Removing scale

[SinDoc]

Out of pure curiosity, is there another method other than grinding to remove scale and get a shiny finish? I would assume if there was, it would more than likely involve acid. Main reason I ask is while having fun making hooks and bottle openers over the weekend, I started experimenting with heat coloring. As I love the look of twist, most of my stuff has them and while using my Dremel to grind them clean works, it is rather time consuming process. So I am simply curious if there are different methods for such a thing to make the heat coloring go a little smoother and not involve spending a ton of time meticulously grinding the groves with my Dremel.

[Frazer]

You wont get a really shiny finish, but an overnight soak in vinegar will remove scale. Wire brushing during the soak and at the end will help too.

Just make sure you neutralize the acid, rinse and dry it off relatively quickly after coming out of the acid since the surface will rust.

I don't know if the colors will show after heating, but it's worth a shot.

[SinDoc]

I did just read about vinegar soaks. Should have read a bit more before posting. From what it looks like though, it appears there is no skipping the Dremel. At least I like working with it 

[ThomasPowers]

I just did a bunch of dragon headed coat hooks out of 1/2".  Intricate heads, shiny silver, NO DREMEL! 

Soak in distilled white "household vinegar (9%?), from one weekend to the next---in a semi sealed container outdoors so the gas can vent but the vinegar doesn't dry up or rust tools in the shop.

Scrub with a steel brush in a large bucket of water with some baking so\da added until you can see the bare metal.

Rinse with hose and dry on fence.

Go over the piece with my bench mount slow speed wire wheel to remove flash rust and make SHINY.

Apply finish.

Done!

[SinDoc]

I see. So it seems it would be best to make a batch then let them soak for awhile. Then I can alternate from making the next batch then finishing the previous batch. I will have to try out the vinegar. As for the wire wheel, I dont have a bench mounted one. Depending on the speed/precision I need, I either use a wheel brush on the my Dremel (it has a high/low speed), my drill which is the slowest speed, then finally for when I need to just go ham on a piece, a wire brush wheel on my 12000 rpm angle grinder.

[Goods]

When I’m finished with a part I’ll bring it up to a red heat and aggressively brush it with a butcher block brush and wire brush to get into the smaller details. I keep brushing till a low black heat a go straight to beeswax or BLO finish. Works pretty good on smaller pieces. For delicate or very detailed parts, this may not we much of an option though. May not be a option for large quantity runs either, where I would really want to stay in a rhythm...

David

[ThomasPowers]

Have you ever thought of getting a bench mount grinder/wire wheel?  I see them on CL regularly out here. Older ones are often far superior to cheap HF ones!  Save a bunch of time and MUCH safer than using one on an angle grinder.  Time quickly covers money outlay.  Now mine was built from a a metallographic sample prep system with two speeds: slow and slower.   Cost me US$0 + cost of a wire wheel at a freight salvage store.

If you plan to make a bunch of things and want them shiny to temper colour them---plan to make your life easier! (Never quite under stood the "I'll spend hundreds of dollars in time to save 20 bucks"  way of thinking.)

Note on vinegar; soak at least over night.  I do weekend to weekend because that's how my time is allocated---but I often start mid week cleaning them up to get a jump on the weekend...

[JHCC]

Tumbling is also an option for larger quantities. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

For the smaller items, that is what I do. Toss them into my vibratory tumbler, with crushed walnut, for a couple of hours and they come out bright & shiny. Like Thomas the large items get the bench grinder with a wire wheel.

[SinDoc]

I have been looking for an excuse to buy a bench grinder. Maybe this is the one I was looking for! The only downside is my workspace is small. I maybe have to eat up a little more space to expand my bench down another wall for a place to mount it.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I have two bench grinders mounted on tire rims and one on an old plough disc. Easy to move them where ever I need them. The grinder in this picture is on the disk.

[SinDoc]

What I need to do is build a bench opposite my anvil so I can just turn around and work. Currently my anvil is in the front of my shed/shop and my bench is on the back wall. I only have a 10x20 space to work in and it is also our storage shed so I keep the grill and the kids toys and such in there. Should have built bigger!

[Glenn]

Grinders work best where the grinding dust and debris do not get on everything, outside for instance.  Put the grinder on a stand with wheels, or a small table on wheels so it can be placed near the anvil or outside. 

This is not the time of year in Ohio, but grinding outside while there is snow covering the ground will amaze you as to how much grinding dust it produces.  You can actually the snow with a gray covering.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

That is proof positive that when using a grinder a respirator or at least an N95 mask is required.

