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Shop Talk - Is there an alternative to wire brushes?
August 04, 2020
Is there an alternative to wire brushes?
Used in a variety of industrial and DIY applications wire brushes remove rust and paint, clean, polish and prepare metal and other surfaces for a variety of finishes. Despite offering satisfactory performance levels, the use of wire brushes places workers at considerable risk, as individual bristles tend to break off during regular use, flying off the wheel with considerable force. Beyond the potential for significant injury, the use of wire brushes also contributes to operator fatigue, as the user is required to exert a constant, even pressure to achieve the desired finish result. Wire brushes limit productivity as they contain no abrasive minerals, which typically makes it harder to achieve a suitable outcome; finishes are not easily repeatable, so it takes longer to complete the task.
Wire brushes have served the industry well, offering a relatively useful solution for many years. Today, however, new alternatives are delivering superior performance and improved worker safety.
Let’s talk shop: Removing paint from metal.
Using a wire brush is a tried-and-true way to remove paint from metal, having said that, Nathan’s top pick as an alternative to wire brushes is our Scotch-Brite™ Clean & Strip Pro Disc XT-DC. A wire brush will eventually remove paint from a workpiece, however the Scotch-Brite™ Clean & Strip Pro Disc XT-DC gets down to the bare metal almost instantly and is a better option.
Tech tips, Nathan says:
- If you have a variable speed tool, you can find the optimum rate for removing contaminant off the substrate. If the velocity is too high, the paint can heat up and smear. For best performance, adjust the speed to suit the application.
- Pressure should be light to moderate when using Clean and Strip XT Pro. Too much force will generate excess heat, causing reduced life.
- Safety is a key feature versus wire cup wheels. Scotch-Brite Clean and Strip XT Pro discs have no risk of flying wires, less vibration and are lighter weight, resulting in much lower fatigue and reduced risk of injury to the operator and surrounding workers.
3M™ Scotch-Brite™ Clean & Strip Pro Disc XT-DC.
Constructed with conformable, high-strength fibres, Scotch-Brite™ Clean & Strip Pro Disc XT-DC delivers quick and consistent performance. Sharp silicon carbide mineral and engineered open-web construction make them a durable disc that won’t damage the base metal.
Features and benefits:
- Made with silicon carbide material, perfect for cleaning
- Rust, paint, light mill scale removal
- Maintains workpiece shape, removes coatings
- Low sparking
- Resists loading
- Reinforced fibreglass plate allows quick mounting of the disc to the grinder
If you have any questions or for more information about Scotch-Brite™ Clean & Strip Pro Disc XT-DC to meet the needs of your specific application contact your 3M Abrasive System Specialist or explore our Industrial Abrasives & Finishing products.
About Nathan Bamford.
Nathan Bamford is 3M’s Application Engineer for the Abrasive Systems Division, Australia and New Zealand. He provides technical end user guidance and advice around the selection, use and maintenance of abrasive products and systems.
Nathan has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and has been with 3M for ten years across a variety of businesses, from Automotive OEM, Industrial Adhesives and Tapes, Aerospace, and Abrasive Systems.
Nathan has a fascination with how things work and possesses extensive experience, knowledge and skills in optimising processes. He is passionate about how using quality abrasive products can improve both efficiencies and safety.
