Homemade Soda Blaster

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Bad Sport

Bad Sport

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I recently purchased a used intake and aftercleaning it it didn't have the luster it should so I made a homemade sodablaster to clean it up. I think it did a decent job in restoring the luster, it was quick and easy.

I used plain old baking soda.
 

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Here is where I got the idea.

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

Here is a video of it being used.

http://www.garagenight.tv/diy-soda-blasting-build-your-own-rig-cheap/

I need to refine mine a little, I think I used to big of a hose so I will be downsizing to a smaller diameter hose. I used 1/2" and it works but has a hard time sucking the soda up through. I am going to use a piece of 3/8" and that should improve things dramatically.

I also used a pointy spout that you can put on a oil jug or differential lube jug, and cut the threaded part off and taped it to the end of the hose to concentrate the soda to a smaller area.

All in all it worked well. With some tweaking I think it will work a little better. There was even a small spot of paint on the intake and it took it off, I was surprised.


I would also highly recommend that you wear a particle mask as it is very dusty, eye protection as well.
 
That's fricken' killer! The only thing I've ever heard you need to watch when soda blasting is make sure you have a dry air supply (no moisture in the tank or lines) so humid days are probably no good.
 
I suppose moisture could potentially clot the soda up. I didn't run one and had no problems.
 
Thanks a bunch, this is something I need to do also. How much BS did you go through todo your manifold?
 
Minercar said:
Thanks a bunch, this is something I need to do also. How much BS did you go through to do your manifold?
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You mean to clean it? Not much, I cleaned it as best I could and then soda blasted it. For what the tool is, it didn't do a bad job.
 
Nice job Bruce! Thanks for sharing, I will be riggin' one up shortly!! I wonder how the visibility would be if used in a cabinet??
 
I would imagine you'd need more than the standard little box of Arm and Hammer that you put in your fridge... where do you buy huge quantities of baking soda? Also - is it safe to just let it run into the street drains? What do you do with all the baking soda that goes everywhere?
 
4spdragtop said:
Nice job Bruce! Thanks for sharing, I will be riggin' one up shortly!! I wonder how the visibility would be if used in a cabinet??
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I just used it in the driveway. You do want a mask and glasses though. It gets dusty.
 
Cal_gecko said:
I would imagine you'd need more than the standard little box of Arm and Hammer that you put in your fridge...

I used maybe two of the small boxes that you are referring to.

Where do you buy huge quantities of baking soda?

You could probably get a tub of it at a good grocery store or a Sam's Club.


Also - is it safe to just let it run into the street drains? What do you do with all the baking soda that goes everywhere?

Baking soda is non hazardous to your health. After all it is used in some baking recipes and you eat it. As far as the mess just hose it down and you're done. It dissolves right away.
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..
 
Hmmm.. interesting.. I actually have a media blaster that I bought from Harbor Freight.. it uses glass bead media.. I wonder if it would work if I put Baking Soda in it instead..

http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-abrasive-blaster-kit-37025.html

it's messy as heck with the media - not to mention, dangerous as hell. even with goggles and a face mask on, I managed to get a particle of the broken glass media in my eye, .. it lodged in there 8 yrs ago, and has still never come out. Doctors can't see it because it's so small, and of course when glass gets wet, it becomes invisible... so I have been living with this feeling of having something in my eye for the last 8 yrs. I haven't used it since... baking soda might be better :)
 
Cal_gecko said:
Hmmm.. interesting.. I actually have a media blaster that I bought from Harbor Freight.. it uses glass bead media.. I wonder if it would work if I put Baking Soda in it instead..
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Just remember baking soda is not going to be very aggressive. You won't be able to use it for heavy clean up. It does work pretty good for what I did though.

This could also be used for any clean up of parts that require a gentle touch, aluminum, plastic trim etc.
 
I'm gonna try it on the next carb I rebuild. It should do nicely cleaning the body of the carb.
 
I would not think it would work Cliff. It is a very mild way of cleaning something that you don't want to damage like aluminum or plastic interior pieces etc. It won't remove anything like rust or paint.

I am going to experiment with it some more to see what it will do on plastic. I already know how it works on the aluminum. It may work on chrome trim I don't know.
 
Good job. Sometimes a home made tool is what's needed to get the job done.
 
I have a harbor freight soda blaster. They work outstanding on grease and carbon build up parts. It really blows that **** off without damaging the part finish like other media does. Works good on paint to. The only real downside I have found so far is it doesn't work well on rust.

Manifold turned out great!
 
Badsport said:
Just remember baking soda is not going to be very aggressive. You won't be able to use it for heavy clean up. It does work pretty good for what I did though.

This could also be used for any clean up of parts that require a gentle touch, aluminum, plastic trim etc.
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Your right it is not suppose to damage glass or chrome trim. and is a very gentle cleaner to the part, but I have found soda to work wonders on cleaning some nasty dirty oily parts and striping paint. For example pistons, timing chain covers, rocker arms and shafts.
 
zhandfull said:
Your right it is not suppose to damage glass or chrome trim. and is a very gentle cleaner to the part, but I have found soda to work wonders on cleaning some nasty dirty oily parts and striping paint. For example pistons, timing chain covers, rocker arms and shafts.
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Interesting. I don't think it would work with the method I used though, not enough force behind it.

I may have to look into a regular soda blaster. I never thought it would clean as well as it did.

I guess that answers Cal Gecko's question.
 
You can get Baking soda at the farm/feed store they give it to their cattle to ease the gas in their stomach and they can eat more. I if I remember a 40kg bag is around $15 that's what I used. I built a soda blaster that would hold a bag of soda and did my whole car.It will only remove the painted areas it won't touch rust.When I did my inner fenders where they were spot welded on near the firewall looked like it would have at the factory before paint! The blue metal from the welding was still there but all the paint was gone pretty cool!
 
BIG DOG said:
You can get Baking soda at the farm/feed store they give it to their cattle to ease the gas in their stomach and they can eat more. I if I remember a 40kg bag is around $15 that's what I used. I built a soda blaster that would hold a bag of soda and did my whole car.It will only remove the painted areas it won't touch rust.When I did my inner fenders where they were spot welded on near the firewall looked like it would have at the factory before paint! The blue metal from the welding was still there but all the paint was gone pretty cool!
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Do you still have the plans for the blaster you built?
 
4spdragtop said:
Nice job Bruce! Thanks for sharing, I will be riggin' one up shortly!! I wonder how the visibility would be if used in a cabinet??
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Hey Steve, I think your wife might not appreciate you using it in the Kitchen cabinet... :glasses7:
 
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