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Source for sand/beadblasting media?

maddawg308

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Front Royal, VA
I have had zero luck in my area (22630) finding a source for beadblasting media, or black beauty for sandblasting work. I called all the Yellow Page listed places that do sandblasting, and they only perform the service, they don't sell products. Nor will they say they get theirs. The hardware stores are a no go as well. Is there a mail order place that specializes in selling glass beads or black beauty that I can deal with?
 

comdiver

New member
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Location
Buffalo NY
Try a contractors or building supply store. I think I even saw it in Home Depo. I think shipping would kill you for less than a truck load. You could try play sand if you can't find anything else.
 

builder77

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How much do you need? Also what grit are you looking for? Shipping will be expensive for this stuff. Grainger is a good source as you can pick-up at the store, but they only do business-to-business sales. They often allow individuals to buy under a company's account if you pay upfront. If so you can probably pick up from them. If they don't have a store in your area then there is one I know of just inside of 495 off of route 5 in northern Va.
 

davesgmc

Active member
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Location
Mclouth, KS
there are several hundred pounds of glass beads on GSA auctions in Missouri right now, I'd buy, but currently have about 200 pounds of it in the garage already, will last me quite a long time
 

comdiver

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Buffalo NY
I just called two builders supply stores. One had a silica sand in 80# bags for$8 a bag. The other one had Black Beauty for $11.70/100# bag. Cash and carry. It would be hard to ship the sand for $10/100, I think. If you have a blast cabnet or a spark plug cleaner mail order might work for you.
 

SierraHotel

Member
278
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18
Location
Haymarket, Virginia
Trust me, Grainger will sell for cash. If they didn’t they would cut out about 65% of the contractors in the DC area that do not have credit good enough to get an account. If all else fails, I’ll go with you and use my account, but pay with cash. I’d do Fastenal, they’re closer. If you need help with them, I think we have an account. If we do not, I’ll get one.
 

builder77

In Memorial
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Yeah Grainger will "work with you" on making a business to sell to. I suspect that if you made a business card with crayon and colored paper they would happily take it.
 

pfarber

New member
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Be aware that any grit larger than 80 will need about a 3/16th orifiace and 20+CFM @90psi to cut metal.

Any media at 80 or higher will work through the smaller 1/8th nozzels and work well with less than 15CFM.

I bought $20 of black beauty at 50 grit and it will not go through my nozzle without clogging after 30 seconds or less.
 

rmgill

Active member
2,479
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Location
Decatur, Ga
I rather like the star blast that I use.

Have you looked at Abrasives or similar categories in the yellow pages? I just tried "Abrasives near Tucker, Ga" and got the place I bought my blasting media from as the first hit.
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
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Cincy Ohio
Pfarber, I have found that if you sift the black beauty before you use it, ytou will have MUCH less cloggs. I think its the best available/price wise.
 

CGarbee

Well-known member
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Location
Raleigh, NC
Agri-Supply and Northern Tool also sell blasting media... Agri has it in the maxi bags (2000lb bags...).
Maddawg, since your signature doesn't say exactly where you are, I can't be more precise, but I can tell you that Luck Stone (as well as Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta) also sell blasting sand although availablity at any given plants varies widely and most likely will be in the larger sizes at VMC and MM (bridge/structural steel blasters) although I know that Luck ships a lot of it around in maxibags and has it in finer sizes... Keep in mind that this would be sand, and not a slag or other "manufactured" media. I don't purchase any blasting media in VA, but I do have a good relationship with the three companies and could enquire about availabitly of materials if you needed...
 
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