# smoothing welds **URL:** https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250 **Category:** Bikes **Created:** [October 5, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250 "2009-10-05T12:48:14Z") **Posts on this page:** 20 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![beartrap](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@beartrap](https://tarck.cc/u/beartrap) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/1 "2009-10-05T12:48:14Z")
because im vain I want to smooth the welds out in my tk2 before i repaint it. I know that a few aluminum frames are finished this way, but I was wondering if anyone has done it themselves or if its just a really bad idea. ---
### Author: ![DangerCat](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DangerCat](https://tarck.cc/u/DangerCat) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/2 "2009-10-05T13:19:58Z")
I have done it with a sandblaster and didn’t have a problem. Just don’t go crazy and I think you will be alright. Granted you might want to listen to someone with more of a technical knowledge than myself. Heath, Carl, anyone? ---
### Author: ![soss-walla](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@soss-walla](https://tarck.cc/u/soss-walla) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/3 "2009-10-05T13:23:15Z")
Wheres Halbritt on this one? I think this sounds like a bad idea. The welds on your bike most likely are not designed to have a fillet, so I wouldn’t attempt it unless you have consulted a welder or a mechanical engineer. ---
### Author: ![cookietruck](https://static.tarck.cc/user_avatar/tarck.cc/cookietruck/32/93416_2.png) [@cookietruck](https://tarck.cc/u/cookietruck) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 1:45pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/4 "2009-10-05T13:45:17Z")
welds aren’t meant to be smoothed. ---
### Author: ![DangerCat](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DangerCat](https://tarck.cc/u/DangerCat) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/5 "2009-10-05T13:48:47Z")
See don’t listen to me, I am a dumb redneck who does this crap without asking someone who knows better. ---
### Author: ![prawza](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/b2d939/32.png) [@prawza](https://tarck.cc/u/prawza) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/6 "2009-10-05T13:49:44Z")
is a filler possible? ---
### Author: ![RJ1](https://static.tarck.cc/user_avatar/tarck.cc/rj1/32/24102_2.png) [@RJ1](https://tarck.cc/u/RJ1) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/7 "2009-10-05T14:40:54Z")
I would really recommend some type of filler over sanding. It will, for the most part, give the same appearance without deteriorating the integrity of the welds. ---
### Author: ![VT\_regularbike](https://static.tarck.cc/user_avatar/tarck.cc/vt_regularbike/32/153_2.png) [@VT\_regularbike](https://tarck.cc/u/VT_regularbike) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/8 "2009-10-05T14:46:38Z")
![](http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/ablative/bondo-repair.jpg) ---
### Author: ![GRHebard](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GRHebard](https://tarck.cc/u/GRHebard) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/9 "2009-10-05T15:51:38Z")
> [@VT tallbike](#): > > ![](https://cdn.tarck.cc/original/3X/1/4/14166a6b4c744e3662a60c035ba031a08fdbd44f.jpeg) horrible idea atmo first time you go over train tracks/sprint on the bike… cracks all over the welds bondo, doesnt flex. ---
### Author: ![pixieshatintruck](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/e36b37/32.png) [@pixieshatintruck](https://tarck.cc/u/pixieshatintruck) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/10 "2009-10-05T16:00:01Z")
papier mache ---
### Author: ![barba](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@barba](https://tarck.cc/u/barba) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/11 "2009-10-05T16:16:35Z")
Don’t remove material from the weld. ---
### Author: ![zombie](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/6bbea6/32.png) [@zombie](https://tarck.cc/u/zombie) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/12 "2009-10-05T16:31:27Z")
Removing material will structurally weaken the frame. Don’t do this. Adding filler will look like crap. Don’t do this. Your bike is a bunch of thin-walled tubes welded together in the most economical fashion possible, try and embrace it as the get-the-job-done tool it is. If you want something real clean looking, get someone to braze you up a steel frame with big meaty fillets that can be worked to perfection. Sand paper and bondo won’t turn a '95 Civic into a '51 Mercury. ---
### Author: ![kembear](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/77aa72/32.png) [@kembear](https://tarck.cc/u/kembear) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/13 "2009-10-05T16:48:12Z")
> [@GRHebard](#): > > [quote=VT tallbike] > > ![](https://cdn.tarck.cc/original/3X/1/4/14166a6b4c744e3662a60c035ba031a08fdbd44f.jpeg) horrible idea atmo first time you go over train tracks/sprint on the bike… cracks all over the welds bondo, doesnt flex.[/quote] I would be very surprised if it cracked. You would only need a very thin layer, and a thin layer of bondo will flex with the metal and won’t crack. Bondo does flex, a little bit anyway, enough to keep it from cracking when you go over train tracks in a car. I really don’t think it would be a problem. ---
### Author: ![quilbert420](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/q/a183cd/32.png) [@quilbert420](https://tarck.cc/u/quilbert420) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/14 "2009-10-05T17:39:59Z")
> [@cookietruck](#): > > welds aren’t meant to be smoothed. tell that to cannondale atmo ---
### Author: ![zombie](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/6bbea6/32.png) [@zombie](https://tarck.cc/u/zombie) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/15 "2009-10-05T17:40:21Z")
> [@biekridder](#): > > [quote=cookietruck]welds aren’t meant to be smoothed. tell that to cannondale atmo[/quote] Wrong-o ---
### Author: ![quilbert420](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/q/a183cd/32.png) [@quilbert420](https://tarck.cc/u/quilbert420) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/16 "2009-10-05T17:41:39Z")
oh ---
### Author: ![quilbert420](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/q/a183cd/32.png) [@quilbert420](https://tarck.cc/u/quilbert420) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/17 "2009-10-05T17:42:20Z")
what about grinding down welds when doing like body work on a car? like when you weld in new rockers and theres and extra bead therr ---
### Author: ![zombie](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/6bbea6/32.png) [@zombie](https://tarck.cc/u/zombie) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/18 "2009-10-05T17:44:02Z")
that sheet metal ain’t a load-bearing element. ---
### Author: ![quilbert420](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/q/a183cd/32.png) [@quilbert420](https://tarck.cc/u/quilbert420) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/19 "2009-10-05T17:46:48Z")
zombie do you have pics of your frames up anywhere on flickr or something? i’m curious and would like to check them out ---
### Author: ![zombie](https://static.tarck.cc/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/6bbea6/32.png) [@zombie](https://tarck.cc/u/zombie) #### Post date: [October 5, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250/20 "2009-10-05T18:04:07Z")
[quote=biekridder]zombie do you have pics of your frames up anywhere on flickr or something? i’m curious and would like to check them out[/quote] No sir, I do not yet. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t built anything I’m proud of enough to show. I put up a few pics of my first frame with a few random parts hanging on it up in Post Your Bike thread a week or two ago, if you want to see an ugly bike with no paint. I’m trying to keep these early crude frames to myself while I climb this learning curve. The frame I’m working on right now is actually going to be chopped into a bunch of tiny pieces when it’s finished so that I can inspect all my brazes. [Next page](https://tarck.cc/t/smoothing-welds/15250.md?page=2)