Newbie Welding Question

[Matthew J]

Sorry for the dumb question, but I've been grinding and wire wheeling this inner C-section for way too long and this dark discoloration just won't go away. The outer rocker needs to be welded to this. Is it OK to weld to this, or do I need to get more aggressive and get to shiny steel?

 

[pnora]

Sand blast or grinding wheel.

 

[Runner 68]

Get to bare steel. Never try to weld through cancer. Try some phosphoric acid to help eat the rust away.

 

[eldubb440]

sometimes i just fab up a new flange, if the existing is swiss cheese

use weldable primer in either case, it's very corrosion resistant

 

[HEMIB]

straight Phosphoric on a rag use a prop to hold it slow but you will end up with clean metal

 

[66 Cornpicker]

Even if you sandblast, I ALWAYS clean & grind with 120-240 disc till clean bare metal especially if Tig Welding. I use OSPHO for cleaning, made by Skybright here in Cleveland Oh.

 

[Matthew J]

Appreciate all the replies. I will probably give acid a try. It's a beefy hunk of steel, but I would still hate to grind off enough to remove the deeper pitting.

 

[Crowbar]

That’s why you blast it When grinding you take away metal that you need RC

 

[WileE]

Would you nail into rotted wood ?

 

[khryslerkid]

When welding metal that was treated by acid the fumes/smoke will be harmful.

 

[Runner 68]

When welding metal that was treated by acid the fumes/smoke will be harmful.

Then get a helmet. Life is hard.
50 plus years doing this ****, hasn't killed me yet.

 

[eldubb440]

Then get a helmet. Life is hard.
50 plus years doing this ****, hasn't killed me yet.

knock on wood my friend..... I do it every day

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Get some Ospho, great stuff you will use it alot, very user friendly. Wash the rust off with it, then wash the Ospho off with water.

 

[ckessel]

If you want to be safe from potential fume inhalation, you can have a small fan near you to pull the air/smoke/fumes away from you. Especially if you've cleaned the to be welded area with brake cleaner or equivalent. Heat, UV etc turns the chemicals into Phosgene gas. AKA, nerve agent. Bad news.

 

[Runner 68]

Fans are a simple and good thing. Most people don't think about it.