Yes, well I know how to weld, but am not a welder by trade... Yep, the process is stick and my surfaces are usually ground sometimes wire wheel brushed pretty clean. Although not universally bright metal sometimes. Actually part of the problem is removing the flash rust and the shielding residue that builds up all around the joint - particularly in the smallish inside corners and deep 45* angles.Carm wrote:"Any recommendations?"
Learn how to weld!
That likely sounds hard nosed, but the easiest way to clean up a weld is not have arc burns, spatter etc. there in the first place.
Perhaps you are using an inappropriate filler, or technique, poor initial arc/puddle settings.
If you have a situation where arc blow has occurred with stick welding, spatter CAN be a problem.
One of the best things is prep the area with a good anti-spatter. The best are not cheap, but clean up is easy, practically wipe-off.
Use a chisel that has a flat bottom and a 90 degree face. Most spatter comes off with a push, maybe needs a tap w/small hammer.
Die grinders are great, but it is very easy to chew up a weld with one, making a good weld look amateurish.
Ive been chipping out the splatter with small chisels and working the deposition patterns by hand with Ospho and wire brushes- but that's getting old and I have three bridge deck sections yet to weld up, so thinking about a way to speed up the work. Plus it's another reason to buy more tools.
Also using Ospho for a base coat treatment prior to painting requires another complete pass to get rid of all the residue that bubbles up here and there.
But as you say, good prep on the surface joints is good preventive medicine.
