Grinding Welds

JimKueneman

Mopar Nut
What is your favorite tool? I have just been using grinding wheels on the angle grinder then 80 grit disks on a 90 degree air tool.... I was helping someone last fall and they had a flapper wheel that I was laughing at till I tried it... Been watching some Bad Chad and he uses a rubber disk with 24 grit then 80 grit.... I am starting to see the value in the flapper and rubber backer with 24 grit...
 
I know some guys like the belt sander. Me personally I was taught to grind the majority with a weld grinding wheel in a die grinder, (3M 1991 works well) then finish with 36 grit on a 3 inch roloc disc. That way works well for me. You have a lot of control with how you are grinding.
 
You guys turned me on to the belt file sander or whatever it's called and I like it but not as versatile as the die grinder. Some use Carbide burrs but the tiny metal splinters are not worth it. The flap wheels are nice for the proud knock down but not much on finishing. They are too aggressive.
 
50 grit roloc style discs, 2" and 3". Then to a brown 3M wheel "Clean"N" Strip" 4" disc that I call a rice cake that goes on the same kind of arbor as a cut off wheel. After that, 80 grit by DA or hand if necessary.

If a weld is ridiculously proud, then knocking the top of it down with a cutoff wheel might be smart, but one slip and you have heck of a gouge!
 
50 grit roloc style discs, 2" and 3". Then to a brown 3M wheel "Clean"N" Strip" 4" disc that I call a rice cake that goes on the same kind of arbor as a cut off wheel. After that, 80 grit by DA or hand if necessary.

If a weld is ridiculously proud, then knocking the top of it down with a cutoff wheel might be smart, but one slip and you have heck of a gouge!
I've never been good enough MIG buttwelding a panel to not have to use the weld grinding wheel. Sometimes even the plug welds I gotta use it.
 
I've never been good enough MIG buttwelding a panel to not have to use the weld grinding wheel. Sometimes even the plug welds I gotta use it.
I hear ya, brother! I had a heck of a time today welding up a previous repair on a Toyota Tundra where apparently they tried to use a stud gun but ripped over a dozen holes in the cab corner. Man, that stuff was thin! I had some pretty good weld blobs once it was all over.
 
I know some guys like the belt sander. Me personally I was taught to grind the majority with a weld grinding wheel in a die grinder, (3M 1991 works well) then finish with 36 grit on a 3 inch roloc disc. That way works well for me. You have a lot of control with how you are grinding.
Those are like a miniture grinding stone, not a fibre disc, and they work great. The width is very helpful as well, and they last a looonnng time.

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Actually, I think I bought a pack of them somewhere else since then.
 
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I've never been good enough MIG buttwelding a panel to not have to use the weld grinding wheel. Sometimes even the plug welds I gotta use it.
That's encouraging. I almost never post pictures of my mig welds. Too ugly to show in public.
But they grind up nice with full penetration and no warping., so I guess that is what matters
 
I had the opportunity to work with one of the best metal shapers I have ever come across and he would grind everything with a grinding wheel and then clean it up with a disc.. Cleanest procedure I had ever seen and its the method I try to use.
 
I know some guys like the belt sander. Me personally I was taught to grind the majority with a weld grinding wheel in a die grinder, (3M 1991 works well) then finish with 36 grit on a 3 inch roloc disc. That way works well for me. You have a lot of control with how you are grinding.
I knock down the worst with a grinding wheeL, then use the 3 inch roloc 36 and then 80 grits on an IR 1/4' chuck, 90 degree pneumatic die grinder. Love it!
 
I had the opportunity to work with one of the best metal shapers I have ever come across and he would grind everything with a grinding wheel and then clean it up with a disc.. Cleanest procedure I had ever seen and its the method I try to use.

That is my current method!
 
I like 36 grit 2" roloc to knock 95% of it down, then switch to 80 grit to finish it off, then DA with 60 or 80 to prep for epoxy and make it look good for the internet. The angle of attack makes the biggest difference in getting the bulk off with 36 grit without digging in around the weld.

I sometimes use a few cutoff wheels stacked to grind down the bulk of it, but it makes deep gouges if you slip. The narrower the stack the deeper the gouge.
 
I like 36 grit 2" roloc to knock 95% of it down, then switch to 80 grit to finish it off, then DA with 60 or 80 to prep for epoxy and make it look good for the internet. The angle of attack makes the biggest difference in getting the bulk off with 36 grit without digging in around the weld.

I sometimes use a few cutoff wheels stacked to grind down the bulk of it, but it makes deep gouges if you slip. The narrower the stack the deeper the gouge.
I never thought about stacking them. Hmmm
 
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