what do you use for grinding welds ?

[donnie m]

i searched the threads so i don't post a topic already covered but I could'nt find anything....( i'm sure it's here but i can't find it) what do you guys use to grind down welds.....i've always used a simple grinder with a stone wheel but i'm sure there is an easier / better way. thanks in advance

 

[wannab20hatch]

dies grinder with a stone wheel then use my angle grinder with a 50 grit disc.

 

[ECP]

Stone wheel on grinder, or 3M purple roloc discs. The purple ones are made for grinding welds.

 

[sfckiddo]

are you trying to grind these welds smooth or just cleanup?

 

[Jeeprz!]

I was under the impression that flap disc's were for grinding welds, I guess I was wrong on that assumption.

 

[donnie m]

are you trying to grind these welds smooth or just cleanup?

both....in different cases.

 

[tyndall]

I was under the impression that flap disc's were for grinding welds, I guess I was wrong on that assumption.

Nope. I use flap discs. Unless I really bork something up, then I use a grinding disc.

 

[Fordman7795]

flap disc

 

[kartracer55]

4 1/2" grinder if it needs to be flush. Blend with a roloc pad

 

[mattrogers]

I'm particularly fond of the Camel Grinding Wheels' Zirconia flap discs on my 4 1/2" angle grinder. The one I've been using has lasted me for about a year now (I'm not doing production work, but still, it's a long time).

 

[Monte]

carbide burrs with a die grinder or flap wheel/grinding disc with a angle grinder for fast removal and flap wheels/fibre discs to smoothen the welds.

carbide burr:



to smoothen the welds after using the carbide burr you can use mounted points or the tool pictured below which leaves a really smooth finish:



for fast removal with a angle grinder:



different fibre discs (2", 3", 4.5") for a smoother finish and to level the welds, grinding wheels take off to much material, flap wheels with a finer grit would be an option too




these (on top) are great for **** welds:



these too: (and for concave + convex surfaces)



and these if you want to see what you are doing...

 

[donnie m]

and these if you want to see what you are doing...

thanks so much for going out to the shop and taking pics....i'm sure this will help alot of us out.

 

[e-tek]

I've been grinding welds for more than 30 years and I can't imagine a carbide burr does much - or very fast.... does it? I was actually just using a burr in the shop today and it barely cleaned rust off.I aslo have very little luck with flap discs. They get used up way too fast. I rely on stone grinding wheels, then 40 and 80 discs.

I do like them see-through discs though!

 

[Monte]

I've been grinding welds for more than 30 years and I can't imagine a carbide burr does much - or very fast.... does it? I was actually just using a burr in the shop today and it barely cleaned rust off.I aslo have very little luck with flap discs. They get used up way too fast. I rely on stone grinding wheels, then 40 and 80 discs.

I do like them see-through discs though!

sometimes only a burr fits, in a corner for example, and at least the ones i use remove material faster than any mounted point, if not maybe the teeth are not sharp anymore ? Or its clogged ? Or the teeth are too fine ?

these flap discs are pretty good: They have a thick layer of abrasives and last quite a while

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IxyTtgz1hGM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[ElectroLight]

I use a Norton 60 grit flap disk on the 4 1/2" grinder. Lasts a good long time too. I almost never use a "grinding disk"

 

[Drisco Z71]

Maybe if you guys had prettier welds you wouldn't need to grind them down?

Just joking guys, don't hate me.

I bought about 20 flap discs from these guys and I'm impressed because I'm still working on the first one, for the price I don't think they can be beat.
http://www.heleta.com/

 

[donnie m]

Maybe if you guys had prettier welds you wouldn't need to grind them down?

Just joking guys, don't hate me.

I bought about 20 flap discs from these guys and I'm impressed because I'm still working on the first one, for the price I don't think they can be beat.
http://www.heleta.com/

hahahhaha-i'm lol....

 

[e-tek]

sometimes only a burr fits, in a corner for example, and at least the ones i use remove material faster than any mounted point, if not maybe the teeth are not sharp anymore ? Or its clogged ? Or the teeth are too fine ?

these flap discs are pretty good: They have a thick layer of abrasives and last quite a while

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IxyTtgz1hGM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Maybe you're right - I used a couple I bought at Princess Auto (our HF), so they where not exactly quality....and decided they didn't last long. I'll have to retry with a better brand such as the one you're using - thanks.

