Best way to deck a large piece of steel?

[Provincial]

It is too bad that this is unsafe and illegal (OHSA), but in my younger days I saw quite a bit of steel plate and hot rolled material shined up using a "hand-held Blanchard grinder." This was a 7" (or 9"!!!) angle grinder with the face of the disc held flat on the surface being shined up. It left a very smooth surface with random scratches that resembled the finish left by a real Blanchard machine. This cannot be done without removing the guard from the grinder. The trick was to use the disc to support itself over its full contact face. That kept it from digging in.

Those huge old Black & Decker grinders were a handful, and the fact that they weighed a ton is what kept them under control.

 

[Larry$]

huge old Black & Decker grinders were a handful

I've got one of those. I used it with 16 grit discs to "carve" wood. Hang on tight!

 

[Firstram]

I really like using my big grinders, the only guy in the shop who will though. I feel like I have more control and the abrasives last longer!