What media you Use in your Blasting Cabinet?

[BigWhip]

I have almost finished building a blasting cabinet for my shop.:cheers:

I would like to know what blasting media would be best for a home shop blasting cabinet? 90% use will be steel/iron metal. 10% aluminum metal. It seems people use every thing from play sand to plastic in these things. Or do you change the media for different items? Sometime too much information becomes confusing.

Thanks

BW

 

[rmchrgr]

Black Beauty which is pretty abrasive stuff. Made a set of 40-year-old valve covers coated in grime look brand new.

Look here.

 

[Badawg]

I use aluminum oxide on just about everything. I know that some people have concerns about it warping thin metal but I have never had a problem. Maybe its just that Ive gotten used to it, or have been lucky lol

 

[mguner]

I have used ashtray sand before. Currently using 70 grit carbide from harbor freight.

 

[64dartwagon]

I'm currently using glass bead. Cleans up nice and leaves a nice finish.

 

[rav440]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Blast Media Selection Chart[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Media[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Part #[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PSI[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Removal of Carbon, Rust, Paint [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paint Removal, no rust (sheet metal)[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paint removal, no rust (heavy metal)[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paint Prep [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Transmission/ Engine Cleaning [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Brazing/ Welding Prep [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Glass Etching/ Frosting[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cleaning Alum/Brass/ [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Diecast [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
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[alleyoopmgv]

The cabinet i have used has baking soda, and it works awesome.

 

[CudaChick1968]

I use Black Beauty slag for most everything, but also have aluminum oxide and glass bead on hand. The level of rust, grime, pitting and overall finish I want dictate which one I use, and I don't decide until I have the part in hand. (For what it's worth rmchrgr, I don't know if you buy your BB from that place you posted, but even out here in the sticks I get 100 lb. bags for $13.50.)

The thing I like best about the BB over any of the other medias is that it doesn't create a lot of dust (i.e., easier to see while you're working) and cuts a lot longer without disintegrating into powder than the others do; I'd go so far as to say it lasts ten times longer than real sand does so it's more economical in the long run. Once its useful life is over, I use it to fill up the trench left in the yard where they ran the power to my shop.

Unless you have all the proper breathing apparatus (even if it IS inside a cabinet), DO NOT USE SAND. Silicosis is a nasty disease that no one needs to have.

As an aside, I'd love to see a pic or two of your homemade blast cabinet though! (I've been looking at upgrading to a much larger cabinet but man, those things are expensive!)