Sandblasting media question

ChiefDan · Jun 7, 2004

What are you guess using? I mostly just use the Play Sand that Lowes/HOme Depot sell. My only gripe is it has some bigger grains that sometimes clog my gun up. I actually asked NAPA what they sold and for a 50lb bag of the real sand blasting media they want $35, uhhhh no thanks. Hmmmm $3 and a little hassle sounds fine to me.
Anyway just asking.

Madgyver · Jun 7, 2004

I've got 7 buckets full of glass media and that's not including the one I have in the cabinet. It was included with the purchase of my blast cabinet. It's not the best media to use but it works and it's free. No sense in buying any other media until I run out.

FIGO · Jun 7, 2004

I use fine sand used by brick masons to mix mortar, or silica sand
in 60 seive size usually available from asphalt sealing companys.
They are both cheap.
Frank

bsaunder · Jun 7, 2004

for rough stuff I just use the play snd from homedepot after pouring it through a screen and sifting it to get the bigger stuff out. Be sure to wear a good mask though, silca will mess your lungs up if you get enough in them.

Merlin76 · Jun 7, 2004

I used StarBlast from Dupont. I got it for $11.50 per 50lb bag, due to my small quantity of purchase, and ended up reusing it like 3 times before it was done. This stuff is 60 - 90 grit mixture and is great! 4 bags did all of my tub and frame, and I have a bag left over for my axle housings and T-case...... Availability in your area is questionable. I live in St. Louis and there are several places to get blasting media here, so all I can tell you is to get online and do a search in your area for sandblasting or media blasting. Aluminum Oxide is supposed to be good for sheetmetal as well, and not too expensive.... Or coal slag is often used as well and available in a variety of grits, inexpensive too.

Good luck....

ChiefDan · Jun 7, 2004

Coal Slag? Wouldn't that be extremely harmful, as in getting black lung type harmful?

Merlin76 said:
I used StarBlast from Dupont. I got it for $11.50 per 50lb bag, due to my small quantity of purchase, and ended up reusing it like 3 times before it was done. This stuff is 60 - 90 grit mixture and is great! 4 bags did all of my tub and frame, and I have a bag left over for my axle housings and T-case...... Availability in your area is questionable. I live in St. Louis and there are several places to get blasting media here, so all I can tell you is to get online and do a search in your area for sandblasting or media blasting. Aluminum Oxide is supposed to be good for sheetmetal as well, and not too expensive.... Or coal slag is often used as well and available in a variety of grits, inexpensive too.

Good luck....

Merlin76 · Jun 7, 2004

Well..... I probably would use a respirator if you are blasting with any media. A lung full of any of that stuff wouldn't be a good thing..... probably kill you if you breath it long enough. I think if you wear a respirator you'll be fine. You have to remember that those miners that got Black Lung didn't have rispirators and/or ventilation and worked with it for years on end. Bottom line, use a respirator if you are worried about it.

HotWheels · Jun 7, 2004

u could just drive it down the road in el paso during a sand storm...my guy used walnut shell to blast my tub. I think Monkeybiz had a good link for cheap blasting media.

ChiefDan · Jun 7, 2004

Yeah, you're right. I don't blast enough to worry about long term exposure anyway.

Merlin76 said:
Well..... I probably would use a respirator if you are blasting with any media. A lung full of any of that stuff wouldn't be a good thing..... probably kill you if you breath it long enough. I think if you wear a respirator you'll be fine. You have to remember that those miners that got Black Lung didn't have rispirators and/or ventilation and worked with it for years on end. Bottom line, use a respirator if you are worried about it.

Past_Miner · Jun 7, 2004

ChiefDan said:
Coal Slag? Wouldn't that be extremely harmful, as in getting black lung type harmful?

Coal slag isn't coal. It's primarily the other minerals left over after firing the coal in a boiler. More like lava rock.

Any very fine material is bad for your lungs in large quantities or long term exposure. However, it has to be respirable to cause damage. Even silica is harmless if it is greater than about 2-3 microns in size. Silica only causes cancer after long term exposure to particles small enough to become permanently lodged in the alveoli of the lungs.

Having said that, sand blasting commonly creates large amounts of respirable particles. I spent many years in the mining industry (gold and silica sand, not coal). I wouldn't blast at all without a good respirator.

Just my $.02

Sandblasting media question

ChiefDan

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Madgyver

Bronco Madman

FIGO

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bsaunder

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Merlin76

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ChiefDan

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Merlin76

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HotWheels

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ChiefDan

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Past_Miner

Bronco Guru

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