Blasting Media - How to Choose?

[billscamaros]

There seems to be several different types of blasting media available. Primarily I'll be cleaning rust off of steel parts ... how do I know which type of media will work the best? It's for use in a blasting cabinet.

Also, how many pounds of media do you usually use in your cabinet?

Thanks.

[BonzoHansen]

For that I use the black aluminum oxide I grab at harbor frieght

[GregWeld]

Depends....

LOL

The media you use is more about the SPEED at which it cuts -- and the FINISH you want to be left with...

The amount depends on the size of your cabinet. I have a pretty good sized cabinet (TP Tools 960) and I use 25lbs in it. I store different media in 5 gal buckets... and I write the type and use on the bucket with felt pen. I'm too stupid to be able to remember....

A great place to read about media is TP TOOLS... google them. They sell lots of blast cabinets and media and accessories etc. They will discuss media and it's uses on their website.

[CRCRFT78]

I've used Aluminum Oxide (from HF) on heavy stuff. Be careful though, it can be pretty rough on certain items. Also a 50/50 mix of Glass Bead & Aluminum Oxide to calm down the cutting power of the Aluminum Oxide. Have also tried Red Garnet for some of the smaller items. Right now I've got regular playground sand from Home Depot in my cabinet and it works pretty good.

I also have a TP Tools 960 cabinet.

[BonzoHansen]

Everytime I get playground sand it's wet.

I have a pressure regulator on the side of my box for easy adjustments. I find that can help, esp doing aluminum with glass bead

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Everytime I get playground sand it's wet.

I have a pressure regulator on the side of my box for easy adjustments. I find that can help, esp doing aluminum with glass bead

Yep - me too - adjusting the pressure is very helpful with controlling the finish.

I've never tried the playground sand... and I suppose you could bring it "in" and let it dry out... but for "home use" I don't go thru enough product that it's a problem. If my media is getting "dull" - nobody is paying me to stand there and blast stuff -- so if it takes an extra 3 minutes -- big whoop...

I do strain the media when I change it out from one product to the other...

[BonzoHansen]

i only use the PG sand outside. like a subframe or something, so it does not hurt the yard or anything. I understand it to be bad to breathe as well. I wear a respirator blasting. i'm getting soft in my old age.

[billscamaros]

thanks guys.

a follow-on question for you ..... i'm good with blasting parts and brackets, but what about bolts and small, tiny pieces? do you clean them in your blasting cabinet or use some sort of a small bead blaster??

i've got a couple of coffee cans full of old rusty bolts, washers, nuts, retaining clips from over the years. i'd like to clean them up and maybe re-use them at some point.

[GregWeld]

Bill --

I have a "basket" that I use for small parts like that...

And I use a pair of slip pliers for holding other parts that are too small to hold with gloves etc.

Maybe take one of your coffee cans and punch a bunch of holes in it and use it like a "strainer" basket... and blast away - give it a shake to move the bolts and nuts - and blast some more. Experiment with pressure -- because you can blow the stuff right out of the "basket". They also sell these small parts baskets at TP Tools... just google 'em. They have lots of stuff for blasting..

[Streetwerkz]

aluminum oxide is by far the best thing going right now.
I think everyone has covered anything I would add