[SinDoc]

O I know. I cleaned my shop yesterday because my little corner was turning black from all the grinding dust. I also grew up doing body work with my dad, so I know full well the giant mess it makes, and to wear a respirator while doing it. Got many a lecture from the old man when I got caught with it off. 

[Glenn]

Then you should see the size and gray color of using a ox/ac or plasma cutter outside in the snow.  Sun will hit the gray dust and debris and melt it faster than the white show.  The melted area will visually reinforce the use of masks and ppe.

[SLAG]

SLAG,

Here.

Yes it is good safety practice to wear a respirator while grinding metal.

But there is another potential problem when grinding inside. The dust settles on all the surfaces and floor, of the shop and its tools. Walking through the operation, later on, without a mask could cause problems. The fine, almost invisible, particles, will fly up into the air when we walk or handle tools. Those bits, that get airborne, are almost invisible. Also, The particles are both metallic and ceramic abrasive. They can do damage to lung tissue. Very fine particles are almost impossible for the body to dislodge. They physically abrade lung cells and tissue. If enough damage is done, we can come down with a condition called COPD, (i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder). It is a progressive disease, and medication can only treat symptoms, as it progresses. The only real 'cure" is a lung transplant.

But citizens, there are two solutions to this problem. The first one is an elaborate air extraction system which collects the particles or vents them to the outside.

The second, more practical solution, is to mount the grinder on a portable stand and grind outside. When I do so, I still use a respirator. The SLAG does not take chances!

Regards, to all the folks on the forum.

SLAG.

xxxxxxxxx    xxxxxxx   xxxxxx

SLAG,

Here ,

again.

Has anyone mentioned sand blasting to operations that produce many crafted items*?

Obviously it would only make sense where there are a lot of items to treat. A Dremel or Foredom  would suffice for one or two creations.

SLAG.

*Other substances can be used instead of sand, such as walnut hull 'flower' or soda, etc.

** the site computer program has merged these two submissions. Even though they address two, somewhat different,  subjects

[SinDoc]

I considered sand blasting. My neighbors got a one with the box to keep it contained. I did just give him several hooks to hang stuff in his garage as well as a bottle opener. Perhaps if I twist his arm a little, he will let me use them lol. I personally have neither a sand blasting box, nor sand blaster. Nor air compressor for the matter...

[Glenn]

The sand blaster will exhaust the same amount of air that it takes in do do the sand blasting.  Depending on the sand blaster this exhausted air may or may not be well filtered before it is dumped out of the machine.  It is not the sand being recycled that is a concern but the fine dust that is produced.  If the machine has filters, when was the last time they were cleaned, serviced, or replaced, or does it just exit an exhaust pipe to the open air?

[LeeJustice]

And do not use sand, that exposes you to the hazard of silica.  Abrasive or grit blasting is a more refined term.  Aside from having different mesh grit to select from, you also have other media from which to choose.  I have done some soda blasting before, it is probably the gentlest media for blasting.

[ThomasPowers]

Right; no power in my shop so I carry the grinder over to the house and set it on a stand on my patio and c clamp it and run a cord in the house to use it. trying to keep the cats and dog in the house while I use it.

[pnut]

C clamps are your friend. I don't have anywhere to permanently put any bench tools so they are all mounted on plywood and I C clamp the plywood to a work table that sits outside of the maintenance room and remove it when I'm done. I haven't used the drill press yet because I need a vise for it but the grinder and the bench vise work just fine and the landlord doesn't mind. 

Pnut

[anvil]

Also be very careful as it can grab it from your hand and send it flying. Bad things can happen especially with knives and chain. Knives are obvious.

Had a friend named Bear that was buffing up some chain. It got away and he was pretty beat up. He said at 7200 rpm it took him about 15 seconds to realize just what happened before he jumped or got knocked out of the way! He got a new nickname after that. We called him ChainBear. Lol, some of you just may remember that time back in the day.

[ThomasPowers]

My grandfather always had me mount chain to a flat board for wire wheeling or buffing.

Of coarse for rough cleaning of large chain we used to drag it behind the pickup on gravel roads...

[SinDoc]

I am not sure I would be brave enough to try cleaning chain on a wire wheel. With my clumsiness, that would be a recipe for disaster!

Also Thomas, I stuck some of my hooks in vinegar a few days ago. I plan to leave them there until Saturday when the great deluge of the '21 decides to end.