Best way to protect from weld spatter?

[Travelover]

I need to weld a couple of nicely machined axle spindles into an attaching hub.

What would you guys do to protect the machined surface from weld spatter? I'll be welding close to the surface that the seal rides on, so I really need to protect this area.

Stick welding with a tombstone.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[PILOON]

I once welded a hydraulic cylinder end and protected the shaft using duct tape.
Smelled a bit but no splatters stuck.
You could also wrap with a wet rag.

 

[weldingisfun]

Cover it with a piece of pipe.

 

[yomax4]

I just did the same thing. I just used a damp rag so i could pull it off right away after the weld. Be sure to do several tack welds so the stub stays plumb.

 

[Travelover]

Didn't think of wet rags, but that is logical and cheap. :thumbsup:

I'll also look around for some old pipe that large.

 

[ericher69]

I've had pretty good success with heavy foil wrap

A few layers and your off

 

[Artisan]

I've had pretty good success with heavy foil wrap

A few layers and your off

I like this idea...a lot.

 

[tglass]

Welder lit his torch without the oxy (lot of black smoke) and ran it over the hyd. rod cyl.. I asked what that was all about and he told me the splatter will not stick to the rod. It didn't.Learned something that day.

 

[Shield Arc]

Years ago I was given a lot of asbestos welding blankets, I use them to protect everything. I doubt you can buy asbestos, (new anyway) but maybe theses would work too.

6 Ft x 8 Ft Fiberglass Welding Blanket

 

[rsewill]

Put your old seal on it.

 

[Travelover]

Years ago I was given a lot of asbestos welding blankets, I use them to protect everything. I doubt you can buy asbestos, (new anyway) but maybe theses would work too.

6 Ft x 8 Ft Fiberglass Welding Blanket

I actually do have a sheet of asbestos that I have squirreled away. I use it occasionally when I sweat pipes near wood. It is getting kind of crumbly, though.

 

[toolbox5]

I use an anti-spatter spray , duct tape or a welding blanket whatever i can get my hands on

 

[koritina]

Nozzle/Tip dip.

 

[ray66v]

I use the anti-splatter nozzle spray too. (Black Magic).

Since switching to flux core wire, I have found splatter is definitely a draw back to using it.

 

[weldermike]

Nozzle/Tip dip.

Nozzle gel for a mig gun works great. Smear it on with your fingers. Reasonably cheap as well.

 

[SandburRanch]

When I was a pup and just learning about stick welders an old man suggested to me that if I would turn my amps down to where they should be most of my spatter problems would go away. He was correct but on surfaces like the OP has we still need some protection sometimes.

 

[Haywire]

Welding tips and tricks says Pam spray works great as a nozzle spatter deterrent.

 

[Travelover]

OP here.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I welded it today. I put some woven asbestos cloth I have had forever on the critical surface next to the weld, held with a hose clamp, then draped a wet rag over the rest. It worked just fine.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I actually do have a sheet of asbestos that I have squirreled away. I use it occasionally when I sweat pipes near wood. It is getting kind of crumbly, though.

When I took a stick welding course, my instructor said to keep the arc short. I still have a tendency to carry a long arc and I get lots of splatter. It's not that much of a factor for what I do most of the time. I've used wet rags but there were some other good ideas( foil and duct tape) presented here.

 

[snowjoker]

Nozzle gel for a mig gun works great. Smear it on with your fingers. Reasonably cheap as well.

Yup thats what you want, or even smear some clay on it from the back 40....