A little off subject here, but I think the cleaning has been pretty well covered already.
No robin, that's not what the guys are saying. But having welded my whole life, and still standing upright, I can tell you it's not gonna kill you right there on the spot. You surely don't want to breath the white powdery fumes that come off from welding it, but if you apply some common sense you can weld it just fine. Most welding methods can be used for it because the galvanizing will vaporize before the metal melts. I have gas welded it, mig welded it, stick welded it and welded it with tig. A respirator and a fan pulling the fumes away from the area are an excellent and I would agree a necessary precaution. It is always better when welding anything to begin with a clean joint, free of dirt, grease, paint or in this case metal plating. So a light sanding with a 120 grit disc is really a good idea, not absolutely necessary but a good idea if you are looking at for a good solid joint.
I’m assuming you are looking to use galvanized sheet metal for a patch panel. If it were me I would simply run up to the hardware store or farm supply and pick up some cold rolled sheet, most of them are carrying a selection now days and it will be much easier to work with.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
