Flapper Disc

[Metriccar]

Do you have a preferred brand for flapper discs that you seem to get your money's worth? Do you use these on high RPM 4 1/2" angle grinders? I have a couple of these but they seem high RPM for trying to remove dross.

[mike 1948]

These work very well for me. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-4-5x7-8-Jumb ... 3f0d41afe2

Mike

[kncmachine]

These work very well for me. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-4-5x7-8-Jumb ... 3f0d41afe2

Mike

I use the same ones only 60 grit. Works well. As far as high rpm goes, let up on the trigger. You don't have to run full speed.

[Metriccar]

This dross is too hard to take off with a thumbnail. I can take pliers and pinch it, a lot of it comes off, but this is a slow process. I went down and bought a variety of flapper discs to try this out. The discs take the dross off, but it's more of a sanding process, than something that hits the dross and knocks it off. Anyone ever use an air chisel or something similar?

I envision something like one of those swirling things in a car wash on a smaller scale hitting the dross and knocking it off.

[weldor2005]

I envision something like one of those swirling things in a car wash on a smaller scale hitting the dross and knocking it off.

Wear good ppe as wires fly, but I exclusively use a wire wheel on an angle grinder to knock mine off. Be sure to hold on to it though, it likes to grab cut outs and yank. Can take a lot of normal dross with them though.

[steelfx]

AVOS? Discs are heaven-sent for dross removal. Nothing else comes close, IMHO.

bw

[ryno fab]

I drop it on the floor a few times. no joke. works geat on 16ga -12 ga. drop it flat on the floor or table and 75% will fly off. wear glasses. i also use a siff wire wheel on my 4 in grinder. then i break out the lap disk. sounds like a bunch of steps but its pretty quick.

[storiesnsteel]

Just a thought I was having lots of issues with (I call it slag) but one of the issues was machine set up I was going way to slow and had my tip hight to low , A friend pointed this out to me and wow what a difference so maybe if your getting a lot look at settings it will save time and discs.

[JJsCustomDesigns]

i used a wire wheel on a 4.5" grinder. I had tried several different grits of flap wheels. My problem (maybe i was too picky) is the flap wheel would create divots or low spots on the stubburn dross areas. I like the edges to be nice and square. But as welder2005 said-- def wear some PPE. I would go home with wires in my sleeves, pants and stuck in my skin. IMO it worth it to have a nice flat part that took 1/3 the time to clean up compared to flap discs

[steelfx]

i used a wire wheel on a 4.5" grinder. I had tried several different grits of flap wheels. My problem (maybe i was too picky) is the flap wheel would create divots or low spots on the stubburn dross areas. I like the edges to be nice and square. But as welder2005 said-- def wear some PPE. I would go home with wires in my sleeves, pants and stuck in my skin. IMO it worth it to have a nice flat part that took 1/3 the time to clean up compared to flap discs

The best tool for the job is usually what works best for you. But once I gave up the wire wheels and tried the AVOS discs, I've never looked back. (About 4 yrs. ago) So much quicker & easier, at least for me.

[weldor2005]

Bill,

As for the AVOS discs, I have some that I got from you, and will admit that they do the job well.

Financially I feel that over time you get more bang for your buck on wear with the wire wheels and they perform nicely if you have your cut settings correct.

I'm sure everyone would agree to be proactive first and check to see if you can adjust the cut settings to help first.

[Garysbiz]

I am really liking the Avos I got from Bill, they seem to work great and last well.

