dinged up floodbars - how to fix?

[Stinkhorn Press]

floodbars are dinged up from years of being tossed around. all sorts of nicks and unevenness - it's pretty soft metal (aluminum I assume) - what's the best method for making true and flat again?

my first thought is a bench grinder, but those default wheels are pretty aggressive...

[kingscreen]

We typically use a high grit sandpaper and patience.

[Frog]

I'd think that a disc sander would keep them pretty straight and true.

[mk162]

The longer your sanding belt the better.  I would use a benchtop belt and disk sander.

[3Deep]

I use a piece of 1 x 1 wood and rub alone the edges if there's not deep nicks, keeps them nice and smooth without grinding away to much metal or a slip up with the grinder...I also do this to my scoop coaters edges.

[Frog]

I use a piece of 1 x 1 wood and rub alone the edges if there's not deep nicks, keeps them nice and smooth without grinding away to much metal or a slip up with the grinder...I also do this to my scoop coaters edges.

This is actually "burnishing", and yeah, great for minor nicks. I do this with my scoop coater.

[tonypep]

Sanding/grinding can often cause more damage than help. Many choose to replace

[RICK STEFANICK]

I have always used steel wool on minor nicks. same thing on scoop coaters

[domineight]

Good excuse to splash on some nice new winged ones if your dinged up ones are the old straighties.

[SEPSINK]

I use a piece of 1 x 1 wood and rub alone the edges if there's not deep nicks, keeps them nice and smooth without grinding away to much metal or a slip up with the grinder...I also do this to my scoop coaters edges.

Will have to try this!

[alan802]

Can't believe nobody uses sanding sponges.  15 seconds on a bad nick and it's good.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/3M-2-62-in-x-3-75-in-Commercial-Sanding-Sponge/50189111

[mimosatexas]

Use those for all sorts of things in our shop.  Very useful to have around.

[Inkworks]

Or use double sided tape and tape some fine grit sandpaper to a very flat surface and lap the floodbar back and forth on it. For a 16" floodbar you'll want about a 24" wide strip of sandpaper taped down. and be carefull not to rock the floodbar as you hone it, or your finished product wont be straight. then use a sanding sponge to round the edge.

[blue moon]

Or use double sided tape and tape some fine grit sandpaper to a very flat surface and lap the floodbar back and forth on it. For a 16" floodbar you'll want about a 24" wide strip of sandpaper taped down. and be carefull not to rock the floodbar as you hone it, or your finished product wont be straight. then use a sanding sponge to round the edge.

If I was doing it, this would be the method I'd use. It is least likely to produce problems. buying new might make sense if they are sufficiently dinged up. . .

pierre