Got a welding table cleaned up (was very rusty) and was thinking of using anti-spatter spray on it so I tried looking it up. I found a few who use it and many more that do not and just grind down the spatter after. I'm going to try it as I could wipe it off if it's a no go. 

Has anyone else here used anti-spatter spray on a welding table, and what were your results? 

I'll post my own results here after some welding on it. 

Not me, most spatter just scrapes off unless I miss and strike an arc on the table and spray isn't going to help. When I'm welding something really spattery I just use Pam on the cup instead of the high priced spray.

Thinking about it just now, a nice layer of rust should take care of spatter sticking don't you think?

Frosty The Lucky.

Well the rust would cause a problem when grounding to the table I'd think. 

I was using a sheet of stainless before and it would get some pretty stuck spatter. 

Greetings Das,

I use a large worn out grinding wheel from a Blanchard grinder . One swipe flat and all gone.. I would guess any one would work . Don't like liquids in the table. 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

I've sprayed my vice down when welding in it.  The bigger hotter chunks of spatter still seem to burn though and stick but the small stuff a light wire brush and they are off.  The tables at work usually are dirty, greasy or rusty enough not much generally sticks to them.

Thanks for the replies and info.

Jim, after I sprayed it and wiped it in it dried so it's not in a liquid state. 

Dog, I'm guessing I'll end up with some grease and oils on the table but I'm going to try to keep it cleaned so I doubt it would stay that way. 

I am excited to use the big table tho.  

How about spray wax? It's not wet or messy once dry.

I've never thought about keeping the berries from sticking, I just knock them off by sliding a piece of steel with a sharp end down the table. By sharp I mean as cut in a saw I only use a grinder on it when it's getting rough or someone strikes an arc on it.

You do have me thinking though, I have some welding to do and might experiment a little.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, Sounds like an idea as long as the work piece grounds. A lot of the pieces i'm welding are best if I ground the table so I'm looking to " keep the berries from sticking" too much  

First go with the anti-spatter spray and it's way better then the stainless sheet was without. Not a good comparison as this is a half inch thick plate and that was thin sheet but it was way better.  when doing a lot of tacks, then some heavy welding on a bunch of small parts all while trying to adjust and move them or set them in place it's a pain to have to grind the table all the time.  I will say that either the heavier table or the spray seem to have helped a lot.

I'd like to experiment further on this and see what works and what doesn't. all i know is table grounding is important most of the time.

Thanks for the suggestion, I may have some spray wax sitting around for auto detailing. good thing about it is I can always clean the table again  

I use LPS Antispatter spray, waterbased so you don't have to worry about catching on fire or oily rags to catch fire. Spray down the area and your mig nozzle. No stuck spatter and just wipes off when done.

I'll check it out Thanks.

try different things on areas of the table and see what works best

lightly oil or wax an area, chalk or stone dust or let it rust a little

Sounds like a good idea ID.

then tell us the results

I can do that. 

 

Daswulf what I use for the welding table is the cheapest !! red oxide spray primer I can find 

& paint the top with it - that does 2 things cut sticking spatter down 95 % also now you can draw on table for projects

with sliver pencil - it can effect grounding some though I have a ground cable hooked to the table so if I need

a better ground on the project I use that or if I want to control ground arcing to table then I put project on plywood

& use G lead - all of my steel tables - cranes & other stuff are on a common shop ground 

if I have to use my GOOD red oxide paint for table then I thin!! it down to almost water  then wash the table

keeps rust away to here in the WET!!!!  north

Steve's Welding & Fab  

PS -- carb cleaner & a rage with erase sliver pencil marks on table nicely I draw / Layout alot of stuff on the table

Grounding to the table will cause an arc between the table and the project in order to establish a ground. This will leave bumps on the table at each arc point.

I was taught to always ground directly to the piece of work in addition to grounding the table. For best results ground close to the area of the weld. If you get an excessive amount of sputter balls, check the settings on the welder for the type rod you are using.

Thanks IronWolf and Glenn for the input.

The arcing to the table seems pretty minimal aside from once in a while the piece sticks but pops free.  I have the settings pretty well figured out on the Mig, it's just that welding conditions are usually far from, say, welding plate steel. 

I Like the idea of an additional clamp. I think I will try an extension off the bolt on my clamp to just slightly lighter cable and a smaller but beefy clamp to ground both when i can.

Mix cooking oil and water for a cheap wipe on anti spatter 

Don't often use it myself creates as many problems as it solves 

Set the plant up good and you rarely have anything you can't brush or knock off 

I use a big fixture bench ( like the build pro)  only I built it being a pro myself lol occasionally I get a blob in one of my 16 mm holes just put in a bit of bar and give it a tap. Spatter is only an issue if you let it build up. Start of every job the bench gets a proper going over with a cup brush 

Here is the bench just wanted to try the upload really 

Nice bench. And railing work. 

So far I haven't had much issue while using the anti spatter spray but I haven't been welding many pieces close to the table recently. Still plan on trying a few different squares of different products to experiment. I could add that one to the list. 

On 3/2/2016 at 4:15 PM, Daswulf said:

Nice bench. And railing work. 

So far I haven't had much issue while using the anti spatter spray but I haven't been welding many pieces close to the table recently. Still plan on trying a few different squares of different products to experiment. I could add that one to the list. 

Grinding splatter off is not good.  

Welding tables get ruined by grinding if it is persistant enough.

I avoid tacking to my table unless there is no other way. If I do have to weld to my table I cut the weld off a sharp cold chisel. The heat from welding/grinding will cup 1" plate in just a few years if done to excess.

I ran .045 out of a drum welding railings. 

Anti -spatter spay is cheap when bought in volume. The spray cans at the welding convenience supply are way too expensive.

I personally use Weld Kleen 350.

I buy it in gallons and use utility spray bottles. It is cheap for the labor it saves.

The keys are pretty simple;

Less is more. A light fine mist is all that is needed. 

Be careful not to "pocket" the spray.

For example, rail pickets.  Most cut and paste iron rails I make are fast and cheap but still good. I don't save money by using tubing or other inferior materials like castings. I make my own ends and ornaments but assembly and clean up need to go pretty fast.  

I mark the center of the picket on each rail then hold them there while I tack them with the MIG gun.  I then weld the verticals on each side and top before I unclamp it and flip it over. This is a pocket that can't be sprayed without causing completely unwanted problems. 

Other than that, I really don't want to be without it if I am doing much MIG steel welding at all.  

Greatly reduces clean up time and daves the bench.