How to Wash Loose a Weld

Grinding metal to wash a weld loose will cause a lot of sparks.

Welds can be poorly performed resulting in a weak hold between metal pieces. This is highly common among amateur metal workers who are still learning the nuances of various welding techniques. A poor weld can be removed with proper tools and replaced with another weld. This is called washing. Washing welds is usually a labor-intensive task that requires power tools intended for metal fabrication. The process of washing a weld loose is relatively simple but time-consuming.

Things You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Gloves
• Tape measure
• Wire wheel
• Metal grinder

Instructions

1. Locate the weld that need to be replaced. Poor welds will have cracks or look porous. This is because of improper welding.

2. Expose the metal around the poor welds with your wire wheel. This will show you exactly what needs to be removed and replaced.

3. Grind through the welds with your grinder until all of the original weld is absent. Your weld will be loose enough for separation and placement of another weld.

References

• "Practical Blacksmithing and Metalworking", Percy W. Blandford
• Miller Welds: Guidelines for Shielded Metal Arc Welding