Cleaning the weld layers
Different welding methods produce various impurities on and around the welding layer. These contaminants are mainly silicates, slag, spatter, and blue discoloration. All impurities can and should be removed.
Why do I need to clean weld layers?
Different welding processes produce different impurities on and around the welding layer. These are mainly silicates, slag, spatter, and blue discoloration. All impurities can and should be completely removed.
Only after a complete cleaning should the next welding layer be applied. This is important because non-metallic inclusions have a reduced adhesiveness than the rest of the weld metal. This means that the next welding layer cannot adhere properly. Cracks can occur.
If the last welding layer (cover weld) is not cleaned and the component is later provided with a coating, coating defects and corrosion can occur at the inclusion points.
Which tool do I use to remove the contaminants?
The most stubborn impurities are slags and silicates. They are removed with knotted brushes that have a correspondingly aggressive cleaning action.
For splashes, flap discs with zircon corundum are suitable.
Blue discolouration is tackled with brushes with thinner, crimped wires.
Our diagram shows a more precise assignment of welding processes to contamination and tool recommendation.
Avoid application errors.
Please pay attention:
Non-ferrous metals, stainless steel and aluminium should always be processed with brushes with stainless wire!
A brush with stainless wire should never be used in between for processing steel! Otherwise there is a risk of bimetallic corrosion (contact corrosion): Steel particles can be carried onto the workpiece made of precious metal and will corrode.
Position of the weld and
corresponding tool.
Each weld layer in a weld joint must be cleaned. The position of the weld (root, filler, or cover weld) influences which tool is suitable for cleaning.
Root seams are deep and are usually more difficult to reach because the weld joint is narrowest here. We recommend wheel brushes with a very narrow working width.
Filler seams can also be processed with wheel brushes. The working width can already be larger here.
Finally, the cover seam is cleaned with a wheel brush or a cup brush for wide seams.
Products for
Cleaning the weld layers.
Crimped Concave Wire Wheel Brush with Shank
Crimped Concave Wire Wheel Brush with Shank
TufBrush Stringer Bead Brush
Trust Osborn TufBrush™ products to get the toughest jobs done quickly and efficiently. Osborn’s unique design starts with quality wire. TufWire™, our proprietary wire strands, offers increased rigidity and aggressiveness. Combined with a unique knot design, TufBrush™ products consistently remove 60% more material than standard carbon steel wire varieties. Because of the brush’s state-of-the-art design, TufBrush products last twice as long as commodity brushes, which means less replacements and less downtime.
TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush - High Speed Knot Stringer, Heavy Duty
Tackle the toughest stringer bead weld cleaning projects with Osborn’s high-speed heavy-duty knot stringer brush. Brushes feature TY™ encapsulation, which allows only the tip of the wire to be exposed for minimum wire breakage and maximum aggression. Designed with specialty hardware that allows brush to be operated safely at very high speeds on electric and air tools. Made in the USA.
Circular Crimped Wire End Brush
Osborn’s Crimped Wire End Brush is constructed of premium quality wire, flared to cover wide areas and irregular surfaces. Available in four brush diameters with steel or stainless steel wire to tackle a variety of tasks quickly and efficiently, including weld cleaning, rust and paint removal, polishing molds, tools and dies, and deburring. Includes ¼” shank for quick, convenient mounting on hand-held power tools.
TY™ Encapsulated Flared End Brush - Heavy Duty
Constructed of pre-flared and bonded TufWire™ and encased in a rigid elastomer, Osborn’s TY™ Encapsulated Flared End Brush is designed for heavy-duty applications. The small brush diameter makes it an ideal choice for confined, tough-to-reach areas. Elastomer gradually wears back, exposing a short wire trim for maximum cut.
Crimped Wire Cup Brush
Osborn Cup Brushes provide quick, efficient cleaning of large metal surfaces. Manufactured with proprietary TufWire™ to offer high productivity and long life, and designed for use on portable power tools operating at high speeds.
Crimped Wire Cup Brush with Shank
Osborn’s premium quality Crimped Wire Cup Brushes feature an attached ¼” shank for use on air tools and electric portable tools. Manufactured with proprietary TufWire™ wire strands for uniform light-duty cleaning and lengthened brush life.
High Speed Small Grinder Knot Wire Cup Brush
Designed for heavy-duty tasks, Osborn High Speed Small Grinder Knot Wire Cup Brush feature proprietary TufWire™ for aggressive, yet uniform brushing action. This versatile brush makes quick work of scale removal, deburring, and weld cleaning, and is made for use on portable 4-1/2” and 5” grinders. Made in the USA.
TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush - Narrow Face, Heavy Duty
Safely remove paint/coatings, busbar insulation and hose skiving with Osborn’s versatile narrow face, standard duty TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush. Made in the USA.
TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush - Stringer Bead
Osborn’s heavy duty TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush features a narrow face and crimped wire, ideal for standard stringer bead weld cleaning tasks. Premium quality wire firmly supported by elastomer provides uniform brush performance and lengthened life span. Made in the USA.
TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush - Wide Face, Heavy Duty
Osborn’s wide face, heavy duty TY™ Encapsulated Wheel Brush features maximum aggression for tougher applications, such as off-hand deburring and weld cleaning. Because wire is encapsulated, long wire breakage is minimized. Wide face covers larger surface areas quickly and efficiently. Made in the USA.