Abrasive Media for Blasting Small Parts

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

What is the most desirable "abrasive media" for blasting/cleaning small model A parts to include carburetors and distributors? I do not want to use any type of silica sand.

What do you use and what are your results and recommendations?

What air psi (to your blast cabinet) do you recommend?

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[rally 1]

I've found worn glass beads, mixed with walnut shells to leave a nice clean finish. use low pressure (25-30)
Ken

[Gary WA]

Glass bead is great for small Parts. Harbor Freight has it.

[Tom Endy]

For the past 25 years I have been using a product called Potters Ballotini Impact Beads. It comes in three grades, fine, medium, and course. I use the medium grade that is marked AD on the bag. It is white in color and is the consistency of sugar.

It does a good job of removing rust, not so good on paint unless it was applied over rust. And it is kind to machined parts.

I obtain it from a company in the Long Beach, California area:

Vista Industrial Equipment
2101 E 27th St.
Signal Hill, CA 90755
800-992-6861
562-426-2107 - office
562-618-0031 - cell

Owner\operator David Holdaway
website www.Vistaindustrial-LLC.com

Vista also carries Aluminum Oxide, which is more aggressive. I occasionally use it on severely rusted housings.

Potters has a web site:

www.pottersbeads.com.

phone: 1-800-55-beads

They no doubt have suppliers in other areas of the country.

I set the pressure on my air compressor tank at 90 pounds.

Tom Endy

[Kurt in NJ]

I didn't like the "speed" of glass beads, but i do like crushed glass, i get it from Enco, use free shipping and sometimes there is free shipping and 15-20% off---they have other kinds of abrasive too

at 45 lbs the media lasts longer, but it still cuts good

for die cast carbs and other soft metal things i use plastic media in a dedicated use cabinet

[fiddlybits]

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