All of the following tools are used in preparation of the butt weld of a tube except?

• A. Grinding Wheel
• B. Chipping Gun
• C. Wire Brush
• D. File

Answer: (B)

Preparing the butt weld surface on a tube means cleaning and shaping the edges so the weld can fuse cleanly. You remove oxide, rust, oil, and burrs, and you smooth the edges to a proper profile. A grinding wheel is used to strip away heavy scale and to bevel or true up the joint. A wire brush scrubs away surface contaminants and helps keep the joint clean right up to the weld area. A file is handy for deburring and finishing the edge so it’s smooth and square. The chipping gun, however, is a post-weld tool used to knock off slag from the weld after welding, not for preparing the joint before welding. So it doesn’t belong in the preparation process.