Drilling steel shavings

[BeeMaster2]

I was drilling through a new 1/2 steel plate that I added to my welding table to anchor my vise. I did not want the sharp steel shavings all over the place. I placed this large magnet next to where I was drilling and it caught almost every piece.
Just sharing a little trick that worked.
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Jim

[Acebird]

Now the chips are all magnetized and it becomes a game getting them off everything that they stick to.  Use successively larger drill bits with oil and the chip will come off in one piece or any length that you desire.  Easier to pick up or sweep into a bucket.
looks like that plate spent some time outside in the weather.  It would be nice to bring it outside and snag grind the surface before mounting to the desk.  Then you can use the plate as the ground for welding.

[texanbelchers]

Or, you can wrap the magnet with press -n-seal and the shavings are removed and packaged for disposal easily.

[BeeMaster2]

Now the chips are all magnetized and it becomes a game getting them off everything that they stick to.  Use successively larger drill bits with oil and the chip will come off in one piece or any length that you desire.  Easier to pick up or sweep into a bucket.
looks like that plate spent some time outside in the weather.  It would be nice to bring it outside and snag grind the surface before mounting to the desk.  Then you can use the plate as the ground for welding.

I just use my hand to slowly pull the shavings off, over the trash can, and throw them away.
You are right, my I told my buddy that I was looking for a steel plate about the size of my desk and he walks into his back yard and asks me to help him pull it out of the dirt. He gave it to me even though I tried to pay for it. It is the exact with of my table.
After I took this picture, I took a sander and then spent a lot of time with my hand grinder to clean it up.  I put a piece of steel on top of it and with the ground clamp on the plate, I was able to draw a nice bead. I did add a coating of mineral first to slow down future rusting.
Jim

[BeeMaster2]

Or, you can wrap the magnet with press -n-seal and the shavings are removed and packaged for disposal easily.

That would work also.
Jim

[Acebird]

I did add a coating of mineral first to slow down future rusting.

Good luck with that in FL. LOL  You know those chips you through away, they cut through rust pretty good if you left them on top of the welding bench.

[BeeMaster2]

I did add a coating of mineral first to slow down future rusting.

Good luck with that in FL. LOL  You know those chips you through away, they cut through rust pretty good if you left them on top of the welding bench.

What do you mean Brian? Are you saying to leave them there and they will act like a zinc plate?

Jim

[Acebird]

Half joking but they will act like a Brillow pad that cuts through the rust and conforms to a not so flat surface.  Never heard of using a zinc plate.

[BeeMaster2]

Half joking but they will act like a Brillow pad that cuts through the rust and conforms to a not so flat surface.  Never heard of using a zinc plate.

All steel ships have zinc plates bolted to the outside of the hull. It seriously inhibits the hull from rusting. The zinc corrodes instead of the steel and you have to replace them on a regular basis.
That is also the purpose of galvanized steel.
Jim

[minz]

All steel ships have zinc plates bolted to the outside of the hull. It seriously inhibits the hull from rusting. The zinc corrodes instead of the steel and you have to replace them on a regular basis.
That is also the purpose of galvanized steel.
Jim
[/quote]Sacrificial anode.

[BeeMaster2]

That is the name I was looking for, thanks.
Jim