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Brush finishing miter joints after welding

June 17, 2011

Hi,

I am a hobbyist with an interest of offering something to the market in the future.

I am currently in the process of making some outdoor table frames out of stainless steel square tubing. I have mitered the corners and welded the frame up, and ground the welds down flush and invisible with the surface.

Using a hand held belt sander and 120 grit belts, followed by hand rubbing with a scotch-brite pad, I have been able to blend the weld areas in with the no.4 finish on the tubing.

However I am struggling with finishing the top of the frame, where the mitered corners were. I have no idea how to get the directional scratch lines to intersect at the 45 degree corners so the surface finish resembles a mitered joint.

Is it something as simple as clamping a very thin piece of metal at 45 degrees over the corners and running the belt sander over it?

To set the scratch lines on the legs and sides of the frame, I simply clamped a straight edge and ran the belt sander along it.

I would appreciate any help that can be offered.

Thank you

Dan Watters
Hobbyist - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

You can purchase thin metal foil with an adhesive back. Lay it out to mask first one side, then the other. Good luck!

Justin Kumpf
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
June 28, 2011