I will keep this quick, I have been machining some items with hot rolled 2X2 and 1X2 and yes the mill scale has been a #$%@#$ to deal with. So I have been trying to switch over to cold rolled 1018 instead BUT I can only find it in squares, not 1X2 where I am. I am kinda at a loss as what to do here. The 1018 is twice as much as the hot rolled, but the time saved in machining it will make up for that, but not being able to get 1X2 in it makes it so I can't make it all out of 1018. The only thing I can think of is to continue using the 1X2 hot rolled and go to the 2X2 1018. The 1X2 I use is 9" long and trying to split the 2X2 1018 with my bandsaw will be time consuming and machining the 2X2 down to 1X2 is a waste of material.
So this brings me here to ask all the experts what they would do! Get the 2X2 1018 and stick with 1X2 hot rolled? Or just stick with hot rolled and find a faster, easier way to remove the mill scale? As far as dealing with mill scale, I don't want to soak in acid, I have a small shop and don't want all my machines/tools rusty. I also don't grind in my shop, as said before its small and attached to my house, so I am afraid of a fire (would be a different story if it wasn't attached to my house) Does anyone have any other ways to get rid of mill scale? Or have any other material suggestions to help out? Thanks everyone for the help!
So this brings me here to ask all the experts what they would do! Get the 2X2 1018 and stick with 1X2 hot rolled? Or just stick with hot rolled and find a faster, easier way to remove the mill scale? As far as dealing with mill scale, I don't want to soak in acid, I have a small shop and don't want all my machines/tools rusty. I also don't grind in my shop, as said before its small and attached to my house, so I am afraid of a fire (would be a different story if it wasn't attached to my house) Does anyone have any other ways to get rid of mill scale? Or have any other material suggestions to help out? Thanks everyone for the help!