loose
  • Hydraulic fittings welded in place
  • Tractor buckets, plated for heavy use
  • Farm equipment, including harrows, tillers, mowers and cattle panels
  • Other machines. Call and describe the job

Repair or replace?

A common rule in the trade is that once a repair approaches half the price of a new bucket, replacement starts to make sense. Most cracks and torn mounts cost far less. I'll tell you honestly which side of that line yours falls on.

Equipment jobs we do most

Excavators, loaders, tractors and farm implements. These are the repairs we're called for most, and the heavier structural work on the machine itself.

The calls we get most

  • Cracked buckets and side cuttersCracks start at the toe of an old weld. Each one is ground out completely, rewelded with 7018 and plated, so it stops spreading.
  • Worn teeth adaptersWeld-on adapters worn thin or broken are cut off and new ones welded on, so the teeth seat tight and dig the way they should.
  • Bucket ears and mounts torn looseEars, brackets and hitch plates rewelded to clean metal and reinforced where they tore, so the bucket stays on its pins.
  • Tractor buckets and implementsHarrows, tillers, mowers and tractor buckets repaired on the farm. One plated tractor bucket has worked a full muddy season since.

Bigger jobs

  • Boom and stick cracksThe heaviest repair on a machine. The crack is traced to its end, ground through the full thickness, rewelded in passes and plated.
  • Thumbs installed and repairedThumb brackets welded to the stick and broken thumbs repaired on the job site, so the machine can grab and place again.
  • Loader arms and framesCracked arms and frames are ground to sound steel, rewelded, then plated where they flex, to carry the load past the old weak spot.
  • Industrial and nursery machinesA wood grinder at a recycling yard, nursery equipment, a hydraulic fitting on an excavator. Call and describe the machine.

Equipment work

Tractor bucket

The bucket was tearing off its mounts. I rewelded it and added plates where the brush forks were wearing through. It has worked through a muddy season since and held.

Reel mower bedknife

The part is discontinued, so I repaired it on site the same day.

Excavator bucket Neal repaired on a job site
Excavator bucket, repaired on site
Toothed rotor inside a wood grinder at a recycling yard
Wood grinder rotor at a recycling yard
Excavator thumb Neal repaired out on a job site
Excavator thumb, repaired on the job site
Neal standing next to his welding truck
My welding truck
Get a quote

A few quick taps, then add a photo. Or call (541) 280-7793

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$250

call-out, within an hour's drive

Covers the trip and about the first two hours on the job. Custom work is estimated free from your photos. Repairs are priced on site.

What changes the price

  • DistanceInside an hour's drive, the $250 call-out covers the trip. Longer drives are priced and agreed before I leave.
  • MaterialAluminum and stainless take more time and shielding gas than mild steel.
  • AccessIf the truck can't park close, running cables and gear to the work adds time.
  • PrepRust, paint and grease come off first, and cracked or thin metal gets cut out. A weld is only as strong as the metal under it.
  • Plate and partsNew steel, extra plate and replacement parts are added to the bill.
It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, he came up with a better stronger solution instead.
David S., Google review, 5 stars

What farms and crews say

Google reviews from equipment and farm jobs, word for word.

Oregon NurseryGoogle review
Neal went above and beyond to repair a critical piece of equipment for my site in a timely manner. He is a true professional in both customer service and technical skills. Neal inquired about the repair before visiting my site to ensure he had a plan of action, necessary tools, supplies, etc. Once on site, he consulted with me to confirm best practices for the repair. Repairs we made efficiently and effectively. Upon completion of repairs to the original problem Neal looked over the equipment and identified a second area of concern. He alerted me to the concern, and again, together we developed a plan for this repair. The equipment flawlessly performed the remainder of the season. Neal’s repairs didn’t just “fix” the problem, he strengthened the failure points to reduce the likelihood of another occurrence of failure.
Read the whole review
Nursery equipment
Brandon B.Google review
Neal did a great job welding a hydraulic fitting on my excavator. He was thorough with the repair, was friendly and easy to work with, and his pricing was fair. I would definitely call him again for future welding needs.
Hydraulic fitting on an excavator
Jean C.Google review
Neal was easy to get a hold of and communicated well. He came out in a timely manner, did a beautiful job of fixing my arena harrow, and had fair pricing. He was easy to talk to and seemed very knowledgeable about his craft. I especially love that he is mobile, moving a 500 pound harrow that is not street legal would have been difficult. I would recommend Neal’s Mobile Welding!
Read the whole review
Arena harrow
Erich B.Google review
Neal is amazing. I needed someone to come out before harvest to equip my forklift with a hitch ball through one of the forks. Not only did he come within an hour, he completed the job in record time. I'm definitely going to continue hiring Neal's Mobile Welding moving forward for my winery. Solidly endorse.
Hitch ball on a forklift
Johannes V.Google review
Neal, helped us with some timely welding as cows were about to destroy some panels. Neal went beyond of what I expected with strengthening the panels that wasn't just a quick fix but a long term fix. He was easy to work with and understanding of what we wanted.
Cattle panels
Randy M.Google review
Had a repair done today on our old and cracked power tiller - Neal did a great job, and he came out for same day service! The welds in heavy metal look clean and thorough. Highly recommend!
Power tiller
Mark R.Google review
I highly recommend Neal to do any custom welding. I called him with a request to do a bedknife repair on a reel mower that discontinued the part. He said I could bring it in and he’d look at it…he welded the fix on the spot same day. Great guy and great service!!! Thanks
Reel mower bedknife
Stefan C.Google review
Outstanding service provided from Neal!! Needed a weld done on a high pressure system that has been a critical system to Summit fire, that has been down for almost a year now and Neal was able to get the repair fixed promptly so we can work on getting the system up and running properly again. He even identified a safety hazard that we had told him was in place already, neal takes safety serious, bravo! Big thanks to Neal and his team for all the hard work!! Will gladly use his services again!
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High pressure system, Summit Fire

Common questions

Cutting torch throwing sparks on steel pipe in Neal's McMinnville shop
Can you repair it where it's parked?

Yes, as long as the truck can get close. Send a photo of the damage and the location.

What equipment do you work on?

Mainly excavators and farm equipment. Buckets, booms, sticks, thumbs, tractor buckets, harrows, tillers and forklifts. For anything else, call and describe it.

How fast can you get here?

Arrival time depends on your location and the day's schedule. Call for a straight answer. Emergency calls are taken day or night.

What does excavator bucket repair cost?

A bucket can't be priced until I see it. Send a photo anyway so I bring the right gear. The call-out is $250 within an hour's drive, and the repair is priced on site.

Do you stand behind your work?

Yes. Every job carries at least a one-year warranty, as Oregon requires. Handrails and aluminum truck skids carry a lifetime warranty.

More Services

These are the most requested jobs. For any other steel, stainless or aluminum repair or build, send a photo and ask.

Machine down?
Tell me where.

A few quick questions write the text for you. Add a photo, and I can usually give you a clear answer before I arrive.

Integrity in every weld
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Emergency? I take calls 24 hours a day.(541) 280-7793

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