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Best Sandblasting Media

74K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  tinyTim 
#1 ·
Just got a small sandblasting cabinet. Wanted to work on some of the smaller parts myself. It came with a gun and several ceramic tips. I was wondering what other people may be using. Play Sand etc.....
Thanks
 
#4 ·
nick62877 said:
i like the stuff you can get at menards , i think it's called black diamond. you can get a 50 pound bag for around 4 bucks.
Don't you get a lot of dust kicking up when you use that in a cabinet? I tried Black Diamond and couldn't keep the air clear enough to see in my cabinet even with my air vacuum running full blast. Even worse, it would plug up the filter on my vac every 10 minutes or so.
 
#6 ·
Re: best blasting media

Just got home from vacation, so I am probably to late with this post. The best media I have ever used for removing paint and rust is a product called Alumaglass. It blasts fast, cool, and leaves a perfect finish for primer. Glass beads work good on Aluminum. I would NOT use sand on any automotive parts. Put a good water filter on your compressor to keep the clogging problem to a minimum.
 
#7 ·
A friend of mine just had his '40 Pontiac blasted, and they used a product called Star Blast. He said it is a bi-product of titanium production. I have not use it myself but it left a very nice finish. Probably too expensive for outdoor use, but may be worth it for a cabinet.

Gary
 
#9 ·
I use quikrete fine sand, it's about $6.00 a hundred pound bag, it's all I ever use in my sand blast cabinet and pressurized 100 lb sandblaster, you hear a lot about walnut shells, plastic beads etc. all this stuff is expensive and sand will do just a good a job, for a lot less money.

This frame and everything on it was sand blasted, I'm talking everything. I'm not trying to blow my own horn here, but why throw your money away.

You can also sand blast a lot of the body itself, but when it comes to that you need to use some caution, or you will wharp your panels, probably better off not sand blasting the outside or inside fenders, decklid and hood. Shouldn't be a problem sandblasting the inside and outside floors. Scrape any undercoating off first, before you sandblast it.

All of this was sandblasted.

http://webpages.charter.net/2manitowoc

Rob
 
#10 ·
Yes, sand can be used for frames, running gear, and other dense parts. But the heat build-up, possible warpage, and the moisture content, plus the coarser finish, cause more prep time on panel work. Yes, it is cheaper by a long shot, and if you are on a limited budget it will work. For me though, I will use the aluminum and glass bead mix, as it gives a perfectly smooth finish and doesn't cause rusting.
 
#12 ·
robs ss. after blasting, I blow off the surface and apply etching primer. This gives a good surface to work from. I don't have the capability to post pictures at this time, sorry. my son and I just completed his '62 bug, and now we are working on a '57 chevy.
 
#14 ·
Apparently some of you have missed the discussion about blasting in the paint and exterior section, might want to check it out lots of good info there about surface treatment and types of media. Also a really good thread on warping panels with sand and the myth about heat being the culprit. :)
 
#15 ·
oldred said:
Apparently some of you have missed the discussion about blasting in the paint and exterior section, might want to check it out lots of good info there about surface treatment and types of media. Also a really good thread on warping panels with sand and the myth about heat being the culprit. :)
oldred's a vetran of the site, he knows eveything. If he doesn't know it, ask Doc, if he doesn't know then 4jaw or 'polishing ron' has a solution.
respect your elders,
-matt, age 20
 
#16 ·
Best sandblasting media

There is a Yahoo group regarding sand blasting. It is called "PA_Sandblasting · The PA Sandblaster Design Members Page". There is some good information on this site. One of the cautions mentioned on this page is the fact that if you use silica sand as a blasting media you should wear a good resperator or filter mask to guard against developing the deadly disease silicosis. According to information posted on the site "The only OSHA approved respirator for silica sand blasting is an air supplied respirator. OSHA is very seriously considering completely banning silica sand as an abrasive for blasting operations." I have no idea how fast silicosis developes but I would suggest taking precautions.

