Question about Cleaning the inside of Mild Steel piping

[LamboZ]

I am looking to clean the inside of some mild steel piping, as it has metal shavings and such in there from welding/etc.

I dont want it to rust so I didn't want to use just water.

I heard acetone works but when I searched the web I didn't get a good answer.

[johnc]

Acetone or BrakeKleen. Use a bar or rod to push a rag through the tube.

[Roostmonkey]

Acetone works great for cleaning metal but it will strip any oil from the surfaces it contacts. If your concerned about rust, a lightly oiled rag pushed thru the tube will remove any unwanted debris and leave an oil film that will retard rust. If rust is a huge concern, use the acetone to clean and tape up the tube ends/openings and pour some paint into the tube and swish it around.

[Nizm0Zed]

i have a bottle brush with a big long metal twisted wire handle, sort of like a cylinder hone (ball type), I stick it in my drill, and stuff it up the pipe, and it does a decent job of cleaning out any shavings, or loose weld scale.

found it at Kmart, for cleaning cups and stuff. about $3

 

If i wanted to prevent rust (and i wasn't painting or coating inside it) i'd just dip the brush in oil, and run it through, giving it a good coat.

 

Just a thought anyway.

[74_5.0L_Z]

When I was preparing the tubing in my cage I did as Johnc suggested. I would soak a rag or paper towels in solvent, and push / pull it through the tube until it came out clean. This worked well to remove the cutting oil and chips that accumulated during tube notching process.

 

If you are using DOM mild steel or 4130 tubing, then there is going to be a thin coating of mill scale (inside and out) that cannot be wiped off with a rag and solvent. This coating needs to be removed in all areas that are going to be welded. To do that I used 80 grit paper, and then acetone.

[Careless]

Just be careful to remove all solvents completely (i.e. - whipe with a solvent-free rag to clean up the excess) before you start welding.

 

if one end of the tube is sealed, it will become a flame thrower for about a second or two, so watch where you point it.