Deburring Advice

Date 02-28-2011 14:30 Edited 02-28-2011 14:40

I am building a custom exhaust system. This is my first, and I'm doing it slowly to make sure I get it right.

I have a stainless steel system, and I have TIG welded a lot of the parts together.

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_dWwXockqCZk/TWq-PyNMF_I/AAAAAAAACQ4/0-NkwoDMmQU/s576/P1010327.JPG

http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_dWwXockqCZk/TWq-Uq4KM0I/AAAAAAAACRA/YlQaY3IXZpc/s576/P1010328.JPG

The first mistake I made was not having argon gas on the back side of the pipes when I was TIG welding. That left me with nasty burrs on the inside.

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_dWwXockqCZk/TWq-UL7dTRI/AAAAAAAACQ8/0ohCytpMTEw/s576/P1010329.JPG

http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_dWwXockqCZk/TWq-aZFCVbI/AAAAAAAACRE/TBEzKjFZhp8/s576/P1010330.JPG

How could I get rid of these? They'll never be seen on the inside of the pipe, but the last thing I want to do is detract from my performance exhaust because of burrs filling up my flow area.

I worked for about 30-minutes with a rat-tail file, but I could not tell that I made any progress. And, from my experience, a Dremel tool is just too small for real jobs like this.

I don't mind outsourcing this job, if I knew what type of company would have an expensive tool that they'd charge little to do the work for.

I'm looking for ideas, like 'How could I do it easily?' or 'What type of place would I take this to get it cleaned up?'

Thanks,
Joe

By jpill

Date 02-28-2011 15:23

Well you have already found what your main problems was, lack of back burging with argon while welding. As far as deburring now I'm not sure there is a way to get down into it short of a small rock on a long nose die grinder. There are companies that can chemically remove heat scale internally on welded stainless systems by pickling, but yours is a little more than scale. If you had any burrs from saw cuts before welding those should have been removed as they just compound the problem after the fact. Easiest and quickest way I have found to deburr pipe and tubing before welding is with one of these.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=380-0485&PMPXNO=942280&PARTPG=INLMK3

There are about four or five versions out there the vargus is the most common and easiest to find at machine tool supply houses.

By jp2welder (**)

Date 02-28-2011 16:25

@jpill: Is this a hand tool that takes different attachments?

By jpill

Date 02-28-2011 16:39

Yep, the little dogleg cutter on the end is changable, its main use is on machined parts, but for deburring saw cuts, or the razor burrs left from a chopsaw on pipe or tubing it is the quickest thing for internal burr removal short of a small sanding drum on a die grinder.

By dnelson2031 (*)

Date 02-28-2011 15:24

Joe,

This looks like a good job for a carbide burr or "rotary file." A carbide burr on a 1/4" shank can be turned at high speed with a small die grinder. If you have compressed air, you can get going pretty cheap. Check out this online seller that promises a free die grinder with your first online purchase!

http://www.burrs4less.com/

They even claim to be American made... (see screenshot)

By jp2welder (**)

Date 02-28-2011 16:44

@dnelson2031: Have you used these guys before? Their 'free die grinder with $50 internet order' doesn't show up in my cart when I added their Carbide Burrs kit. If I call, well then it isn't an internet order anymore. :(

Would the titanium coating be worth the extra 30%?

By dnelson2031 (*)

Date 02-28-2011 19:55

No, I have never used this company. But I have used low-end die grinders. They won't last as long as good ones, but they will work (don't forget to lube).

Grinding the rough sugaring from inside your manifold will be hard on the carbide burr. I think it would also be hard on the coated ones. I'd just go with the cheapie.

You can buy inexpensive air die grinders from all sorts of suppliers (Harbor Freight, etc.) However, the cheap ones are not likely to be American made. That's the thing about this particular site that surprized me the most--they claim to have American products.

By RonG

Date 02-28-2011 17:08 Edited 02-28-2011 17:12

Dotco makes a long neck pencil grinder that will do the job. Expensive (depending on the model $300-$600) but its a Dotco and I do not think you'll find anything better. The Dotco and a long Carbide Burr will do the job real nice and easy.

I just seen your in Longview Tx. A good source for Burrs with long shanks is Industrial Diamond here in Houston or you could give me a call, I have plenty.

By jp2welder (**)

Date 02-28-2011 17:21

I don't suppose anyone rents something like that, do they? I've never had a need for one of these, and after this job I don't expect to ever need one again. It'd just get lost in my piles of tools and never used again.

Noobie/Dumbass questions:

* Would these deburring bits work in something like a 3/8-inch drill?

* Why are there so many people using these specialized tools?

* Why are these mostly air tools?

* Would I be able to take these 3 pipes to a machine shop and have them remove the burrs for less than buying the tools?

By 52757

Date 02-28-2011 17:32

Anything like a tractor supply or a lowes, home depot etc will have the tool and carbides for reasonable price.

By RonG

Date 02-28-2011 17:51 Edited 02-28-2011 18:13

Couldn't say about getting some to do it for less. 3/8 drill would work very slowly (painfully slow) and you may not be able to see where your are working (Jacobs 3 jaw chuck to bulky) 1/4" drill may have a chance, RPM is a big issue.

Check in to a Dremel (spelling?) electric tool. they are not that expensive and turn up to the kind of RPM's you need to use the Carbide Burrs (Dotco run around 36,000 RPM). The faster it turns the better.

You may still need the long shank Burr which is not a regular off the shelf item for most vendors. The long shank allows you reach your work but needs to be of best possible quality. You bend it at those speeds and it may be like a bullet. They make solid Carbide shanks to prevent that.

By Jaxddad (**)

Date 02-28-2011 18:42

It would almost be easier to cut it apart at the weld, clean everything, and reweld with a purge in the pipe like it should be done.

By jp2welder (**)

Date 02-28-2011 18:48

I've been thinking about that option, too.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 02-28-2011 20:25

Frankly, I don't think that amount of sugar is going to affect horsepower or performance.. Those welds look better than alot of High Performance things I've seen hack/slashed. I'd be more worried about those welds failing over time with all the vibration and temp changes... The cutout/reweld advice sounds best to me.

Maybe a pnumatic finger sander to get off the real high spots? You will go through a bunch of belts but they will be cheaper then the burrs in the long run eh?

Extreme caution****** should you elect to use a long shank carbide burr. Make sure your die grinder is rotating below the maximum speed rating of the burr. Even the slightest vibration in a long shank burr setup can cause a failure that will do damage to people and equipment before the operator can react.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 03-01-2011 01:05

Carbide burrs will eat down the meat (I would stick with single cut burrs on stainless).....a little bit of parrifin wax will help them cut better and stay sharp. Brown Tool company has some very nice sets at reasonable prices. A barrel sander (on a die grinder) and a little more parrifin can get you a smooth finish in there if you really want it. I am welding up a set of stainless mile pipes on a street tracker project....Honestly you will not lose much of anything with your penetration and as few joints as you have in my opinion. If you want it absolutely right then cut out and reweld it with backing gas, your pen should be baby but smooth if you do it right. Heck on mine I am doing the old school cut and turn method....I will have at least 5 joints per pipe. BUT if you are seriously worried about flow...after you are done, have them ceramic coated on the inside only.

I would like to see the bike when your done...you picked a pretty special ride there!! One of my dream bikes is an XR750 with a little headlight and a tailight and license plate...nothing else but good rubber.