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  1. #1
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    Default Removing a heat-tint on stainless after cutting

    Hey guys.
    I've cut a 0.5mm mirror finish stainless steel sheet with an angle grinder. How there's a slight heat tint on the edge, and I'm looking for ways to remove it without me redoing the finishing (if that's even possible). I'm a new to metalworking, and I don't have necessary tools to do a mirror finish.
    I've heard chemicals can be used. Can anyone recommend me which ones to use? Can I avoid getting a tint when cutting altogether?
    Help is appreciated.

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    Do you mean thick?

    If so it can be easily cut 0.5 mm thick stainless with a pair of tin snips.
    Even a really solid pair of scissors would cut it.

    A metal cutting guillotine would also cut it nice and straight.

    A bit more info about the size (length and width) of what you are cutting would help.

  3. #3
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    Hi john

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    South Australia
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    Default

    To answer you question, no the only way to restore the finish will be to re polish, most likely chalk it it up to experience and start again, using a different cutting method e.g. snips. bench shear, guillotine.

  5. #5
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    Unfortunately no, once you damage the finish on stainless you need to polish the surface again. Chemical treatments will remove the burn but frost the surface. One method you could do and this is without knowing what the appearance of the stainless is for is to simply polish the damaged area, express finish with a satin to expose it rather than trying to conceal it. This is done on site welds on S/S bench work to save the need to try and blend the grain.

  6. #6
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    The colouration is oxide. To not allow it to form you either have to remove the heat from the process (for example, shears as others have suggested) or remove the oxygen.
    Angle grinders rely on abrasion to cut, and a by-product of that is heat.
    If that is the only cutting method you have, several light (fast) passes and cooling the work between might work better. You might also be able to get away with blowing air on the material to try and get the heat out. Lastly, if you can exclude the oxygen near the cut with some tape that may also help minimise any discolouration.

    Michael

  7. #7
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    It's no big drama to remove that oxide tint by repolishing the stainless sheet. Your easiest way will be to remove any burrs with a file, taking care not to physically damage the mirror finish with a careless file stroke. Next get one of the kits linked here https://www.josco.com.au/product/jos...polishing-kit/
    Use the coarse wheel with the coarse wax to remove the oxide and restore most of the polish before finishing with the cloth buff and the fine wax. If you have a die grinder it makes the job a lot quicker, if not just use a drill on high speed. Make sure the direction of rotation is always such that the wheel is rotating off the sheet rather than trying to pick up on the edge.

  8. #8
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    Default

    mirror polish isnt very difficult, but cutting SS to avoid discolouration i would suggest putting down a strip of paint tape and then cut right in the middle of that, should keep the oxygen out. maybe some engine oil might suffice, it contains sulfur which is supposed to react with oxygen to keep it out, this is how it protects steel in an engine
    i believe nitric acid is typically used for etching steel and removing oxide layer, i dont think it hurts stainless steel much but i havent done the cleaning myself, hydrofluoric acid is also used as it effectively removes metal oxides but i would not suggest or ever want to work with fluorine chemicals, worse than lead, and it evaporates at room temperature. no thanks.

    you can go online and buy some chromium oxide, ive seen on wish they sold cesium oxide for polishing, that also works. then you just attach a piece of felt onto a metal plate or similar, chuck that in a hand drill, add some abrasive powder and give it a go, this could work for removing oxide layer / polishing
    to fix the edge perfectly, you can just grind it with a piece of metal, depending on how much burrs, i would usually do this to SS plates after running it 45* then 22* (twice) with i believe 120grit angle grinder paper disc

    maybe just adjust the cutting speed

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