Whether you’re using air-powered or electric tools, too little power will hamper productivity. Follow these tips for faster weld cleaning. If you’re simply removing discoloration, a die grinder with a fine wire brush may do the trick.Īvoiding some common mistakes when using wire brushes can help improve productivity and efficiency. To remove thick slag or rust, a more aggressive wire brush is likely needed. A die grinder with a small diameter end brush might be a better choice.Īnother question is how aggressive you need the product to be. If the area to be cleaned is small or hard to access, a right-angle grinder may not work. A cup brush can be a good choice for efficiently cleaning a very large area, such as plate steel. A handheld wire brush may suffice for knocking the slag off a very small area, while a right-angle grinder is better suited for cleaning a larger area or for cleaning a root or fill pass on a pipe weld. It’s also important to consider the size of the surface to be cleaned. Using a carbon steel brush on those materials can cause contamination or after-rust and will require rework. A stainless steel brush should be used on any type of stainless steel or aluminum. It’s critical for productivity and quality to match the wire brush to the base material type. Several factors play a role in choosing the right wire brush for the job, including the type and size of the weld being cleaned, the base material and the desired surface finish. Using a heavy-gauge wire on aluminum can alter the base material and change the appearance of the material, but a fine wire removes discoloration without removing base material. Fine stainless steel wires are well-suited for cleaning aluminum, stainless steel, and TIG welds. It’s recommended to use the finest wire gauge possible that still gets the job done. Compared to a knotted wire, a crimped wire offers more flexibility but is less aggressive. If the knot is twisted tightly to the top - without a tuft - the cleaning action is more aggressive, which can be good for cleaning V-groove welds. If the tuft at the top of the knot is spread out, the wider face width is good for cleaning a larger surface area. The general rule of thumb is the tighter the twist of the wire, the more aggressively it cleans. When a straight wire is twisted into a knot, the wire becomes stiffer and therefore more aggressive. But using a handheld brush to clean a larger weld is very inefficient.Įach type of wire brush is available in various configurations, including knotted or crimped wire.
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