We built some stuff that was trimmed in 3"x 1/16" brushed stainless strips. The corner joints of the stainless were TIG welded, the only technique so far that gets a pretty finish without messing up the brushed look seems to be hand filing, then buffing off the color change from heat. Flap wheels and such seem to leave things too wavy.
How do the people who use brushed stainless blend their welds?
Stuart
Try pickling. Look online for pickling / passivating gels and pastes. Are you trying to remove all evidence of having welded the part?? Good tig welds are a beautiful thing! I'd rather see a tigged joint "as welded" than see it reduced to filings on the floor.
Me too , but Mrs Smith doesn't appreciate the beauty in a nice weld . She wants smooth , and by Zod she's gonna get it !
It isn't my choice, believe me... this is a case where the people in charge want to pretend that the big D shaped facing was spit out of the fancy shiny molding factory as one perfect seamless piece. We're getting close enough, I think, with a belt sander and 400 grit belts. now that we have them.
I agree, but mine are not quite Beautiful yet, and the plan was always to make the look 'seamless'. What we now have will do, once the things get a little wear and scuffing on them.
Once I get good enough! My steel TIG is getting quite nice, my Aluminum is often very pretty, this stainless job is purely cosmetic and the first time I ever did SS. The fact that 1/2 the weld is over plywood does not make it easier or prettier.
I gotta say thanks to Ernie, I keep googling his advice to others as I teach myself TIG.
Stuart
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