Clean your metal prior to welding – dirty welds are never strong welds

Clean material is the key to any good weld, but the question is “What is the best way to clean metal before welding?”

Depending on the tools you have and the overall goal of the project there are a few ways to prepare your metal to get a clean weld every time.  The best welds come from clean metal to metal contact,  any foreign materials in the welding area can cause welding imperfections. Even brand new metal must be prepped before it can be welded because there is usually a coating put on new metal so it does not rust.  This is often overlooked and will always result in a weak messy weld.  Be mindful, once you remove this coating the metal is exposed to the elements,  if left out unprotected steel will begin to rust, even indoors.

Wire Brush

A wire brush is good for removing thick layers of scale or any other thick impurities on metal. You’ll especially want to keep a wire brush handy for stick welding since you’ll need to brush off the flux when you’re done. Keep in mind that certain metals will call for specific brushes. For example: a metal such as aluminium will require a steel brush.

Sand Paper

Sand paper is another way to remove imperfections from metal before welding. However, make sure you use the right  kind of sandpaper for the metal and welding application so that you don’t leave sand paper residue or damage the metal.

Cloth and Solvent

When you’re TIG welding, any impurities or chemicals on the metal can cause weld defects. However, choosing the wrong cleaner can also cause problems.  Some cleaners tend to leave an oily residue. Try using acetone or lacquer thinners in order to clean the metal without leaving a residue.

Blasting

If the metal you will be welding is rusty and sand paper or a grinder isn’t working another option is to blast it.  After blasting the metal may look clean but it will still need to be wiped down with acetone to remove any contaminants.

Angle Grinder

An angle grinder is one of the most versatile tools you can own since you can change the wheels, a angle grinder is a great choice for cutting a small piece of metal, cleaning metal, or smoothing off rough edges.

Leaving any debris on the metal prior to welding can pose many different problems.  The welds can become weak and possibly prone to porosity which can create a weak weld.  To avoid any of these problems it is important that all metal is inspected prior to working with it.  By doing this you can be sure that the welds created will be strong and free of any defects.

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