Auto Restoration 101

I use 3M Clean and Strip Discs to clean rusty metal, strip paint, old body filler and to clean welds. 3M offers a lot of different sizes but I mainly use 07460 which is a 4″ x 1/4″. They are really about a 1/2″ wide so I am not sure why they say it’s a 1/4″. I use a homemade mandrel made from a 1/4″ piece of “all-thread”.
You can use them on a drill or a mini die grinder if you turn the speed down. Just make sure you don’t run them past 6000 RPM because they will fly apart and not last as long. They are made out of silicon carbide and really clean the metal, prepping it for primer or body filler. Also make sure you wear safety glasses when using them. Maybe 3M should send me some for free for promoting their great product?

Photo courtesy of 3M

I purchase them in 10 packs from my local automotive paint supplier.

This is a cowl vent that was welded up on a street rod. Notice how clean the welds are after using the Clean and Strip Discs.

Same car after welding up some rust on the inner windshield post. The Clean and Strip Discs work great.