source for soda or sand blasting: southwest

jeffe

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looking for economical source for soda or sand blasting my '73 rear hub. I live in Arizona, but would ship if the price is right. Anyone have any contacts? thanks.
 
Harbor Frieght has an $18 sandblast gun. Media at Menards is $10 .I did 2 front brake backing plates for a 66 Mustang with about 1/4 of the media (sand) from a Menards 20# bag.
 
I'm really cheap, I just use (sifted) beach sand in mine, lol.
 
Most farm supply stores here in NZ sell baking soda in 25Kg bags. Its not food grade and reasonably priced.
 
What do you plan to do with the hub? Polish? Paint? Powder coat? Just knock the grime off?

soda and sand will both give you a different finish (being at somewhat extremes/different ends of the abrasive scale). Important to know your end game before you start blasting metal.
 
found someone to vapor blast; will see how that goes. just want to polish when complete. thanks for the wisdom
 
Careful on VB if you want to polish afterwards. That dull finish doesn't shine like chrome always. I heard of walnut shells at harbor freight also, for a smoother finish?
 
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Dan Vitaletti of Vapor Blast Solutions 3900 Paseo Del Sol Suite A204 Sante Fe, NM 87507 505-946-7097 vaporblastsolutions@gmail
Vapor Blast Before.jpg
Dans VB work.jpg
 
I bead blast my hubs. The glass beads texture up the polished surfaces a bit more than soda but not as much as sand, but they're aggressive enough to clean very well. Here's some before and after shots of a pretty crusty front hub I did recently .....

3yjkF5s.jpg


flcdoJh.jpg


Hvlp3VO.jpg


MRZW4Ij.jpg


x267X9T.jpg


I leave the inner area between the spoke flanges as is after blasting because it's pretty rough to begin with and would take tons of work to smooth and polish. And then, after the spokes are in, you couldn't get at it to re-polish it anyway. The slight texture the glass beads put on the outer polished surfaces polishes off pretty easily. I hit it first with some very fine (gray) Roloc discs, then buff with the course black emery compound.

vGJ1IsV.jpg
 
I bead blast my hubs. The glass beads texture up the polished surfaces a bit more than soda but not as much as sand, but they're aggressive enough to clean very well. Here's some before and after shots of a pretty crusty front hub I did recently .....

3yjkF5s.jpg


flcdoJh.jpg


Hvlp3VO.jpg


MRZW4Ij.jpg


x267X9T.jpg


I leave the inner area between the spoke flanges as is after blasting because it's pretty rough to begin with and would take tons of work to smooth and polish. And then, after the spokes are in, you couldn't get at it to re-polish it anyway. The slight texture the glass beads put on the outer polished surfaces polishes off pretty easily. I hit it first with some very fine (gray) Roloc discs, then buff with the course black emery compound.

vGJ1IsV.jpg
That's pretty cool how it turns out. I've spent literally days and days rubbing and rubbing trying to clean a part. I've got a complete engine if like to clean, someone attempted spray paint on it at one time. What would be a good way to do it? Remove the paint and just clean it up a little
 
Paint stripper is probably best. You have to be very careful when bead blasting engine parts. You don't want to get any glass beads inside or blast any internal surfaces because the beads can (and do) embed themselves into the soft alloy. And they don't just wash off afterwards. They will, however, be released once the motor gets hot and that can wreak havoc inside, ruining bearings.

Even though it doesn't clean as well, soda blasting is safer because the soda just washes off with hot water.
 
How is soda Blasting done
Bought a small compressor not so big 25 l tank 160 l/min 8 bar.
Maybe to small.

As I understand it there is a special gun .. for it .

Something like that $ 25

https://www.biltema.se/en-se/tools/compressed-air/sandblasting/spot-blaster-2000028446

Does one need a tight glass box or something to do it In .Is it creating a lot of dust or so.
Messing up the garage or place where it is done.

Inside a cardboard box or so ? perhaps outside on the lawn ?? Or is that not possible
 
I'm really cheap, I just use (sifted) beach sand in mine, lol.
I used sand at one time, river sand, as it gave a good finish, but no more. Sand is silica based and no matter how well you suit up you will breath in some of that silica, the result is silicosis - no cure, and the result is death.
 
How is soda Blasting done
Bought a small compressor not so big 25 l tank 160 l/min 8 bar.
Maybe to small.

As I understand it there is a special gun .. for it .

Something like that $ 25

https://www.biltema.se/en-se/tools/compressed-air/sandblasting/spot-blaster-2000028446

Does one need a tight glass box or something to do it In .Is it creating a lot of dust or so.
Messing up the garage or place where it is done.

Inside a cardboard box or so ? perhaps outside on the lawn ?? Or is that not possible


It needs to be contained in a closed container just like any other blasting or it will make a huge mess.

I have a field in the back of our property and blast there out in the open. Big mess but it’s a sand field so it just blends in.

Blasting material (baking soda) will kill all the small vegetation it comes in contact with, that includes your grass.

If you have a big enough driveway you could do it there but there will be a good amount of clean up after.

The blaster you show is way too small to do anything with. Probably have to fill it 5 times just to do some carb bodies.

You need something like this. Holds 40lbs of media.

A2929312-AF8E-41E4-B43E-98FAC8F29A6B.jpeg
 
It needs to be contained in a closed container just like any other blasting or it will make a huge mess.

I have a field in the back of our property and blast there out in the open. Big mess but it’s a sand field so it just blends in.

Blasting material (baking soda) will kill all the small vegetation it comes in contact with, that includes your grass.

If you have a big enough driveway you could do it there but there will be a good amount of clean up after.

The blaster you show is way too small to do anything with. Probably have to fill it 5 times just to do some carb bodies.

You need something like this. Holds 40lbs of media.

View attachment 239544

Thank You Sir !
 
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