304 stainless steel finishing

Peshi

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I have Festool ets 150/3

These stainless steel frames are 100mmx100mmx6mm angle

I would like to clean them up, don't want a polished finish just a finish so looks more professional.

What Sanding discs do you recommend.
I will use flap disc on my grinder for the welds.

So discs need to be for stainless steel so it does not rust in the future.
 

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You may be better off starting out with a peice of scotchbrite and using linear strokes my hand. (White before resorting to green or red).

If that is not enough and you want it rougher you can always use a machine.

EDIT
The above only applies to the non welded areas.
 
A NEW flap disc on a right angle grinder will work well for smoothing the welded areas. Go easy because you don't want to leave deep scratches.

It's important that you use abrasive products that have never been used on ferrous based materials. If the product has been used on steel/iron, it has then been contaminated with iron oxide and when you use it on the stainless, it will imbed those oxide particles into the stainless and it will rust. If using a wire brush, make sure it is a stainless brush.

I've put a decorative Straight-line finish on stainless using a belt sander with a 180-220-240 belt depending on how deep of a scratch pattern you prefer. Travel in a straight direction only and you'll be able to go right around those corner welds, that's the reason for going easy with the flap disc.

I've also finished off a steel table with a flap disc in the pattern shown below.
 

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PreferrablyWood said:
Thanks Cheese, for posting the images excellent work on that table finish.

Thanks...the table surface appears to be dished but that's not the case, it's absolutely flat, it's just the way the scratch pattern picks up and responds to light. [smile]
 
Is there a 150mm sanding disc that will work with stainless?

Im not looking for a brushed finish just a finish that the festool sander will give.

I have 3 frames to do which are 2m x 1.3m
 
Peshi said:
Is there a 150mm sanding disc that will work with stainless?

Here's the scratch pattern on 1" stainless tubing using 120 Granat on a RO 125 in the rotary mode.
 

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Cheese said:
A NEW flap disc on a right angle grinder will work well for smoothing the welded areas. Go easy because you don't want to leave deep scratches.

It's important that you use abrasive products that have never been used on ferrous based materials. If the product has been used on steel/iron, it has then been contaminated with iron oxide and when you use it on the stainless, it will imbed those oxide particles into the stainless and it will rust. If using a wire brush, make sure it is a stainless brush.

I've put a decorative Straight-line finish on stainless using a belt sander with a 180-220-240 belt depending on how deep of a scratch pattern you prefer. Travel in a straight direction only and you'll be able to go right around those corner welds, that's the reason for going easy with the flap disc.

I've also finished off a steel table with a flap disc in the pattern shown below.

That's good info, Cheesey.  I was going to suggest using an angle grinder to reduce the welds, then a belt sander for finishing the rest.  I didn't consider the aspect of using new and unused belts, though.  Thanks. 
 
On aluminium or aluminum a coarse file also works well. In particular a vixen file, and also a shear file.

For stainless a smooth or single cut mill-bastard or second cut would be about right. Once it is all down and generally level, then the sander, or flap wheel in a grinder only has a tiny bit of work to do making the surface pretty.
 
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