Cleaning iron before welding - how to?

Question

Hi allI have 200+ feet 2" by 2" iron rod that is covered with thick andsticky protecting agent. It feels more like syrup than grease. Lasttime I cleaned the bars with a degresing agent and high pressure waterand after that I used an angle grinder. And I may do just the samethis time. But it got me interested: how do (large) machine shopsclean their iron before welding? My method seems a bit impractical :)As it is difficult or impossible to clean the inside of the pipe Ihave considered heating the pipe endings near the weld before theactual welding. The idea is to burn any possible oils remaining insidethe pipe away. Is that a practical solution? I use GTAW/TIG I Ibelieve that using a low current would allow me to heat the pipessufficiently to burn any oily residue but not melt the pipe? Anycomments?IW

Ernie Leimkuhler · Accepted Answer

In article ,     snipped-for-privacy@hotpThey make commercial steel cleaners.Like a commercial dishwasher sitting over a conveyor belt.I usually lay all the steel on the ground bunched up together.Mix up a 5 gallon bucket of hot water with a cup of simple green in it, and scrub the steel with a stiff narrow scrub brush on a broom stick.Just keep rotating the steel until al sides are done, then hose off and prop one end up higher so the water drains.

Grant Erwin · Answer

I set up the 20' sticks on two sawhorses, and walk along with a spray bottle of kerosene and a rag, spraying the stock while holding the rag underneath to catch the overspray (I do this inside). Then I wipe down until rags come away clean. I also use the kerosene as a cutting fluid for aluminum.

GWE

SteveB · Answer

I call the coating fish oil, although I don't know what it actually is.

I have cleaned several miles of this stuff. You cut it, deburr it, and lay it on a flat table surface touching each other on the sides. You take a rag with A LITTLE BIT OF gasoline on it. You wipe one side. You roll the tube

1/4 turn and wipe the next side, and so on until you get all four sides. Now you take another gas rag with less gas and feed them through your hand to get all four sides. At the end, take a clean rag to clean off everything else that's left.

I've been doing it that way for more than twenty years. Yes, gas is hazardous, so work outside. Put your gas can away from everything where you're working. Pay strict attention if you do any grinding. Watch out for the rags later when welding. The gas will take all oil out of your skin. So will the hand cleaners you use, and if you use Dawn, you can expect cracked skin down to the meat. Feels real good the next time you get gas in there.

Whatever way you choose to clean your metal, it is one of the most vital steps in fabrication that will save you time later and give you a nicer finished product.

Steve

wcmillerjr · Answer

Be careful - degreasing agents can turn into phosgene gas at weldingtemperatures.  Have you tried mineral spirits?

whit3rd · Answer

Err... waterless hand cleaner dissolves lots of stuff thatgasoline dissolves.  I'd try that first, it seems like it mightbe more ... benign.  And, I know it rinses off with water.

Roger Shoaf · Answer

Acetone works pretty good and leaves no residue.

SteveB · Answer

Err... waterless hand cleaner dissolves lots of stuff that gasoline dissolves. I'd try that first, it seems like it might be more ... benign. And, I know it rinses off with water.

Whatever winds yer clock and gets it out the door on time.

Steve

SteveB · Answer

wroteBe careful - degreasing agents can turn into phosgene gas at weldingtemperatures.  Have you tried mineral spirits?No, just gas and let it dry.No harmful effects so farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farso farslapSteve

SteveB · Answer

I'll have to try that. Gas works good, but I've always been nervous working with it. And if you work with it much, it causes your skin to dry out so much it cracks. Now I just have to find a place that sells kerosene.

Steve

Cleaning iron before welding - how to?

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