Sandblasting gun parts
- Thread starter elvis3006
- Start date
Aluminum oxide is a fine to use if you use low pressures (below 20psi). I've used silicon oxide at low pressure. It does the job fast. It's just not economical like soda or glass beads. But sometimes you use what you have already.
So after comparing prices between Alum. oxide and glass beads i decided to give glass beads a try. I had been using aluminum oxide for a few years and was satisfied with the result.
Now with glass beads i cant seem to do much stripping. I tried low pressure, high pressure, i switched to another blasting gun and 3 different tips. It's all the same, it's like i'm barelly doing anything to the surface. I have a small blasting cabinet and a 15 gallon compressor... what am i doing wrong ?? (there's no obstruction in the hose)
Now with glass beads i cant seem to do much stripping. I tried low pressure, high pressure, i switched to another blasting gun and 3 different tips. It's all the same, it's like i'm barelly doing anything to the surface. I have a small blasting cabinet and a 15 gallon compressor... what am i doing wrong ?? (there's no obstruction in the hose)
Just a comment and ? from an old guy. It seems a bit odd that when "sanding" a gunstock for refinish makes most gun owners pale.
But abrading (blasting) the metal with what ever seems to be OK, kindly one of you explain to me why this is so? When most crap on
metal such as rust etc. can be accomplished other wise as in chemically eg. washed with muriatic acid but I'm certain there are
other "solutions" available. Granted there are hazards using acids and such. --- John
But abrading (blasting) the metal with what ever seems to be OK, kindly one of you explain to me why this is so? When most crap on
metal such as rust etc. can be accomplished other wise as in chemically eg. washed with muriatic acid but I'm certain there are
other "solutions" available. Granted there are hazards using acids and such. --- John
I purchased this one a few years ago, 48" great cabinet with the light a strong dust collector. #6 glass beads give a very nice finish on stainless or for a nice satin blue job. Only takes 5 minutes to change over to 120 aluminum oxide for Cerakote. Purchased it directly from Manus Abrasive in CGY
The compressor will be determined by the nozzle size. The larger the orifice the more volume of air will be required. CFM rating is the important number when choosing a compressor. If you don't have enough air you wont be able to achieve the needed velocities for the media to do its job. Soda would not be a good idea as it is generally to soft and will not meter properly in systems not designed to create a pressure differential between the blast pot and the blast hose. In a cabinet setting where media can be reclaimed aluminum oxide is fine assuming that one is using the correct grit size (220) at the proper velocities. It provides an excellent anchor profile for applying coatings on the blasted surface and you can achieve more passes with the same media before it needs to be replaced but will cause more wear on your equipment. Glass bead will work well if anchor profile isn't as big of a consideration as it produces a peened finish vs a peeks and valleys anchor profile and can still be re-used multiple times before replacing. If using a portable blast pot then a fine mesh glass grit (50/100 or 100/200) would be ideal as unlike oxide and bead it is meant to be an economical one pass media and will provide a good anchor profile. Whatever you choose do not use silica sand. It is cheap but the free silica dust it contains is a health and environmental hazard that can lead to serious illness even when all safety precautions are taken.
I purchased this one a few years ago, 48" great cabinet with the light a strong dust collector. #6 glass beads give a very nice finish on stainless or for a nice satin blue job. Only takes 5 minutes to change over to 120 aluminum oxide for Cerakote. Purchased it directly from Manus Abrasive in CGY
That is very nice indeed ! Where do you have this beast set up ? I am thinking of having a cabinet set up in my basement but is this not such a good idea due to dust ?
Manus Abrasive is offering killer deals on the Modublast cabinets. They are also manufactured in Canada at their facility in Edmonton so all replacement parts are readily available. Cant go wrong supporting Canadian manufacturers in times like this.
