Source for sand/beadblasting media?

[sermis]

What works best in the Harbor Freight blast cabinet?
Glass bead, Black Beauty???

For outside blasting on my truck I used #5 sand from Richards Equipment. $5.50 per 100#bag with a 35 bag pallet. Most industral tool supply or rental companies shopuld have some type of blast media.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

if doing open air blasting.... Avoid Sand....... you can get siliosis

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000134.htm

I Love Black Beauty........ one of the "small" in town hardware stores carry it... but then they have every short of Mil surplus trucks......

 

[DanMartin]

I have that harbor freight cabinet...great, but had to get a better gun (Craftsman one is nicer). Be sure to grab some extra plastic films for the viewing window as they go cloudy pretty quickly. Also make sure you have an air dryer mounted on the cabinet so you don't get moisture on your freshly blasted parts. After doing even some minor blasting I always end up with some water in the separator, so it does it's job well. Again, Harbor Freight has these for cheap.

I get silica blasting media from my local ACE hardware store for like $10 for a 50lbs bag. Just be sure to wear a mask (even if using a sealed cabinet) for safety sake. I always leave the garage doors open in the shop/garage when using it as well to be sure there is good ventilation. I usually give a few minutes for the dust to settle before opening the cabinet, and then use air to dust off the parts outside to limit the dust in the shop. Of course, wear the mask until the part is cleaned off fully.

You can use other media like walnut shells or some kinds of plastic blasting media, but I prefer the quick cutting abilities of silica. Never use glass beads without full respirator and eye protection, even if in a cabinet. Silica dust is bad enough, glass dust is way worse.

Just be smart and safe.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Any paticular mask you'd recommend for glass beads? Didn't get one with new cabinet, probably should after reading these posts.

 

[DanMartin]

Well, I don't have the specifics on mine (I'm at work right now), but I use a "good" one with dual removable multi-stage filter cartridges. Basically this is an area you want to spend a little money. Cheapo paper masks are useless IMO.

It's sort of like buying a motorcycle helmet. Buy a $50 helmet if you have a $50 head. Safety equipment should never be compromised for price. If you need a reason, look to your loved ones...you want to be around for them for many years. Buy the good stuff.

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

If you are doing open blasting like the side of the bead or something where you lose all the media, cleaned play sand will work as well as anything and it MUCH cheaper than Black Beauty or glass beads.

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

Also, for small parts, you can use water, some sodium carbonate (not sodium BIcarbonate, but I here it works, too) and a battery charger to convert the rust back to steel. Just put the negative lead on the part to be done, the positive lead on a piece of steel and drop them both in the solution. Turn the charger on to about 2 amps and wait. Depending on the size of the part, it will take a few hours to a few days to completely convert the rust back to steel.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Well, I don't have the specifics on mine (I'm at work right now), but I use a "good" one with dual removable multi-stage filter cartridges. Basically this is an area you want to spend a little money. Cheapo paper masks are useless IMO.

It's sort of like buying a motorcycle helmet. Buy a $50 helmet if you have a $50 head. Safety equipment should never be compromised for price. If you need a reason, look to your loved ones...you want to be around for them for many years. Buy the good stuff.

Ballpark me a price of a good respirator.

 

[Tanner]

Electrolytic rust removal link -

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/electrolytic_derusting.htm

Tanner
"Stuck in Philly airport currently..."

 

[DanMartin]

I have this one:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00918043000P

$39.99 from Sears. I think a box of like 4 filters is another $10 or so (don't remember).

Amazon has I think the same one for $29.99

http://www.amazon.com/AO-Safety-Quicklatch-Cartridge-Respirator/dp/B0000DCBDQ

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

When I was in the Navy, I used a Survivair respirator for everything but polyurethane. I bought one a few years ago and the respirator was only $15 and a box of 12 cartridges was about $25. Do a search and see if there is a supplier near you.