I recently acquired basically a factory second Stainless Steel fermenter that the seem didn’t get dressed properly. I figured I might try to make use of it in some capacity if I can polish up the seem. My question is what abrasives are best in this application?
Abrasive For Stainless Steel
- Thread starter Slim M
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Is this a cosmetic issue or something wrong with the inner seam of the fermenter? If the inside weld has a void of any sort I suggest having it re-worked and ground smooth. You can polish the surface back to a shine after.
How unfinished is this weld? will you need to grind or maybe just buff and polish? If the level is flat and smooth then multi step sandpaper to polish compounds for your desired finish level. I think we are somewhere between matte and mirror.
How unfinished is this weld? will you need to grind or maybe just buff and polish? If the level is flat and smooth then multi step sandpaper to polish compounds for your desired finish level. I think we are somewhere between matte and mirror.
More of a sloppy unfinished finishing job. I pretty much have my method of attack but I’m unsure about what abrasive to use. I think a dremel with different grit flap disc will do. Is aluminum oxide ok in an application like this? I don’t want to contaminate the metal. I know whatever disc I use will be new and never touch anything else prior.
Aluminum Oxide is very hard and common with S.S. work, ceramic is not much more expensive if you are worried. I don't think AO would cause any deposits but I am no metallurgist. Polishing it back to mirror and passivization will protect you.
A dremel might be tough (low torque), you may end up with a drill but a small disc shouldn't cause too much drag. Watch your heat and keep moving, you'll do fine.
A dremel might be tough (low torque), you may end up with a drill but a small disc shouldn't cause too much drag. Watch your heat and keep moving, you'll do fine.
apache_brew
Well-Known Member
Some pictures would help.
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...e-silicon-carbide?_pos=2&_sid=8c98fd89b&_ss=r
I find these surface prep wheels do a great job of blending down the material just prior to polishing. I think you’re fine using AO or ceramic up until that point.
After that, the buffing pad and a little dab of polishing compound should get you to mirror finish pretty quickly.
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...0868814&pr_ref_pid=10095630796&pr_seq=uniform
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...pound-1-pound-bar?_pos=7&_sid=900ad3e37&_ss=r
Once polished, clean all the residue and then passivate the surface. Citrisurf works great but there are other diy methods too.
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...e-silicon-carbide?_pos=2&_sid=8c98fd89b&_ss=r
I find these surface prep wheels do a great job of blending down the material just prior to polishing. I think you’re fine using AO or ceramic up until that point.
After that, the buffing pad and a little dab of polishing compound should get you to mirror finish pretty quickly.
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...0868814&pr_ref_pid=10095630796&pr_seq=uniform
https://benchmarkabrasives.com/prod...pound-1-pound-bar?_pos=7&_sid=900ad3e37&_ss=r
Once polished, clean all the residue and then passivate the surface. Citrisurf works great but there are other diy methods too.
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