Finishing method for conventional hot dip coating of a ferrous base metal strip with a molten coating metal

A finishing process for conventional continuous hot-dip, two-side coating of a ferrous base metal strip with a molten coating metal of the type wherein said ferrous base metal strip is caused to enter a bath of said molten coating metal contained in a coating pot, said ferrous base metal strip having been treated to bring it to a coating temperature sufficiently high to prevent casting of said coating metal thereon and low enough to prevent excess coating metal-base metal alloying and to render the surfaces of said strip clean and free of oxide as it passes through said molten coating metal bath, said finishing process comprising the steps of providing an enclosure in sealed relationship with said bath for said two-side coated ferrous base metal strip as it exits said bath and an exit in said enclosure for said coated strip, maintaining a non-oxidizing atmosphere within said enclosure, locating a jet finishing nozzle to either side of said coated strip within said enclosure, jet finishing said coated strip with a non-oxidizing gas and maintaining said jet finishing gas and said atmosphere within said enclosure at an oxygen level of less than about 1000 ppm, whereby to render said two-side coated strip uniform in appearance and coating thickness.