Grinding Thread

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Boltbreaker

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
468
Location
Palos Heights, ILLINOIS
Figured I would start a thread about grinding.
Seems simple enough right?....go buy a 4 1/2" grinder and a grinding wheel and go to it.
I am finding out that many guys are using 60 grit flap disks when doing finish work on steel. May seem like common sense to most but us new guys could problably learn a few things. What to start out with and finish with?
What are you guys using for finish grinding on rec tubing, 18 gauge sheet, etc?
 
I know RodGuy will chime in - he and some of the other guys are the experts but I can vouch for their methods!!! I was using the flap wheels but quickly learned that those may not be the best. So at the recommendation of RodGuy and others, I switched over to the hard grinding wheels on a 4.5" grinder. Those things make VERY quick work of weld beads so you're not on the weld as long which can lead to excessive heat build-up. So for me, I use the hard grinding wheel to knock down the bead as much as possible, then switch to a DA or RO w/ 80 grit. That really gets the weld smooth without much heat build-up. You're hard pressed to even see where the weld was once you've hit it w/ the DA..... I will not use a flap wheel again for grinding weld beads.

I have been working w/ 20 to 22 gauge stuff...
 
rustbucket49 said:
I know RodGuy will chime in - he and some of the other guys are the experts but I can vouch for their methods!!! I was using the flap wheels but quickly learned that those may not be the best. So at the recommendation of RodGuy and others, I switched over to the hard grinding wheels on a 4.5" grinder. Those things make VERY quick work of weld beads so you're not on the weld as long which can lead to excessive heat build-up. So for me, I use the hard grinding wheel to knock down the bead as much as possible, then switch to a DA or RO w/ 80 grit. That really gets the weld smooth without much heat build-up. You're hard pressed to even see where the weld was once you've hit it w/ the DA..... I will not use a flap wheel again for grinding weld beads.

I have been working w/ 20 to 22 gauge stuff...
Click to expand...
Good to know.
I am about to start my first chop and want do the grinding the best way without warping the surrounding metal.
 
For sheetmetal I use a 90* die grinder with one of those 2" Roloc twist on disc.

Flap wheel (whatever grit is laying around usually) on a 4 1/2" angle grinder for everything else. Keep it flat and level, grind the weld not the surrounding metal. :D
 
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I also use a regular 3" die grinder to knock the weld down with the thicker disks. That way you just grind the weld and not the sourounding surfaces. this also keeps the heat down.

Then finsih up with rolocs in light grit then DA with your lighter grits.

This is the method that I would use for a chop on sheetmetal.
 
Boltbreaker said:
Good to know.
I am about to start my first chop and want do the grinding the best way without warping the surrounding metal.
Click to expand...

Tack welds spread out 4 to 6 inches across the panel. Then come back and add another tack weld to each of the first ones - again 4 to 6 inches apart after the first round of tacks has cooled down. Keep going until it's solid - making sure the welds cool before the next round. Some guys use a wet rag, but that caused me some warpage so I don't do that.... Then grind the weld. Be careful because the grinding can easily build up as much heat as the welding does. Check out this thread - there's some great info from some of the more experienced guys regarding painting, welding and grinding on this thread.... http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8335

I haven't tried the Roloc discs, but hear they are great too. Where do you get those things??
 
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