Welding prep after grinding.

[Jbo2231]

Hey,
Newbie to the welding lark, I have hopefully got my welder and fire extinguisher arriving on Friday. Should have a weekend of practicing and no doubt lots of frustration ahead of me. Going to be doing some MIG and TIG.

Hopefully all equipped and sorted in the workshop now having removed as many flammable things as possible and setting up an area for grinding/welding.
I have got myself a pneumatic mini angle grinder from Norton with a large kit of roloc (rolok?)disks for prep of the metal.
My question is do you guys bother wiping down after grinding and if so with what? I have heard of people using meth-spirit as a final wipe but it just makes me uncomfortable using highly flammable liquid just before bringing in a welder, especially as a novice. Not worried too much about it on the metal as it quickly evaporates, but if a small amount is on gloves/sleeve/anything it could be a recipe for disaster. Would degreaser designed for paint prep work, got loads of that stuff and its not spirit based.
As a novice it likely wont make any difference but want to get in to good habits if it's something that will make a difference down the road.

Thanks guys, plenty of shoddy photos to follow .

 

[James1979]

Not for mild when migging. I am not a tiggist although I can do it so an actual tiggist is better suited to answering that bit. I have worked with guys who wipe the filler and the workpiece religiously, and others who don't seem to.

RE flammables. You are quite right. When I'm doing stainless with arc (See "I am not a tiggist' above!) I use MEK as I have it to hand anyway for other things. I chuck the used rags in the scrap bin. If / when they catch its no real drama. Good luck with the initial practice, plenty of friendly folk on hand here to assist

 

[Jbo2231]

Not for mild when migging. I am not a tiggist although I can do it so an actual tiggist is better suited to answering that bit. I have worked with guys who wipe the filler and the workpiece religiously, and others who don't seem to.

RE flammables. You are quite right. When I'm doing stainless with arc (See "I am not a tiggist' above!) I use MEK as I have it to hand anyway for other things. I chuck the used rags in the scrap bin. If / when they catch its no real drama. Good luck with the initial practice, plenty of friendly folk on hand here to assist

Thanks for your input, I was thinking MIG is more forgiving when it comes to small amounts of contamination? I'll wait to hear from others regarding TIG and to get other peoples experience with MIG prep but I'm sure you're right

MEK? is that methyl ethyl ketone?

 

[RWD3M]

Not for mild when migging. I am not a tiggist although I can do it so an actual tiggist is better suited to answering that bit. I have worked with guys who wipe the filler and the workpiece religiously, and others who don't seem to.

RE flammables. You are quite right. When I'm doing stainless with arc (See "I am not a tiggist' above!) I use MEK as I have it to hand anyway for other things. I chuck the used rags in the scrap bin. If / when they catch its no real drama. Good luck with the initial practice, plenty of friendly folk on hand here to assist

MEK, is that stuff still available?

I remember using that with Scotchbrite to clean PRC off the inside of aircraft fuel tanks. The last place to be using that!!!

 

[James1979]

I got a ton from a buddy who works on helicopters. I’m nearly out but yeah you can get it on the bay. They’ll even post it!!!

PRC! That’s good stuff. Got tubes of it from same place. Use it on boat tanks that are leaking

 

[James1979]

MEK? is that methyl ethyl ketone?

That sounds right

it’s the more forgiving of the two processes but you still need to have things as good as possible. Shiny steel is good enough. No need to de grease it I’ve found unless it’s contaminated or something. As long as the mill scale is off it’s fine.

 

[RWD3M]

...PRC! That’s good stuff. Got tubes of it from same place. Use it on boat tanks that are leaking

Until you've got to get it off!!!

 

[James1979]

Until you've got to get it off!!!

I apply it tactically and make sure I won’t be that guy

 

[mtt.tr]

Whats wrong with good ole acetone

 

[James1979]

MEK seems to have more ‘bite’. Chemist can explain. I use it for brakes discs and all sorts.

Doesn’t leave a residue but is a bit noxious as far as I know.

 

[Matchless]

Not for mild when migging. I am not a tiggist although I can do it so an actual tiggist is better suited to answering that bit. I have worked with guys who wipe the filler and the workpiece religiously, and others who don't seem to.

RE flammables. You are quite right. When I'm doing stainless with arc (See "I am not a tiggist' above!) I use MEK as I have it to hand anyway for other things. I chuck the used rags in the scrap bin. If / when they catch its no real drama. Good luck with the initial practice, plenty of friendly folk on hand here to assist

I have been told NOT to use brake cleaner prior to TIG welding, mainly in relation to old porous alloy castings, produces a poisonous gas? or something....

 

[James1979]

Ok. I don’t know what brake cleaner is? Is that isopropanol? I know if you arc up on that it stinks and you get a sooty mess.

 

[Munkul]

a few years back, brake cleaner used to have chlorinated solvents in, which when heated in UV light, give off phosgene gas (extremely poisonous!)

In theory, all chlorinated brake cleaners are banned in the EU AFAIK, but you never know, in this day and age of fake certification and provenance etc. Best rule is just to not use brake cleaner.

Pure solvents - IPA, Toluene, MEK, acetone etc - all fine to use.

I clean stainless/aluminium with acetone when its for a customer, but for mild steel or my own stuff, just make sure it's visibly clean after grinding.

 

[grim_d]

MEK, is that stuff still available?

I remember using that with Scotchbrite to clean PRC off the inside of aircraft fuel tanks. The last place to be using that!!!

Absolutely, it's easy to get too. I'm not keen on it. We get contractors in that tell us it's banned and how are we using it when really they mean it's banned in the last place they worked.

For GP solvent cleaning I prefer brake cleaner or IPA

Whats wrong with good ole acetone

Absolutely nothing, great stuff and far less 'orrible than MEK!

 

[Jbo2231]

I'll stick with some acetone then and just not splash it about like an idiot . Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Don't use panel wipe...then leave the rags lying around when you start welding...don't ask how I know that ....then use it again and remember to put them in the bin 6 foot away....and set fire to the bin!

 

[Will!]

I'll stick with some acetone then and just not splash it about like an idiot . Thanks for everyone's input.

Acetone evaporates that fast that even wet rags dry out pretty quick unless you've absolutely soaked them.