So I roped myself into a project where I have to grind a bulbous weld off of each of about 400 small parts in T304 stainless.  Basically, I'm taking away a 5/16" dia x 1/4" thick cylindrical protrusion and trying to leave a reasonably smooth flat finished surface where the protrusion was.  Yes, it's making the old-man arthritis in my hands yell at me.  Wilton 1 x 42 belt grinder because it's all I have at the moment.

Anyway...bought a bunch of new belts for the job and decided to try ceramic even though they were twice the price.  Norton 80 grit.

Looks like the job is going to require only 1 of those belts.  Even though the part shape means all the wear is focused on about 1/4 of the belt, it's lasting far better than other belts I have used.

If you made it this far in the post, what I took the long way to get to is the fact that I now swear by the ceramic belts. DEFINITELY worth the extra expense.  If the price has kept you for experimenting, convince yourself to give ceramic a shot because it'll turn out to be cheaper in the long run.

norton blaze belts will OUT run a ceramic belt hands down !!

Steve,s Welding

I'd be looking to take end nippers to them and just finish up with the grinder. I'd make the nippers before doing that much grinding if necessary. I mean really a modified C clamp would work if there's room and a disk fits. 304 SS isn't hard, it's tough and chewy but not hard. A compound lever action if cheaters didn't work. That much grinding is a deal killer to me. As a last resort I'd use a flush end cut "Roto Zip."

Really, there are too many options to try before wasting all that time and grinding media on SS. The stuff has a well deserved reputation for loading up and galling grinders and sanding disks. Belts do better shedding cuttings because they flex over the wheels. Disks just load up and you get to change them.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

39 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I'd be looking to take end nippers to them and just finish up with the grinder. I'd make the nippers before doing that much grinding if necessary. I mean really a modified C clamp would work if there's room and a disk fits. 304 SS isn't hard, it's tough and chewy but not hard. A compound lever action if cheaters didn't work. That much grinding is a deal killer to me. As a last resort I'd use a flush end cut "Roto Zip."

Really, there are too many options to try before wasting all that time and grinding media on SS. The stuff has a well deserved reputation for loading up and galling grinders and sanding disks. Belts do better shedding cuttings because they flex over the wheels. Disks just load up and you get to change them.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

I didn't go into details but there was not a reasonable mechanical option that beat the grinder.  Once I got some decent belts the time involved was about 15 seconds each which wasn't unreasonable.  Clipping would be impossible without a much fancier set-up because the protrusions that I mentioned as welds were actually forged AND welded where a rod passed through--like a rounded rivet head which had also been perimeter welded (plasma welded, actually, on robotic machines).

In any case, the point was that good belts are worth it.  I'll have to try those blaze belts mentioned.  They weren't listed as an option where I bought these.

 

15 seconds each and you're asking us for help?  Isn't that kind of work what the new guy is for? You're wearing a dust mask yes?

Frosty The Lucky.