Folks Of Interest What's everyone using for precision grinding??

Sometimes u need to grind welds in corners or crevices etc... what's everyone using...
I started making mine from scratch only to realize HF has a grinding/carving tool from what i spent on the parts for mine...

In my mind the tool has to be light and small on the hand and remote so ur not dragging a grinder body everywhere...
Let's hear some options

 

I've used a variety of shapes of smaller carbide bits for a Dremel tool for hard to reach corners and larger air tool die grinder carbide bits for the larger areas. Usually I find a good variety at swap meets but I imagine Grainger would have them also.

 

Carbide bit /"burr tool" will contour stuff in the corners. Carbide bits in a laminate router will flat eat up some weld!! Warning........HOLD-ON tight!!
Best thing I have found is a tig torch.....don't add any wire (unless its needed) and just let it re-melt the lumpy weld. (remove the slag first!)
6sally6

 

PRECISION GRINDING? HARDLY

In my opinion, any properly prepared weld joint, should be welded and left alone. If you can’t produce a proper weld you need more practice or a proficient welder to do it.

 

So u never had to grind or sand or prep or polish or port anything at all...you are either perfect or just pull you goldchainer credit card down and have some one else do it for you?
This is a very professional repair in my opinion(not by me)
But by your opinion it should just be left alone and get sent to paint?
I don't get your thought process.

 

As a professional welder and instructor I know that statement is just bullshit.

As already mentioned there are plenty of situations where you will have to dress even good welds for appearance or finishing.

Why is it that there’s always someone coming up with this shit?

Usually it’s the guys who couldn’t weld to save their lives

 

Th

Thanks Larry !!!

 

I'm a good grinder-have several and carbide burrs also .

 

I have to tell you I don’t think that is a very professional weld at all.

 

Not to step on anyone’s toes but I would be surprised if any of these guys that have welded six ways from Sunday would call that weld job “professional” .

 

If we didn't grind welds, our rods would look like Frankenstein.

 

A die grinder and carbide burrs.

 

How bout someone who don't have a compressor
I was looking at the foredom rotary tool

 

Flapper cartridge, Emory cartridge https://www.google.com/search?q=eme...noECAoQFA&safari_group=9#imgrc=VAz3h9Jqa3gbmM:

 

Get a electric grinder with a flapper wheel.

 

Ok, it’s also about planning! Maybe all about planning.
first I’ll go thru some ways to avoid that jam. grinding welds isn’t easy without a grinder. Just like we move work are to be sure we have hammer and dollie room. Most of the time you can move a patch line to a place where it’s easier dressed. Sometimes that involves bigger parts, sometimes making a few welds on the bench, sub assemblies. Possibly more detail forming or donor parts.
Knowing that you’re eventually going to need to dress it you intentionally keep the weld down thru machine adjustment and take a few extra mins avoiding what you’ll need to remove taking hours.
Some times all of that still leaves you in a pickle, for that I’ll use silicone bronze. It’s low distortion, low heat but high strength and also cuts pretty easy with a carbide cutter. The steel is hard and the bronze is soft so it’s very easy to get it looking like it grew that way.


Ok cool stuff
Stones for your 4” grinder
Available in all sorts of shapes

then the extended reach grinder


Then there’s the carbide cutters, the screaming creators of devil splinters. They come in all shapes and lengths and I’ve never had fun with one.

For future reference, crankshafts and cams are “precision ground” - we are just taking welds down in difficult areas. It’s best to avoid putting it there if possible.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=eme...noECAoQFA&safari_group=9#imgrc=VAz3h9Jqa3gbmM: In a electric die grinder https://www.amazon.com/Die-Grinders...406011,p_n_power_source_browse-bin:9060579011

 

Hey , how's that rarefied air up there ??

 

Mmmmm... pic is gone ​

 

Something. IMO that makes a weld bead " neat" is consistent width . A flat file can be effective for maintaining a straight line , that's what we used on the pipeline 50 years ago....

 

I don’t think he meant every situation doesn’t need dressing . I think he was talking about the bead. I could be wrong.

 

I would like to add to the first sentence, "or hammered hot in the case of body work."
Second sentence, so true.

 

Didn't see the pic. Decent welder myself, but not any more than sufficient. I don't know what you are trying to reach, but lately I have some interest in those miniature belt sanders that seem to be in a few of the shows. One of Kindig's guys was doing some nice finishing with one, and it seems like it could be a handy tool.

 

Well if I am hell bent on having perfect welds I'll just have go over to my buddy's place, drag him away from his girl friend long enough to weld up what I need him to weld and make sure I took along a bottle of good bourbon to give him. He is semi retired but still gets called in to weld some things that are extremely critical by a couple of outfits. My welding while strong is going to need a bit of dress up.

 

Seen a lot of build threads here where the builder does some outstanding sheet metal work, and they are doing a ton of grinding, to basically make the weld disappear. Just pull up any thread by Flop.

 

There are a lot of sheet metal artisans out there today. Not like the "olden dayz" when there were maybe 6 in the whole country. An artisan is a guy that can chop a 41 Ford coupe, have it look like a new factory body and use NO lead or bondo.

 

Come on now... "A grinder and paint, make me the welder I ain't"

 

This is one of the best methods I've read online...to avoid the "hard to reach places" by moving them to the "easier to grind"
My prototype extension failed when I hooked it to my laminate router...
I will look into the grinder attachments.

 

Well , I going to catch a little shit here, but a good weld looks good! Period. I am a pertty good welder and can make some real nice beads, most of the time, that I can “ chip” with ease! I have heard many times” my welds are not pertty, but they are strong” well no they are not! An ugly weld is a weak weld! It takes preparation and time, the right rod, the right heat, the right position, the right technique, the right speed, etc. I learned at an early age and can hold my own, but I have several friends, that are outstanding! They can weld a pipe at an angle , up side down , with one hand..... and make the bead look the same 360 degrees! Crazy! It’s called skill!








Bones