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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Grease Monkey
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OP
Grease Monkey
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23 |
Just purchased a blast cabinet off craigslist and need to stock it with something so I can start cleaning parts on the 35 as they come off. I'm sure it will mainly be exterior pieces and nothing as thin as sheetmetal... yet. What should I get? I've looked around the net and found some answers, but for nuts/bolts, misc brackets, etc, should I get aluminum oxide?
thanks!
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 648
Oil Can Mechanic
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Oil Can Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 648 |
I've never done sheet metal but for other parts, black beauty is the way to go. Eaither that or crushed wallnut shells. Black beauty is crushed slag.
If your doing car body's iv'e heard that blasting soda is good. Usually advertised in the Eastwood catalogs.
In my shop, quality is a standard, NOT and option.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,290
ChatMaster - 1,000
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ChatMaster - 1,000
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,290 |
I did all my blasting on my 31 coupe with glass bead. It worked on all the steel parts and also the sheet metal. Good luck with your project.
Sal Orlando
Chat Group Region Member
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Grease Monkey
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OP
Grease Monkey
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23 |
Thank you all for the information. I had a co-worker suggest aluminum oxide AND to fashion some type of clean out trap on my cabinet so I can quickly change materials when I'm switching up projects.
I purchased some aluminum oxide, a sifter, and some blow through dessicant filters and plan on getting some black beauty, glass, and walnut shells in the coming days. I'll start out on stuff I have laying around to test everything out before commiting on the 35. Just excited to actually have a cabinet after years of a bucket sucker and play sand. Trust me, I've been thoroughly reamed about the silica in the play sand, I should have known better..
I should have clarified that I'm going to be working on the brakes / engine bay first, want to get it safe and reliable, then I'll start on the interior and outside looks.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 731
Oil Can Mechanic
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Oil Can Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 731 |
I did all my blasting on my 31 coupe with glass bead. It worked on all the steel parts and also the sheet metal. Good luck with your project. ditto
Chevrolet
Valve In Head, Ahead In Value
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,863
Tech Advisor ChatMaster - 25,000
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Tech Advisor ChatMaster - 25,000
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The Mangy Old Mutt
"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 199
Shade Tree Mechanic
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Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 199 |
I spent a lot of time with my hands in one of these when I was younger. It depends on what the metal is and what you are removing.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Grease Monkey
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OP
Grease Monkey
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23 |
Well, I'll give you an example... I haven't even gotten a jack under or turned a bolt on the 35 yet. I have some priorities to take care of first but I can't get them finished due to everyone else's stuff breaking and I can't seem to remember to say NO..  The brake pedal is rock solid, so I'm sure I'll be attacking the brakes first. Will pull the drums, blast them and whatever else I see fit, nuts, bolts, linkages between the shoes, maybe the brake pedal and associated cross bar, etc.. Then once I'm confident the brakes are 100% I'll move on to the engine, pull the valve / lifter covers and oil pan, clean those as well as the nuts/bolts/hardware. Radiator fan, water pump, etc. I do not want to over haul the engine at this point, just check it out real good to see if I can get it running w/o having to tear it down. While I have things off the car I will clean them up or replace them. I just didn't know what to start out with, figure aluminum oxide for the heavier cast pieces, and switch over to glass for the engine tins. I also am going to go through the carberutor and fuel pump, but doubt they will see the blast cabinet. I appreciate everyone's time and patience, I'm seasoned on 1985+ vehicles, so this is just a big learning curve for me.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,863
Tech Advisor ChatMaster - 25,000
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Tech Advisor ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
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Not a problem....use glass beads mixed with aluminum oxide and that way you don't have to keep changing your media. Also, once the carburtor and the fuel pump are both completely disassembled you can media blast those as well.   
The Mangy Old Mutt
"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262 Likes: 6
ChatMaster - 2,000
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ChatMaster - 2,000
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262 Likes: 6 |
Like the other guys, I use glass beads for basically everything. Takes a little longer on rusty parts, but it's safe even for softer metals like aluminum and brass and it won't heat up and warp sheet metal like some things will. Enjoy your blast cabinet!  All the Best, Chip
"It's wise to choose a SIX"
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 19,758 Likes: 63
ChatMaster - 15,000
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ChatMaster - 15,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 19,758 Likes: 63 |
I also use glass beads. My cabinet is on a regulated air supply so I can reduce the pressure when blasting soft metals and increase for steel and iron. It also gives much longer life for the beads.
How Sweet the roar of a Chevy four!
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Grease Monkey
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OP
Grease Monkey
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23 |
Alrighty then! Stopped by and swapped out the aluminum oxide for a 25lb bucket of glass beads, saved $10.78!
I have a smallish craftsman compressor that I pulled the regulator assy off of to get more cfm for my air tools. I plan on attaching the regulator to the blast cabinet and a blow through dessicant filter.
I appreciate everyone's help, hope to show some pictures of freshened up parts in the near future!
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Grease Monkey
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OP
Grease Monkey
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 23 |
Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this thread. I got my blast cabinet plumbed and running the other night, threw some hardware for a hoosier cabinet I'm working on in there and blasted them, wow!! I do have to pull the blast cabinet apart and seal some more seams, but the glass bead is definitely the way to go, can't wait to start cleaning up the '35!!
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 597
Oil Can Mechanic
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Oil Can Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 597 |
Always remember your worst day at the beach. Blast media gets EVERYWHERE!
It's not how fast you can go, but how good you look at 20 MPH.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 29
Grease Monkey
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Grease Monkey
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 29 |
I use the 80 grit glass beads mainly because I do allot of aluminum aircraft cases and cylinders but it is very slow for rusty steel I found that if I run rusty steel brackets and the type stuff through the shaker cabinet first it makes the blasting much easier
Oh and I agree the media gets everywhere...lol
One mans junk is another mans treasure
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