Your Best Sandblasting Tips and Advice

Anonymous Poster · Feb 18, 2003

Since you've never done the process, here are a few things;
1, sandblasting inside a building ain't a good idea, unless you have proper exhaust.
2, snadbladting is the WORST way to clean a machine, and causes the most damage possible when done by inexperienced operators.
3, even experienced operators do damage sandblasting, and leave sand behind in places it never should have gotten to
4, sandblasting requires 2 people, 1 to operate the nozzle and 1 to feed the machine and act as a safety person
5, reuse of sand is STUPID! A grain of sand expends 90% of its cutting value the first time it hits, and falls with all its cutting edges rounded off. Compressed air is the most expensive energy source.
6, silica sand is very dangerous to your lungs, even with a suplied air helmet.
7, Black Beauty yields 5 times the cutting silica sand does.
www.reade.com
8, there is no economy in a worn out tip
7,

Hoeman00 · Feb 18, 2003

U have to watch warping sheet metal panels.
The other major problem is <font color="red"> silica dust = cancer </font> so like
everyone else said plenty of protection.

CTyler · Feb 18, 2003

Yes you should wear a respirator when using it. I have reused the sand and it worked fine. Maybe its different blasting bridges or something with an industrial sand blaster. For a small job like his mower deck you don't need two people. Bridges, buildings etc.. I can understand.

As I stated there are various blasting media you can use. To avoid damaging metal, body work for example, you can get a plastic media that does not pit the metal.

dourobob · Feb 18, 2003

Hi Franz
Mendicant - hmmmmm - how do you rationalize that with owning so many tractors (HaHa)

Can you recommend a safer way to get rust and paint off an old tractor?

Sounds like there will be some further discussion on the re-use of sand and some varying opinions.

The Black Beauty link was interesting but I don't know if it is available in Canada - more research for me.

Thanks
Bob

theboman · Feb 18, 2003

Safety Tips FIRST.

Then a drop cloth such as canvas to catch the sand. It is reuseable for additional sandblasting.

CTyler · Feb 18, 2003

Here is a rundown on the media types.

http://www.sandblast-equipment.com/blast_media.html

Anonymous Poster · Feb 18, 2003

Owning equipment and keeping it maintained is exactly how I got to the status.
HP water will blow off rust and crud far better than sand blasting. It is also better on the equipment.
Rust removal - go electrolytic, or convert the rust to Iron Phosphate with Phosphoric acid.
Contrary to popular opinion, sandblasting does NOT remove all rust, rust remains in the nicroporoscity of the steel, and resurfaces just like dandelines in a lawn.
For everybody who thinks sand can be reused efficiently, get out the magnifying glass and look at a new grain of sand and a used one. On top of that, consider the cost of compressed air, and breathing the crap you knocked off the first time again.
Black Beauty can survive 2 trips thru a blaster, but sand can't.

karmakanic · Feb 18, 2003

<font color="blue">One way to make a sieve is to take one of those white plastic buckets and cut the bottom out of it. Then, cut the bottom 5" or so off the bottom - makes a ring. Due to the taper shape of the bucket, you lay some screen wire over the top of the bucket and then push the ring down inside to trap the screen wire. Almost faster to do than to explain.</font>

Now that is a slick trick. Thanks,,,it's getting filed away for future use.

Dave

karmakanic · Feb 18, 2003

The last time I tried to buy sandblasting sand in this area (Dallas) they wouldn't sell it to me. Black Beauty only,,,liability reasons they said.

Dave

micromike · Feb 18, 2003

Thought I'd offer 2 more cents if that's Ok with everybody. I have a sand blast cabinet with syphon feed and a pressurized sand blaster I use outside. There is a lot of good information offered here. Here is my take. I have used sand in both blasters. In the cabinet it is very easy to see that it breaks down quickly and is essentially a very fine powder and worthless after the second time at best. You also have to be careful what kind of sand you use. Some of the "play sand" I got at Lowes had rocks in it that were too large and would not pass through the nozzle.

I've used black beauty and it is by far the best ,easily obtainable media. It lasts a long time and really cuts well.

I worked in a body shop years ago and who ever mentioned to be careful sandplasting sheet metal is right. Don't do it! It will warp the metal. Buy plastic media or use a cemical stripper for sheet metal. Sand blasting is great for other heavy metal parts and with due care you should be OK, IMHO.

After you clean the metal you must treat it with certain chemicals to inhibit rust. In theory (and in fact) the metal starts rusting immediately if there is any humidity in the air at all, even though it may take a while for it to show. Go to an Automotive paint store and tell them what you are doing. They are usually very helpful and will sell you the proper chemicals. Of course read and follow the directions as all of that stuff is toxic.

Have you given any thought to painting your items? If you know what you are doing, fine. If not, the guys at the automotive paint store should be able to help. If you use a good primer, yes it's more expensive but well worth it, and a good paint with hardener, you will be light years ahead of some of the old Enamel paint you could and I suspect still can buy at the local tractor supply store. You do need to take some precautions with this type of paint such as - very good ventilation and a special resperator, but generally it's doable. There, I may have just changed the direction of this tread and i offered info you didn't even ask for at that...so disreguard if you want.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Mike