[rustyhook]

I use a Sheetrock Knife to knock off any heavy dross I may have. The knife is 6" or 7" long, similar to a fish fillet knife
but the jagged blade is very aggressive. Can be found at any hardware store for approx. $5-$10. Use it
like a small sword and strike the plate at a slight angle to remove the heavy dross. People laugh but it works and is a ONE time cheap purchase. It will take off a good amount of dross before you start with the flapper disc and that will help save the life of the disc. Just a FYI, and because I try to save when I can, lumber liquidators sells flap disc for "metal" (36 / 60 / 120 Grit) on their web site. Less than $2 per wheel.

rh

[Metriccar]

Lumber Liquidators $2 per disc? That's a steal. Wonder how long they last? I went to Home Depot and got 3 DeWalt flapper discs and spent a good deal of $, for the 3 sizes. All of this is in the name of practice/trial & error. DeWalt can make certain things very well but sometimes it's overrated and a flapper disc by DeWalt could very well be a rebadge.

I've found a wire wheel works very well for dross. I use the flapper disc when I want to sand the entire surface of what I just have cut. When I have a lot of intricate cuts the flapper disc will just sand/grind when it's not going in the appropriate direction while the wire wheel will knock dross off regardless of the direction the wheel is going in. So right now wire wheel is preferred over flapper disc.

So just changing gears a bit when you are trying to give the surface a "brushed" appearance by taking off rust, etc I take it you are not using an angle grinder? I have 3 angle grinders and nothing else, maybe I should get some type of polisher/sander such as this?

[steelfx]

check out the thread below. you'll have to scroll down a bit to see a photo of the right tool for giving a "brushed finish".

http://plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f ... der#p66267

a sander/polisher that sits flat on the steel won't work for giving a "brushed look". The abrasive needs to meet the steel at a right-angle. The FLEX? or METABO? burnishers are much more suited to the task. They're very versatile, with many attachments available, including pipe & tube polishing. FLEX is a spin-off of METABO, the quality is extremely high & they cost quite a bit less than METABO.

bw

[DXF]

This dross is too hard to take off with a thumbnail. I can take pliers and pinch it, a lot of it comes off, but this is a slow process. I went down and bought a variety of flapper discs to try this out. The discs take the dross off, but it's more of a sanding process, than something that hits the dross and knocks it off. Anyone ever use an air chisel or something similar?

I envision something like one of those swirling things in a car wash on a smaller scale hitting the dross and knocking it off.

On cold rolled steel and I use an air chisel. The slag flies off! Hot rolled steel leaves a harder slag and is also harder to remove.

Dave Hanks

[steelfx]

If you want, just watch this video from the beginning to 1:45...(i let the camera run too long & back then, didn't know how to edit my videos)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrioeGv8Aio

The sign was (if I remember correctly) about 44" wide, HR steel with an average amount of dross, especially heavy dross around the lettering, as the torch slowed down for all the radii.
thanks!

Bill

[gary42095]

I have posted in other threads before Lehigh Valley abrasives.com excellent prices on everything grinding wheels, flap wheels, scotch brite disks, carbide burs,and they also sell strong hand tools clamps at very reasonable prices.I won't get any abrasives anywhere else at this point the price is there just can't be beat from what I have found so farthey even have a flap discsthat go on air die grinder I don't you some too often but they do come in handy

[Garysbiz]

Also try sparkyabrasives.com they have some good stuff, picked up some roloc adapters to thread directly on my angle grinders.

[VSAW]

Buying cheap discs of any kind is not the answer. I have used all brands from cheap to expensive. The very best flap discs I have ever used is the ones made by Klingspor. They are made in Germany and last twice as long as the next best I ever used and those were the 3M ones.

3M has a new line of fiber discs like the ones in the pic above. They are called Cubitron II. Now understand I was using these on AR500 plate (armor/abraison resistant steel plate) that was cut on a plasma table. The cubitron will grind faster than a hard disc. Hard to believe but its true.

If you are shopping around for something to buy and keep in stock you should get a sample of each and try them.

[airdy]

Howdy
- I use a Needle scaler. Tool used by stick welders to clean up slag. Watch the Air pressure as it'll roll the edges over and give you more burrs.
- Has anybody found a 4-1/2" Electric angle grinder that turns at polisher speeds. The 5" polisher is just tooo clumsy with a cup brush.