Welding Chrome-Vanadium Bar - Possible?

You can get chrome-vanadium wire, but it might be easier to use Stainless. Cool it quickly (don't dunk it in a bucket, though!).

Thanks.

I've welded c-v to mild using "Mirrospeed" and "Vodex" and they've stood up to tougher applications than yours. Bronze welding would be tough enough, too.

I assume that's brazing?

If you don't know the difference, why are you handing out weldng advice?

Yeah, just go straight at it. Good preparation (a nice deep chamfer) is essential and taking any chrome plate off with a grinder for an inch or two will avoid some of the fume hazard.

Your "shoe" could be anything. Obviously a hard-wearing steel will last better than plain mild, or you could hard-surface it with the welder. Either will weld to your tommy bar and your standard wire should be adequate for this level of stress.

As you mention gasless, I'm guessing this is a small welder. I'd probably use the gasless wire, _especially_ if you only have CO2 as a shield gas (a heathen practice anyway). You should turn all the dials up to 11 before starting and see if you can get spray transfer mode running, to encourage good penetration (CO2 will prevent this). Bog-standard wire should be adequate, which is good as I guess that's what you've got! The gasless wire is probably a little harder when finished and (on a small machine) will probably give better penetration. The best wire (given a choice) for welding "awkward" steels would be Corofil 20/9/3, but that's a luxury you only get when running production quantities.

You might like to pre-heat this before welding, as it's a little on the thick side for a kitchen-sink welder. However don't bother if it's going to make clamping awkward. Cool it down slowly afterwards though and don't quench it (throw it in the woodstove ashes, if you have any).

If you happen to _be_ an agricultural engineer (or can scrounge from one), then of course hard-face it properly with something like Murair

I'd be inclined to weld a bit of steel tube to the foot, and clamp that to the bar.