 

[Jack Olsen]

There's a whole spectrum from mega to mild -- depending on if you weld like me or like our own ZTFab. He probably reaches for a rag dipped in some solvent while I'm reaching for a 9" grinder with a grinding wheel on it.

Most of the time, I'll use a 4-1/2" grinder with a grinding wheel, followed up with a flap disc.

 

[crewchief888]

4 1/2" grinder with a grinding wheel,
followed by various grits of disks, or a flap wheel

all depends on what i have on hand at the time.

 

[gmwelder86]

depends on the task, am I ginding down a weld to put another pass over it? Or am I trying to make it flush with the base metal? Most of the time is starts with a 4.5 grinder with a 1/5 grinding wheel, after time you get good enough to control how much material you remove and to control the grinder. After that it may be a flap disk or wire wheel depeding on the occasion. I have a 9inch grinder but that only gets used to bevel material for the most part.

 

[quattrojon]

My brother is a fabricator/racecar builder, and he uses carbide burrs for dressing welds.
He has found that the best carbide burrs are made by Alpen.

 

[Monte]

Maybe you're right - I used a couple I bought at Princess Auto (our HF), so they where not exactly quality....and decided they didn't last long. I'll have to retry with a better brand such as the one you're using - thanks.

oooops ....there is the problem.... The abrasive material used for cheap discs is inferior to name brand OSA certified manufacturers of abrasives. Please look here for a list of manufacturers of quality + safe abrasives:
http://www.osa-abrasives.org/englisch/seiten/2mitgliederverzeichnis.html

 

[e-tek]

oooops ....there is the problem.... The abrasive material used for cheap discs is inferior to name brand OSA certified manufacturers of abrasives. Please look here for a list of manufacturers of quality + safe abrasives:
http://www.osa-abrasives.org/englisch/seiten/2mitgliederverzeichnis.html

That's a VERY German list!! But thanks, I'll definitely try something different over time. I'm surprised Quatrojohn's brother also uses burrs....

 

[WHT]

Old school here (structural welding certification training might be more lax now).

Unless the weld is only for decoration, you shouldn't grind a weld except for grinding and feathering your restarts.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Regular coarse grinding disc on large grinder for really cutting down a medium/large sized weld. 7" and 9" are the sizes I have if I recall.

Followed by a flap-disc 4.5". I find the larger sized flap discs on the big grinders working on largish welds just don't last that long. But the flap disc in a 4 or 4.5 size works well after the weld is cut down a bit or on a smallish weld.

For finish grinding or grinding down a small weld I absolutely love the red roloc discs on a 90 degree die grinder.

For really tight areas I have used the burr on a straight or 90 die grinder at times.

And if it needs to look really pretty for some reason I like a small knotted wire wheel in the die grinder.

 

[Monte]

That's a VERY German list!! But thanks, I'll definitely try something different over time. I'm surprised Quatrojohn's brother also uses burrs....

You can also try something american like Norton, should work too

 

[SWells]

I use a grinding stone on my 5" angle grinder, start with that and move up to a flap disc if you want it purdy. The flap disks are great but I find they burn up a lot quicker than stone (and are 2X the $$ too).

 

[greasemonkey44]

i usually use a stone; its cheap and ready to roll
i have also used a flap wheel and roloc before
honestly though unless you are doing body work you shouldnt grind a weld

 

[JayL]

these (on top) are great for **** welds:

Is the top one available at amazon.com?

 

[Monte]

Is the top one available at amazon.com?

yes !

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ords=pferd+curve&rh=i:aps,k:pferd+curve&ajr=0

 

[Monte]

These look good with built in thread and plastic backing pad for easy trimming:

 

[NUTTSGT]

I guess it depends what I'm doing. I'll use a stone, flapper wheel or scotch-brite (roloc).

 

[gmwelder86]

What ever you buy I would stay away from the new diablo stuff they are carrying at HD their are garbage, dont last long as all. Nortons are my perfered brand and are avaliable most places

 

[steel 35]

One of my go to's is a 3" cut off wheel on a die grinder, to pick on little spots or high spots I don't like the stank from the flaps and roll locks but use them for the next steps when polishing comes to play...