Mass Welding & Surface Conditioning

[Gate Masters]

I'm a little out of what the forums are for, but am having trouble finding a forum for what im looking for. I am an employee at a custom aluminum gate company. I was trying to see if anyone here does mass production? Even if not ill ask my question anyway.

I am currently trying to find a cheaper effective way of cleaning up welds on aluminum before the gates go to powder coating. I have my guys currently using this 3M Disc Pad Holder with these Scotch-Brite Surface Conditioning Disc's on a right angle grinder. My problem is the pads are roughly $3 a pop and the holder $20. These guys can go through 50 pads a week easy, and a backing plate in a couple days.

[68sixspeed]

Have you tried flap discs? http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT...MT4NO=76527167

At the very least you should be able to do your rough work with these, they wear pretty well, I use them at my shop to clean up welds on steel machine bases and stainless sheet metal welded hoppers.