Best tool or way to clean up fillet welds?

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What is the best tool to use to grind down or sand down fillet welds.  In my case I need to make the best looking tidiest welds that I can. The pictures show what I mean. The welds are in an awkward space to get the grinder in there.  I use use a 5" grinder with a sanding disc.  It's all good and well when you have a good run and lay down some good welds, but sometimes you have to move.  Whether it is because your hand slips or you can't handle the pain of that hot spatter ball burning your skin off.  Either way you move and the weld bead appearance suffers.  These welds are painted over and need to be looking their best.  I like to present the quality of my work as best as I can.Actually, those ant holes in the weld are there because I'm trying to make the one continuous weld bead.  But unfortunately as I come around with the torch I can only go so far around in rotation until it hits the other upright pipe.  From there the angle of the gun changes drastically and eventually the shielding gas does not work anymore and  you get porosity.  This joint is a tricky one.  You are always going to have a stop start bump of weld metal, that will need a bit of sanding down.Is there another tool that is designed for this type of blending work? It's not too bad to clean up the front of the fillet welds with the angle grinder and sanding disc.  But you can't get it further in under the center of the top pipe.  It's those tight spaces and areas I need to sometimes clean up.  How....? Attached Images
Reply:Times like this, I have wished for a straight die grinder. You can sometimes find a long-necked version that might be good.Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:If the porosity isn't a problem don't grind it down.. Cover it up http://bondo.com/Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:I would suggest focusing more on your welding technique instead of hiding bad technique. Plan where you start and stop around where it will be easiest to do so. Also practice your start. If you do it right it should blend in barely noticeably. When you start your puddle travel back a little bit before you start traveling forward. The hot puddle will wash into the previous weld and blend them together pretty smooth. For a fillet that big I would use a little weave to tie the edges of the weld in a little better. If you use this technique or the mig like tig technique then when you start your next weld you start your puddle and then loop back around before moving forward in the pattern you are comfortable with. When you get this right the untrained eye probably wouldn't even notice a new weld was started. Remember, if you need to grind welds smooth because that's the call out or requirement that's one thing. To grind them down because they don't look like good welds means you need better welds.Lincoln precision TIG 275Millermatic 140 MIG
Reply:Die grinder with a carbide burr. You will be able to get into the tightest spots to blend in the starts and stops.IAMAW Local 330Airco 300 AC/DC HeliwelderAirco Dip-Pak 200 with Profax spool gunPowr-Kraft AC225Everlast PowerArc 200stBuffalo Forge No.21 drill pressSpeedglas 9100xxAirco, Oxweld, Purox, Victor torchesLincoln Ranger 8
Reply:those be some pretty tall throats on those welds might want to rethink you technique looks as if you are just staying in the middle rolling around the tube carbide burr with die grinder to fix ****Miller Xmt 350Lincoln Ln-25Ahp 200xSmith Gas Mixer AR/HTig is my Kung FuThrowing down dimes and weaving aboutInstagram http://instagram.com/[email protected]
Reply:Originally Posted by wnywelderDie grinder with a carbide burr. You will be able to get into the tightest spots to blend in the starts and stops.
Reply:I'll agree with the die grinder and carbide suggestion. They make carbide bits with an extra long neck for really tight spots. As far as technique goes, try pushing your welds and back stepping them into one another. By that I mean end your weld where the previous one started, instead of starting where you stopped. They will tie in so nicely you'll barely have to touch them with a grinder.
Reply:I feel like an angle grinder would still not have trouble getting in there.. I often use files and saw blades (blade on wagon tracks) .. Dye grinder too ...But honestly, on a good weld you should only need wire brush.Sal
Reply:I don't see any reason that you couldn't weld at least half the joint from one side without any awkward torch angles.  sounds/looks like you just need more practice IMHO
Reply:These are what you need bud! They are from PFERD, and are called the Polifan  Curve. Attached ImagesI hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:^^   saw something similar at H-D recently, Freud labeled flap disk for fillet welds.But you shouldn't get those porosity holes in your weld in the first place.  Practice (or modify/change) your technique to not get the pinholes in the first place.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I think the ones at HD are the Pferd ones re-labeled. They look identical and are made in Germany. Weldermike, do you know a good distributor for the Polifan Curves? I've looked on-line with no success.Another abrasive disk that might help the OP is the Rex-cut cotton-fiber blending disk. They are somewhat soft and flexible, and leave a very smooth finish. Available from McMaster-Carr.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:At work when I go to clean welds on pipe rail, I use a flap disc to knock it down almost flush then finish off with sanding cones. Link below is what they are we just don't use harbor frieght.http://www.harborfreight.com/52-piec...set-96826.html
Reply:Originally Posted by Silicon-basedI think the ones at HD are the Pferd ones re-labeled. They look identical and are made in Germany. Weldermike, do you know a good distributor for the Polifan Curves? I've looked on-line with no success.Another abrasive disk that might help the OP is the Rex-cut cotton-fiber blending disk. They are somewhat soft and flexible, and leave a very smooth finish. Available from McMaster-Carr.John
Reply:pin holes!!!Thermal Arc 186 AC/DC Tig SystemMillermultimatic 200 with spool gunFisher Norris 124lbs AnvilLiebherr Mining and Liebherr Nenzing Craneshttp://www.etsy.com/shop/ShootAphoto
Reply:Mick, does that grinder come with a pink "tool bag" to wear on your shoulder? Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:PeterAOpps  -  for whatever reason it happened  -  you need it repaired.This is my Grandmother's recipe for repairing porosity in wire welds, Dual-Shield and Hardwire.Dual-Shield rarely foams, whether there are one or a dozen inclusions, typically it will be an isolated single bubble.This conditions allows the easiest repair, with the best results.Drill out the pit - and TIG.  Even weldors have to search for the repair.Hardwire is different, ie. step on your gun lead, nozzle hygiene, frozen regulator, errant draft . . . . . interrupts gas coverage, and you get foam.To minimize grinding, when I repair a foamed weld section: I center punch,and drill across the repair area.  You size the bit to the width of the weld, and you drill to root of the joint.This allows you to down-size your grinding clean-up to a manageable,visible, and breathable level.My second operation can be as small as a: 3" minus x .035 - silicon-carbide wheel, [3M  -  Green Corp] on a die grinder  -  'hog it out between hole'.  Scale the abrasives to the task.   The third operation is a carbide burr to prep the contour of the initiation and end point  -  then TIG.Because your effected areas are outboard, you can short-cut steps.If you don't have a TIG option, this is how Julia Child would do it.With a select stone, meticulously slot the weld area.  Grind to the rootof the weld while making an effort not to nick any parent metal.For the most control, weld it down-hand.  Reposition the joint to a vertical axis, and incline top-back for fill control.If you sweep your start  -  and time your bottom  -  there is no repair.Opus     `
Reply:WookieWeldingthose be some pretty tall throats on those welds might want to rethink you technique looks as if you are just staying in the middle rolling around the tube carbide burr with die grinder to fix ****Mate I'd like to know how I can get a smaller weld bead.  That is 1.5mm zinc sheet so that's about  1/16" thick.  I don't know what gauge size that is, no one calls it by gauge size over here.But I use 0.9mm wire (0.035") with mixed gas, Its called argoshield light, or something similar.  Its not a C25 mix, they one that has a little oxygen in it.  Anyway, that's what we all use in the shed.I imagine that if I used 0.6mm which is 0.023" I think, the fillet should be smaller.  But practically, that ain't gunna happen.
Reply:a few extra starts and stops to change gun angle would be easier to fix than all those holes.