Don
 
#17 ·
You can get enough silica in just one blasting session to do serious harm! Also the "collateral damage" from drifting silica dust should be considered as it will pose a threat to your neighbors or anyone close by, even your pets are at risk. It is hard to believe that something as common and normally harmless as sand can be such a hazard when used as a blasting media but it is true, be care with that stuff!
 
#19 ·
Silicosis is a very well known problem around mining areas and we were exposed to silica just about everyday so needless to say our safety programs dealt with it a lot. "Blacklung" as miners call it usually takes several years to develop but in some cases we had people show dangerous levels in much shorter times and when blasting with sand the concentrations of silica are so high that you can get as much exposure in an hour or so than you might get in a year at a mine. Think of it as breathing microscopic crushed glass particles :pain:
 
#21 ·
Black lung is from coal dust just like the name implies, caol miners come out of the mines covered with coal dust, but I imagine silicosis is about the same thing. Breathing silica dust can be deadly. I personally don't think any respirator will do the job. When I blast outside I use a fresh air supplied hood. As for the blast cabinet......ever notice the dust on the floor around the cabinet after a blast session, the rest of the dust is in your lungs If you don't wear protection.
 
#23 ·
oldred said:
Blacklung is from silica and coal dust along with a bit of other garbage but silica is the main culprit that causes the disease not the coal dust, coal dust only plays a secondary roll and sandblasting will result in the same disease.

www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9818
Oldred: I switched from sand to 'Black Diamond' (locally available equivalent of 'Black Beauty') because of the information you provided in another thread. This blasting media is based on coal slag and produces a lot of black dust. Before switching to my fresh air system (another strong recommendation that came from that thread; sorry, can't remember the name of the guy who warned about that), a respirator would clog in about an hour's worth of blasting. At least you can see this stuff, unlike silica which may or may not be accompanied by visible dust when using sand. (<sarcasm>Crushed glass sounds like just the sort of thing that squishy, soft lung tissue needs! </sarcasm>).

Is this black dust not as deadly as the free silica? It's the silica that does the most damage in miners? I'm beginning to think electrolysis is safer than blasting, even with the currents, gunky water and hyrdrogen produced.
 
#24 ·
I would think silica free blasting media would be safe enough but of course anything will require a good respirator. What I have noticed about Black Beauty is the lack of fine dust drifting in the air, certainly it makes dust but that fine white cloud that seems to be too light to settle out is not there so it would appear the particles are larger and heavier. When dealing with coal dust the coal itself seems not so much of a problem because it is mostly just carbon but the "rock dust", as the miners call it, that gets mixed with it contains the silica and is what is usually talked about in a safety class.
 
#25 ·
Neil Hochstedler said:
I use Black Beauty outside and Star Blast in my cabinet. Black Beauty does a great job in the cabinet, but my dust collection system couldn't quite keep up with it. Switched to Star Blast, a bit more expensive, but it lasts longer and I can see the work now. Well worth it.
Where do you get star blast, thanks, Dana
 
#26 ·
just read the thread....been busy

Silicosis is breathing dirt. The oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange sacks(alveoli) in your lungs become clogged and you suffocate to death. OSHA has already banned the use of ANY material that contains silica. I have been a Safety Inspector for many years, and to keep this short and to the point, OSHA regulations states it is neglegible for an employer to allow an employee to "forcefully blast" with or without prior knowledge of any "media" that may contain silica. Remember, all OSHA regulations were originally written based on employee deaths. As a "Safety Man " in a shipyard I have seen alot of blasting and such. IMHO...outside blasting with good ventilation and a respirator, black beauty is the best bang for the buck. In a cabinet unless you have very good seals( no dust on the floor after blasting) use crushed walnut shells or rice hull ash. Glass beads are great but if you do not use a respirator you are breathing glass! I have heard of people around rice mills using what NHRA and NASCAR use for oil dry....it is called rice hull ash(rice hulls). I use it and get a 50# bag for my cabinet for 6.00 dollars each. I even bought a whole pallet once of busted partial bags for 10.00 (right place at the right time). Give it a try if you get your hands on some...just my two cents worth, okay 50 cents worth.
 
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