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2 Criteria for Wire Brushes for Weld Slag Removal
Admin • Apr 22, 2018
Weld slag is a hard, brittle material that forms as the welding torch consumes the flux, and it forms naturally during any flux-based welding. Virtually no welding project can be accomplished without some degree of weld slag being left behind. While it is chemically harmless, weld slag can still pose problems in a number of ways.
For one thing, it roughens the surface of the welding project, making it potentially abrasive to the skin. For another thing, weld slag reduces the metal's ability to bond with surface coatings such as paint. Weld slag will also weaken any secondary welds made in the area. For these reasons, welders must be proactive about removing slag once welding is complete and the base metal has cooled.
One of the most common methods of weld slag removal involves the use of a rotating power tool known as a wire brush wheel. The stiff metal wires on the circular head of a wire brush wheel knock off weld slag without damaging or abrading the base metal. Of course, for effective results, you must select the most appropriate type of wire brush wheel.
This article will improve your knowledge of weld cleaning by discussing two key criteria to consider when selecting a wire brush wheel for slag removal.
1. Brush Shape
Many people mistakenly assume that wire brushes remove slag through scratching and abrasion. In reality, the wires batter the slag like miniature hammers, jolting it loose from the surface of the metal. In order to accomplish the task, the tips of the wires must remain as perpendicular as possible to the surface of the metal. The shape of the brush determines how well the tips will maintain their perpendicular state.
In terms of shape, brushes break down into two categories: cup brushes and end brushes. Cup brushes feature wires arranged in a circle around the perimeter of the brush. The diameter of a cup brush tends to be much greater than that of an end brush.
In addition to being narrower, end brushes also feature wires packed across the entire surface of the wheel. For most applications, a cup brush represents the best choice. The construction of a cup brush makes the wires much less likely to flare out when applied at high speeds — an unwanted phenomenon that can occur when using end brushes.
End brushes do have one clear advantage, however: their size. End brushes allow metal workers to remove slag from places too tight for cup brushes to reach — for instance, a hole at the far end a pipe. If restricted space does not play a factor, most slag removal jobs should be conducted using a cup brush.
2. Trim Length
Trim length refers to the length of the wires on any particular wire brush wheel. This factor plays a large role in determining how aggressively the wire brush wheel will accomplish its slag removal. Generally speaking, the shorter the trim length, the more aggressively the brush will perform. This can be either a good or a bad thing.
A shorter trim length means that the wire brush will be able to remove the slag more quickly. Yet it also may lead to the base metal becoming damaged if the brush's action is too aggressive. A longer trim will take longer to remove slag with, since the wires will more readily bend away from the surface. However, the removal process will tend to be gentler on the base metal.
A greater trim length also increases the reach of the brush. This makes it better able to reach crevices located in the weld area. Such an advantage can easily compensate for the trade-off in terms of the time of removal.
To remove weld slag safely and effectively, you must select the most appropriate type of wire brush wheel. For more information about this crucial decision, please don't hesitate to contact the welding and metal fabrication experts at Sam’s Welding, Inc.
Most Popular Types of Welding
Are you hiring a welder to get something fabricated or repaired? Sam's Welding Inc. offers the following types of welding in El Cajon: Gas metal arc welding. Perhaps the most popular of them all, this method is also known by its abbreviations GMAW or MIG, for metal inert gas. It’s an average of five times faster than electrical arc methods and includes four material transfer options: spray, pulsed spray, globular and short circuiting. Shielded metal arc welding. A form of stick welding commonly known as SMAW, this process uses electrical current to form an arc between the rod and metals in production. Uses include industrial fabrication such as the construction of iron and steel structures. Gas tungsten arc welding. This method is known as TIG or GTAW and requires the most skill, as heat is continuously regulated by means of a foot pedal. If amperage is set too high, you can end up burning holes in the metal. If it’s too low, the weld won’t flow properly. It’s especially useful for combining thick pieces of stainless steel and ironless metals. Flux-cored arc welding. Unlike MIG and TIG, FCAW keeps contamination out by means of a flux. This process doesn’t require a shielding gas, can be done outdoors and is quite efficient. Working with different positions such as horizontal, vertical and tee joints requires different machine configurations. Serving San Diego, CA Whether you need several hundred pieces or just one, we’re happy to take on the project for you. We are combat veteran owned and have more than two decades of experience handling military projects with success. We serve El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, and the entire county. We have expertise with the design and fabrication of gates and fences. You’re welcome to walk into our San Diego shop or call us anytime at 619-281-2709 .
Whether you have some new projects lined up to modify and enhance your home or there are some significant repairs that need to be done to some of the metalwork, you want to have a professional metal welder on the job. There are numerous specific instances in which having welding done by a certified military group such as Sam’s Welding Inc. in El Cajon is worth your investment. Perhaps you need a car welder to perform some precise car part welding or you need to ensure the safety of a premises with some security door welding . Of course, not everything that involves metal fabrication or repair is on a large scale. More often than not, welding is needed for smaller things that see use on a daily basis, such as: Staircases Hand railings Gates Fences As far as stairs are concerned, our professionals can help with anything from a new hand railing to a completely new and complex spiral staircase. Even if the work needs to be done outside on fences and gates where the materials need to be more durable, our nearly four decades of experience in the field have given us the knowledge of how to complete jobs in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and keeps you and your loved ones safe. Serving El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee Metalwork, whether it is basic framing or a more elaborate fence job, has a large impact on our lives every day. Therefore, when the time comes in which you decide to invest in modifications, fabrications, or repairs, you’d better be sure that you have qualified people doing the work. That’s what you’ll get when you call Sam’s Welding at 619-281-2709 . If you live in El Cajon, La Mesa or Santee, ask about our walk-in and mobile services to maximize our availability to you.
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