removing dross on fairly delicate work

[chunkolini]

I have to make fifty of these, oh joy. I love freehand plasma work.
the cutouts are 600to 800mm long

The leaves are cut out of 1.6mm HR mild steel.
There is a fair bit of dross on the backs of the cuts it comes off fairly easily with a small cold chisel and a smart tap with a hammer; and they may want the leaf cutouts as well.
tap tap tap tap etc etc about twenty minutes per piece not hard but tedious and there is a skip load of it to do
would an air chisel do the job without destroying the piece?
or any other tool?
ive had some success with a bike sprocket mounted in a cordless drill but there must be a better way

 

[Morrisman]

I’d lay them down on a flat surface and rub them with a hard house brick. Worth a go.

With thicker material I’ve found rubbing two pieces together is the quickest way to get the dross dribbles off.

 

[Bladevane]

I use one of these from Toolstation on a grinderette - https://www.toolstation.com/abracs-wire-twist-knot-cup-brush/p17385. You can brush onto or off the job, to suit your preference, depending on wire bruch positioning. Job does need clamping otherwise it can leave the workbench with alarming velocity.

 

[Hitch]

Maybe have a look at why you're getting dross in the first place.
You wont eliminate it, but things like tip wear, travel speed, amperage settings all have an effect.

 

[chunkolini]

theres not a huge amount of it and I am likely to be using both sides of the cut
The twist brushes get a fair amount of it off but not the corners.
Ill give the brick trick a go

 

[roofman]

How about a multi tool

 

[123hotchef]

60 grit disc on a grinder stick them on a mag chuck whilst u tickle them with the grinder

 

[nickk]

Put some in a cement mixer with some small hard stones,like the ones up the Neath valley,add water.

 

[sako243]

That's what CLH do to get rid of the dross on their parts.

 

[chunkolini]

Cement mixer would get very tangled with these

 

[Barking Mat]

Flap disk, an old one, you've maybe considered binning, will have minimal effect, but will clean off plasma dross.

Yup, been there.

How thick is the metal ?

 

[chunkolini]

1.6 mm HR mild steel
I like to knock off any dross then run a 120 grit flap wheel over it to clean off any burrs etc.
Tap tap tap tap tap seems to be the solution so far and a PITA
I'm buying a new compressor tomorrow I think for twenty quid it's worth trying this

Clarke CAT114 Air Hammer with Chisel Set - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

I think now and again it's worth buying cheap and if it works buying twice when it dies.
if it does not do this job it may rescue me further down the line

 

[DAPPH]

I have to make fifty of these, oh joy. I love freehand plasma work.
the cutouts are 600to 800mm long
View attachment 456333

The leaves are cut out of 1.6mm HR mild steel.
There is a fair bit of dross on the backs of the cuts it comes off fairly easily with a small cold chisel and a smart tap with a hammer; and they may want the leaf cutouts as well.
tap tap tap tap etc etc about twenty minutes per piece not hard but tedious and there is a skip load of it to do
would an air chisel do the job without destroying the piece?
or any other tool?
ive had some success with a bike sprocket mounted in a cordless drill but there must be a better way

You can get hand held mains voltage electric wood carving chisels ( large Dremel sort of size ) that have short stroke reciprocating blades , there might be a way to stick a modified swiss warding file ground to a chisel blade edge in the tool tip holder and use it similar to an air chisel

 

[eddie49]

You can get hand held mains voltage electric wood carving chisels ( large Dremel sort of size ) that have short stroke reciprocating blades , there might be a way to stick a modified swiss warding file ground to a chisel blade edge in the tool tip holder and use it similar to an air chisel

For example, the Bosch PSE 180E.
As well as a wood chisel, a wide TCT-tipped scraper blade is available for it.

Woodworking tool USED item

Woodworking tool USED item

martins-supplies.co.uk

 

[Erie Fred]

couple of questions
1. can you just leave it on ?
2. have you tried a flap wheel ?

 

[Agroshield]

I do not know if it would work, but maybe a 4" belt sander (e.g Makita 9403).

As they are long, you can put a stop on the bench to prevent them moving (no magnet needed).

How wide are they? What about sticking them to a handled magnet (https://magnetstore.co.uk/product/maxgrip-handheld-magnetic-lifter-30kg-pull/) and passing across a fixed belt sander (this type https://www.powertoolmate.co.uk/pow...m14-150mm-disc-915x100mm-belt-sander-500w.htm). You would stroke the 800mm length 90 degrees to the belt travel. If you install the fence tight to the belt, and rest the part against it, they cannot escape.

Edit: forgot to mention that in the last year or so, SDS plus floor scrapers have come onto the market. The one below is 3", but they sell 4" and the blade is easy to make or modify (old hand saw is good material).

75X300mm Floor Chisel Blade Render Remover SDS PLUS Tile Glue Scraper Drill Bit | eBay

SDS Plus Floor Scraper Tool are made of high grade hardened drop forged tempered heat-treated superior steel alloy.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[GRW]

Finger grinder or die grinder?

 

[Memmeddu]

We use knipex front cutters

 

[bletchmonster]

I use a bit of old file sharpened to a chisel point and welded to a bit of 25mm square for a handle.
The heavy handle adds momentum.
Not up there in the fine tools bracket but it works for me knocking off the dross before a whizz over with flap wheel.
I don't think there's an easy answer to dross.

 

[bert]

If a flap wheel is too big or cumbersome what about a roloc wheel?