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How to debur sheet metal?

snowman

Diamond
Joined
Jul 31, 2004
Location
Southeast Michigan
Pretty straight forward question. What's the best method?

My brain isn't working.

Abrasives just seems soo....time consuming. There has to be a better way.

Talking 18 ga and thinner.
 
There are tools...some of which do both sides at once & have a guard. They have two hardened or carbide discs that are dragged along the edge. Or use a file, or belt sander or a Dunabrade tool (small 1/2 wide sanding belts with air motor.)
 
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deburr.JPGGoogle it.There are more ways to do it,and more manufactures of tools to do it ,then there are letters it took to write this.Here is pic similar to one I've used.
 
Pretty straight forward question. What's the best method?

My brain isn't working.

Abrasives just seems soo....time consuming. There has to be a better way.

Talking 18 ga and thinner.

It really depends upon how much you are doing and how complex the part is. For just a few pieces and mostly straight edges the Vargus or Shaviv hand held tools work great. You can get them for one edge or two edges. If you have lots of pieces, you need to look at a machine.

I keep one of these in my box, Hand Deburring Tool Sets | MSCDirect.com , and it is very handy for onsies and twosies.
 
I like a Dynabrade belt sander.

Dynabrades are definitely the way to go for detail work. They're standard issue in my 1500 person company for every bench guy, machinist, operator, and inspector. I'm a manufacturing engineer and keep one in my desk, even.

If you've got heavy-duty deburring, just get an angle grinder like everyone else has advised. $70 will buy you a lifetime of deburring.
 
I give up. Is that a man or woman's hand?

Mans hand you tell by the thumb nail. Although he should go rub some dirt on his hands so that it would much easier to tell. Just messing jrmach, don't hate me too much.:cheers:

Side note a lose fitting braclet while working???????????? Must not like his hand and arm much.
 
Guess it's time for another angle grinder. I have one with a flap disc on it, but now that I think about it, it's really coarse. I use it for deburring and essentially knocking the edge off heavy stock. When you debur thin stock, it just makes another bur going the same direction as the wheel.

I think I just need to move to a finer abrasive.
 
Guess it's time for another angle grinder. I have one with a flap disc on it, but now that I think about it, it's really coarse. I use it for deburring and essentially knocking the edge off heavy stock. When you debur thin stock, it just makes another bur going the same direction as the wheel.

I think I just need to move to a finer abrasive.

Exactly...just use a 3M scotch brite abrasive disc in the coarse or medium grade. If you really want to use a 120 grit flap wheel ideally you should use a 4 1/2" or 5" Bosch variable speed grinder. The Milwaukee variable speed grinders are too bulky/heavy imo.. The key for doing really nice work like this is using a variable speed grinder. You'll need it to use the Walter system, and using a lower speed around 6000-7500 rpms makes all the difference in the world dressing and de-burring edges on sheet metal and lite guage stock like you mention. Take my word for it...the walter system is the best thing going for production work. Using it for at least 15 years and it's awesome for this work. I do it almost every day...just follow their recommended speeds. The Walter Quickstep system is also a really good soup to nuts finishing system that will take you to a mirror finish from hot roll finish quickly and effectively with almost no special tooling... just their 5/8-16 hook and loop mounting disc. They also make awesome spin on flap wheels...the Enduro line of wheels. Basically professional grade stuff only...nothing cheap about it.

A trial pack like this is a great start on the system...and a good way to get a handle on how to use

07Q953 - Walter - QUICK-STEP TRIAL PACK-5/8" - 662980187135
 
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I've found a file is quickest for aluminum. Hand tin-snip (get a right and a left) off those CAM tabs and table skips, then draw file at a couple different angles. Follow with a swipe of 120 grit emery. Seen a lot of ruined parts from scotch brite pads that aren't even really deburred, and absenteeism for pleurisy. Not a problem with a file.
 








 
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