Sandblasting
- Thread starter Tadams
- Start date
-
adriver
Blazing Apostle
1. Silica sand (play sand) works good but is dangerous. Use with extreme caution under proper conditions.
2. Glass bead and crushed glass also contains silica but is safe though with proper protections.
(It's that chemistry thing).
3. Then there is aluminum oxide.
4. Delicate parts like carb bodies can benefit from baking soda.
5. Walnuts?
That's all I got.
2. Glass bead and crushed glass also contains silica but is safe though with proper protections.
(It's that chemistry thing).
3. Then there is aluminum oxide.
4. Delicate parts like carb bodies can benefit from baking soda.
5. Walnuts?
That's all I got.
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
I use silica sand (plain white sand from Lowes) for most things like brackets and stuff. I have a bag of glass bead I use for more delicate things like my instrument faces.
vitamindart
Well-Known Member
silica sand is a great way to make yourself sick. black beauty ( available at menards, lowes, home depot ) is a safer alternative. it is pretty corse, I have blasted several entire cars with it. did floors and suspension first. then used a mix of the old and new sand to make it a little less aggressive. never liked dealing with the toxic ooze from chemical strippers.
Frnknsteen
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I do mine in a cabinet, and still wear a dust mask.
I have some of the Black Beauty I got at Menards. Works well, but is definitely more coarse than regular sand. Seems to leave a little more texture to the parts than sand, but primer will fill them. Just may need a little extra and sand before painting.
I have some of the Black Beauty I got at Menards. Works well, but is definitely more coarse than regular sand. Seems to leave a little more texture to the parts than sand, but primer will fill them. Just may need a little extra and sand before painting.
James Camp
no mopar
if you want a fine material ,Black Beauty comes in 2 or 3 grades, most sales people at home depot and some of the big stores don't know the difference , Black beauty with red lettering is a fine grade goes thru my small 40 lb blaster ok, the Black beauty with black lettering on the bag is course, no matter how big of tip i put on my blaster ,i can't get it to flow, it clogs my blaster . i think the fine is listed at 80-100 grit and the course i think is 20-40 grit. its really coal slag and not nearly as dangerous to your lungs as sand, you can get a hood with vents in the back if you don't have a cabinet, with sand it causes cyst in your lungs, you need a respirator , i buy it at tractor supply for $7 for 50 lbs., if you strain it thru a screen ,you can reuse it 3 or 4 times.
I use the same technique, 15 gallons of aircraft stripper and I use Starblast, it cuts well but does not cut enough to show through the paint and it has minimal silica and make little dust. Glass beads take too long and are more for keeping the metal natural not painting. Oh and it lasts a LONG time.
Sand is best for heavy duty removal, especially on harder metals like steel or cast iron. If you are using sand on sheet metal, then be careful of the heat build up leading to warping. Beads are good for most other things, is more gentle. May need more time to remove more stubborn stuff. Beads are better on aluminum, and since more gentle, is good for a general "clean-up" and "polishing" of parts without removing the original finish like galvanize.
Dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I use aluminum oxide and black beauty. Black beauty doesn't work as good but it's a crap load cheaper and works in places where I can't or don't want to catch it. I'm my cabinet I use aluminum oxide!
-
