Aluminum oxide source in the San Francisco bay area

Can't help with a source, but I do question the grit you desire. That's so fine it will likely get picked up by the air cleaning system and discharged with little recycling. It could get real expensive using a blast cabinet under those conditions. Unless you have a need for abrasive that fine, I'd give serious consideration to coarser media.

Harold

Rich..are you need to to do VERY heavy deburring or heavy derusting/depainting? The Aluminum Oxide media, even in the fine grits is very aggressive. I have a quantity of all sorts, from AO to ground glass, to walnut hulls, and only bring out the AO if the material needs to have casting marks or heavy heavy rust or paint removed. It does remove metal. Even 40 grit crushed glass will put a fast very matt finish on even stainless steel.

Im sure you have investigated the types of media that you need for the task at hand?

here are some links to producers that may be of help

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. H. L. Mencken

I'm ready for all the flames I'm gonna get, but here's my $0.02 worth.

I live down the coast from you in Monterey. When I moved here 40+ years ago there were 3 sand plants that had 2 major products, Silica for PPG to make glass from and .. uh yup you guessed it, sand for sand blasting. For 20+ years I've headed to the beach for my blasting material... Grading is easy, ya find a big dune and the further up or down you go the coarser or finer the sand is.. a couple 5 gallon 'food product' buckets will last a good while.. as for a blasting cabinet , I use the back yard, when the sand costs nothing who cares.. and yes I'm moving the beach to my backyard one bucket at a time.. LOL...

And don't beleive those guys who tell you using 'unwashed' sand will cause salt corrosion.. since I de-grease anything before I paint it I guess I'm de-salting it too... in 20 years I've had no problems...

I KNOW there are several nice dunes south of 'The City'... take a drive, enjoy an afternoon and... :-)

Dave

Rich,

I have purchased Aluminum Oxide Blasting Media from the following source:

Gordon Industries

I don't remember the size of bag but even if it is 100 lbs. it will be substantially less than the shipping on your mail order:

Ron

Flames? No way! That's the only way to fly.

I live near Santa Barbara, about nine miles from the coast. Like you, when I need blast sand I make a day of it and take a 5-gallon bucket with me to the beach. Bring it home and sift out the twigs, bits of dried seaweed, grass seed, gull droppings, then store it near the water heater to keep it dry.

Also no blast cabinet. My back yard is mostly sand anyway. The stuff I bring from the beach looks better than the stuff that's already there!

-Frank