Dross Clean Up!

That’s what I bought. I keep a soft drink bottle mixed and handy. I wipe down my signs right after cutting. Takes off the mill scale and the water tray yuck. Then a quick wipe with some biodegradable paint thinner and its pretty clean. Dross either by hand, brick chisel, or flap disk as needed.

Sometimes I use a scotch scuff pad before painting, but I have had pretty good luck just painting after that routine. Of course, I’m talking just spray can painting, not anything fancy.

I agree with everyone on the bristle brushes being effective, but I’ve been stuck by the flying wire so I only use occasionally.

3 Likes

That is my issue with the wire wheels. I wear a Carhartt jacket most times and there is usually a wire or two impaled in the fabric after using them. I have read that fine slivers of metal are found in the eyes of workers who use such equipment and never felt a thing. Be sure to wear good, wrap around eye protection with those wheels.

3 Likes

Only one or two is great! You must be buying the high quality ones!

:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::joy:

1 Like

I am for giggles trying to make my own vinegar to see how strong it is.

Ordered the Fireball scraper. Looking forward to seeing how it works. Thanks

4 Likes

wonder if my BIAX power scraper would work on dross…

dang…never thought of Amazon for that!!..
Just checked it out…sweet…
gonna run some numbers when I get home…

1 Like

I have pulled them out of my skin several times. It’s always when the wheel is brand new. I always wear eye protection though.

2 Likes

What the heck kind of vinegar lets you wipe mill scale off? Even full strength muriatic doesn’t wipe it off.

1 Like

I personally have a big flat Tupperware container with 5 gallons of vinegar in it straight from the grocery store. I typically leave parts in there for at least four hours and the mill scale rinses right off. Even helps loosen the dross.

4 Likes

I think he said he is using the 45% from Amazon. I have never used it full strength. I soak all my stuff in a 6-8% mix

I use grocery store cider vinegar (the first time I didn’t have any white vinegar so I’ve kept using it :man_shrugging: )

I usually let it soak overnight, sometimes a couple of days and it wipes off. I don’t think you need the Amazon 45% stuff if you’re patient.

3 Likes

Yeah I’ve used apple cider vinegar too, but the way he wrote that post made it sound like he wipes off millscale right after cutting. It needs to soak.

Indeed. I have one of those big wrapping paper plastic bins which fits most of my stuff. A few gallons of vinegar that I top up every few months.

1 Like

I let mine soak also sometimes for a week if I am not in a hurry. I use the 45% stuff so I don’t have to buy 20 gallons of the 5% stuff

2 Likes

This is what happened to my order today:

It must have busted open in transit. It was scheduled for delivery today. That might make the price go up so I immediately put in another order.

1 Like

The best way to remove dross is to forget you put the parts in vinegar and leave them there for a couple of weeks. I cut some of these parts and was dropping them into the vinegar when I heard them hit something that was already in there. I pulled them out, rinsed them off and zero dross left. This pic is of the bottom side of the parts.

7 Likes

What is the % of the vinegar you use?

I mix a gallon of 30% with 4 gallons of 5%, so 10% for the solution. It lasts me about 6 months before it stops working.

2 Likes

This forum topic made me try it and I’m a believer. Amazing results.

24 hours:

48 hours:

96 hours:

Finish turned out great. Used 45% acetic acid and probably diluted it to 20%.

2 Likes