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What tools and methods do you all use for removing built up rust? One of my current projects is to remove rust from I beams in an industrial setting and then coat the I beams with two coats of a rust preventative coating.
I have to bring the profile of the rusted surface down to a maximum of 5 mils. To do this i've been scraping any loose material and then grinding the beam with wire wheels to remove light rust. Heavy built up rust we have been breaking up with hammers to get to the original surface which then gets wire wheeled. This heavy rust is as much as 1/2" thick in some areas and is what is really holding up my production. Obviously heavy rust has a profile of much more than 5 mils and as such has to be completely removed.
I feel like there is a better way to go about this. This week I'm planning on trying a needle gun and if that doesn't break it up the way im hoping then ill see if an aggressive grinding disc will take it down a bit better than the hammer and wire wheel method we've been using. Anybody have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!
I have to bring the profile of the rusted surface down to a maximum of 5 mils. To do this i've been scraping any loose material and then grinding the beam with wire wheels to remove light rust. Heavy built up rust we have been breaking up with hammers to get to the original surface which then gets wire wheeled. This heavy rust is as much as 1/2" thick in some areas and is what is really holding up my production. Obviously heavy rust has a profile of much more than 5 mils and as such has to be completely removed.
I feel like there is a better way to go about this. This week I'm planning on trying a needle gun and if that doesn't break it up the way im hoping then ill see if an aggressive grinding disc will take it down a bit better than the hammer and wire wheel method we've been using. Anybody have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!