Just a idea

G

GaryPogueCustomKnife

Joined
Oct 8, 2013
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188
I was just thinking today, that there has to be a better way to collect steel dust when I grind my blades. Ii then thought, what if I put a powerful magnet underneath my belt when I grind. I like to collect the dust for when I make my canister welded steel billets, which is where the steel dust comes into play. I use ceramic belts 90% of the time, so I'm not worried about AO dust from belts contaminating my steel. But back to the magnets, does anyone do this or is this a first? In my eyes, it could be a cheaper alternative to a dust collector.
Thanks,
Gary
 
I've tried it but the really fine stuff that you want to avoid breathing in, just seems to zip away. Also, the "mouse" that accumulates on the magnet can catch fire, at least it did in my experience.
 
If you do put a magnet there, put panty hose over it, so when you want to clean it off, you just take the magnet out of the panty hose and all the metal shavings fall off. If not, you will never get all of the metal off of the magnet.

-Adam
 
Ed Fowler mentioned using a magnet this way in some article a while ago.
I keep a magnet by the grinder, but it's for grinding folder blades.
I use a blower system with a spark trap to exhaust all my wood, metal, etc. dust into a steel drum outside.
If you use dust from the grinder in a can billet, you'll be including a fair amount of abrasive grit... I say that because at 15 years old and just starting out, I'd be surprised if you'd actually made a can billet yet. Hell, I haven't...
 
use a blow system and wear a mask. don't attempt put magnet inside the filter mask though. i knew a guy did that to stop fine dust breath into his lung. but the lath caught his mask, luckly he only lost a ear.
 
For ten years I have had the cheap welding magnets from HF sitting all over my bench around and under the grinder ( about eight of them, IIRC). They catch a lot of the large particles. The vac gets the fines. Occasionally the grindings on the magnet will start to burn ( like steel wool) from being ignited by the sparks as well as the pyromorphic property of iron. I just let them burn and when I get a chance I dink the magnet in the slack tub. Most of the time they stop on their own.

When cleaning things up, I use a gloved hand and just wipe off the magnets over the trash can. Some stays on them, but the bulk wipes right off. I used to put the magnets in Zip-lock bags, but found the hot sparks and burning filings just melted holes in the plastic.
 
Salem Straub said:
Ed Fowler mentioned using a magnet this way in some article a while ago.
I keep a magnet by the grinder, but it's for grinding folder blades.
I use a blower system with a spark trap to exhaust all my wood, metal, etc. dust into a steel drum outside.
If you use dust from the grinder in a can billet, you'll be including a fair amount of abrasive grit... I say that because at 15 years old and just starting out, I'd be surprised if you'd actually made a can billet yet. Hell, I haven't...
Click to expand...

Salem, the billets I have made so far were sort of a learning experience for me. When I do it, I use plenty on flux because I want the welds to at least hold together when I forge them. They aren't exactly all that pretty yet, but the more I do it the better I'll get.
 
Gary, actually no flux needed with a canister weld. If you try this be aware the grit does not melt. I have attempted using recovered swarf, every time I have I get a piece of grit right in the middle of the blade. Really sucks, so I decided to get the good powder and leave the waste for the garbage can. But go for it if you really want.
 
A C Richards said:
Gary, actually no flux needed with a canister weld. If you try this be aware the grit does not melt. I have attempted using recovered swarf, every time I have I get a piece of grit right in the middle of the blade. Really sucks, so I decided to get the good powder and leave the waste for the garbage can. But go for it if you really want.
Click to expand...


Those are just XL carbides :) like D2 extreme.
 
It always amazes me how folks will risk many hours in labor, dollars worth of gas, while trying to save a few dollars worth of material....all with a reasonably high probability of a bad product.
 
bladsmth said:
It always amazes me how folks will risk many hours in labor, dollars worth of gas, while trying to save a few dollars worth of material....all with a reasonably high probability of a bad product.
Click to expand...

Well I am a bit of a cheapskate... But when I forge, I have more than one project in the forge waiting to be hammered upon. So, not much fuel is wasted. I will eventually buy the real stuff if I get serious about doing canister welds.
 
Has anyone done a test of high carbon steel dust or grinder swarf? What happens during the spark? The way I understand it the branching that occurs during a spark test is the carbon burning off. If that is true you have a pile of dirty mild steel. At best low to medium carbon. You will need to reintroduce carbon to make it useable.
 
Save it up until you decide to do some smelting. You won't know too much about the composition of the steel.
 
Magnets do tend to collect grinding dust... whether you want them to or not ;)

As for saving it to make canister damascus... I wouldn't take a billet made of burnt swarf and grit for free, much less waste any time working on it. At best it's a waste of time.

A C Richards said:
Has anyone done a test of high carbon steel dust or grinder swarf? What happens during the spark? The way I understand it the branching that occurs during a spark test is the carbon burning off. If that is true you have a pile of dirty mild steel. At best low to medium carbon. You will need to reintroduce carbon to make it useable.
Click to expand...

I don't know for certain if that's true, but it's certainly worth considering.

bladsmth said:
It always amazes me how folks will risk many hours in labor, dollars worth of gas, while trying to save a few dollars worth of material....all with a reasonably high probability of a bad product.
Click to expand...

Yup. Some men, you just can't reach.
 
GaryPogueCustomKnife said:
Well I am a bit of a cheapskate... But when I forge, I have more than one project in the forge waiting to be hammered upon. So, not much fuel is wasted. I will eventually buy the real stuff if I get serious about doing canister welds.
Click to expand...

mow some lawns for a few hours and buy some 1084. A four foot bar of steel will make at least 6 mid size edc/hunting knives more if you forge and or do hidden tangs.
 
I understand that it will never be as good as the real stuff, I just feel like I should practice some more. I don't do canister welds with only steel dust, I use cut offs, small peices, and other bits & peices when I do canisters. I would think there may be some carbon migration, but all the dust really does is fill in the gaps. I hope to do the real thing in the future.
 
GaryPogueCustomKnife said:
I understand that it will never be as good as the real stuff, I just feel like I should practice some more. I don't do canister welds with only steel dust, I use cut offs, small peices, and other bits & peices when I do canisters. I would think there may be some carbon migration, but all the dust really does is fill in the gaps. I hope to do the real thing in the future.
Click to expand...

Got any pictures of your damascus/canister damascus? I like showing my kids work done by younger makers in an attempt to inspire them into the shop.
 
carbonsteel928 said:
Got any pictures of your damascus/canister damascus? I like showing my kids work done by younger makers in an attempt to inspire them into the shop.
Click to expand...


I don't have any at the moment, but the canister welds i have done so far are a bit more like San Mai than anything. I have a few canisters I need to make up that are a bit more like damascus, I'll take a few pictures when I finish them :)
 
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