Another Poll.....Media Blasting???

I don't like the left wing media. How's that for blasting? LOL!

I like sand. Its cheap and most available. although something less aggresive works better on sheet metal especially blasting decals off. Sand used the second time works for sheet metal and its free.

I thought this was going to be a political post too. Only thing I have used here at home is silica sand. I did see a set-up once that had an old window screen attached to a Briggs crankshaft that was run by electric motor. The guy would dig sand up at the public beach and sift it through the screen. Pretty cheap way to go.

sugar sand is my choice.very fine and feeds good in my blaster.also can use lower air press.on thinner metals

See If I am thinking correctly.  From my research I can go cheap on the heavy duty parts, with regular old sand blasting.  But anything sheetmetal, I should go with a plastic media of sime kind, since I am not a blasting expert and would tear up or warp sheetmetel with sand.

Edited by Orange Blood - 27 Feb 2011 at 7:39am

when i did my M int years ago there was a local guy who charged me a couple hundred to do every part . couldn't beat that .  now i did my avery five years ago and i used a adapter on my pressure washer so i could use sand.  less to no dust. reclaimed the sand let it dry out and used it on the next project.

Most older tractor sheetmetal wont warp with sand or coal sl*g, ie black diamond. But any thin sheetmetal will warp from the heat. I use walnut shells whenever there is no rust, more $, but less chance of wrecking trans and motor with it. What ever you use make sure you tape, and double tape around shifter boots, etc. The coal sl*g is more expensive than sand but i a lot more aggressive, so you get done faster. I do like the others said put dowmn a tarp and reclaim what you can and sift it. I made a wooden frame with some 2x4 and stapled some window screen on it and it works great And if you dont have a pressure feed sandblaster, then I would take it and have it done.

Just be careful regardless of what media you use. A lot of the old paint is lead based paint so keep kids away and try not to inhale the dust. Also, silica can cause lung cancer. So be safe.

Kraig (WI) wrote: Just be careful regardless of what media you use. A lot of the old paint is lead based paint so keep kids away and try not to inhale the dust. Also, silica can cause lung cancer. So be safe.

Darn, that's all?  I thought everything caused cancer.  I mean eggs, meat, potatoes, water, soap, they all cause cancer right?  That's what michelle obama said anyway?!?!  :-)

Is anyone familiar with soda blasting? I read somewhere that it works really well without the negatives that some of the other media cause.

i went over to a soda blaster that has a business not to far from me and looked at his work and it did very nice.  he was blasting an aluminum boat and it wasn't warping i looked for bulges.  now any media will warp metal from my understanding. this fellow wanted $750 to soda blast my 85 suburban i am restoring. that included door jambs and me pulling all the stuff off. i am told it won't hurt glass either. i decided to grab my sandpaper.

i agree the heat build up is what causes issues .  so far from what i understand is that the dry ice blasters were the only one that will not make heat.  now i will be the first one to admitt i have only used sand.  i believe that the other media you speak of in the right hands will be fine.   if i knew with little experience i could use soda and not warp the big flat panels on a 80s chev i would. 

I have used Black Diamond and fine blasing sand. I prefer sand sand simply because I had less trouble with it stopping up. It is also cheaper. The main thing is having something that doesn't stop up the nozzel. Having enough air for the job and keeping good nozzels in the blaser goes a long way in preventing clogs. That  is my two cents and I have change to boot. LOL..

I use Black Beauty Fine in both my pressure blaster and my Blast Cabinet.  Pot blaster is ALC from Caqrquest, nice blaster. Cabinet is a Skat-Blast from TP tools.