Stainless tube finishing tool recomendation

admin

Hi all, I've got a project coming with 3" stainless tubing. It will need to be about a 6 or 7 finish and I need to get the appropriate polishing and grind tools. I've always been partial to Metabo, but are there better systems out there? Also what is the learning curve like for dressing welds at 90 degree and T intersections. This is going to be for cart bumpers in a sanitary environment. Thanks.
Reply:We use a black skuff disk that has a drill chuck. Polishes really nice. Make sure tube is cool before you use it. Or just skuff pads. There's always acid,It's messy thoLast edited by Hoosier_Welder; 12-15-2012 at 09:18 PM.Reason: Added
Reply:Did you get your tubes lenght already polished as you want and you need tools to make some touch up on the final part or you got tubes lenght with the mill finnished ? When you make stainless you should get the right tools for each part, right tools to polish flat bars, right tools to polished large radius elbow or degres, right tools to polish small tight part.The probleme is a tool that can be the size of a 5'' inch grinder, with the same electric motor will cost double or triple because its a polishing tools!If you don't do a lot of stainless you sould probably rent all those tool for really cheap!Calculator > Bevel Square
Reply:be VERY prepared for sticker shock no matter what brand your looking at.  I have had good luck with the dynabrade products.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:For cleaning up SS welds on tubing, etc. I start with 3M utinized wheels. They are a fairly hard sponge-like material, and they flex incredibly well. There are a couple differerent 'grits' as it were, and several sizes and thicknesses. I tend to do most my work with the light gray colored wheel, and the thickness is about 3/16"...... 5mm and the wheels are 4" dia. I use a 4" diameter Makita grinder for the job. It is a little smaller than a 4.5" an the arbor is small, about 7/16" vs the 5/8" on a 4.5 grinder.The darker utinized wheel is a dark gray; it takes off more material, and I use these sparingly with little pressure; they tend to cut into the tube more than they clean up the weld itself.These wheels can get you to a brushed like finish- mill finish easily. After this, you step up to polishing compound. Black Magic is the compound to take SS to a medium lustre polish. White Rouge will bring a high polish sheen. Everything is done in steps; the utinized wheels, then the black polish, then the white polish. If I am looking for less sheen, I stop at the appropriate level as I go.Get ready for price-shock; polishing equipment is not cheap. Do not use a lot of pressure on the utinized wheels; they disintigrate fast under pressure, and you get no benefit from that.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by Dualiebe VERY prepared for sticker shock no matter what brand your looking at.  I have had good luck with the dynabrade products.