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Sandblasting question

Hello all,

I made a couple of Al straps with a wide notch (aka stops on the ends) and holes for threaded rods. They will sit above and below a basket, holding rods that restrain a small interface box. The box in question is old, discontinued, and expensive to replace.

Both for appearance, and to ensure that no conductive junk might fall into the forementioned box, I thought to have a student find a sandblaster on campus. He did, and was asked whether we care about the medium: sand, glass, etc. I suggested that he be honest: we're clueless, and to ask the machinist. Do you guys have a recommendation?

Bill

Reply to
Bill Schwab
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If your objective is to restore the box for appearances, use fine glass bead. It peens the surface and leaves a much nicer patina. Abrasives, being sharp, tend to leave a surface that is more inclined to collect dirt and show marks. Mask the box well with visqueen and masking tape if you want to keep the interior clean. You'll find that the dust and glass gets pretty much everywhere. If the box is to be painted, I'd avoid glass bead due to the minimal tooth it provides.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

My first recommendation is to ask your question more clearly. Do you intend to blast the threaded rods, the straps, the box or (recommended) the student? :-)

Blasting sand will rip right through aluminum. Glass bead is what you want.

GWE

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Harold,

I will pass that along to the student.

The box is a commercial gizmo that is already painted; it will not be anywhere near the sand blaster. It is my Al straps that I want to clean. Beyond just appearance (this system will be in plain view), I do not want any stray metal to fall from my straps into the box. It is a longshot that it would happen let alone cause a problem, but we cannot replace this box, so I do not want to take chances.

Thanks!!

Bill

Reply to
Bill Schwab

Heh! It wasn't clear to me.

I think you'll really like the glass bead treatment. When he's finished blasting, you should be able to blow off the parts for a complete cleaning. Nothing should fall from them, but it's wise to be concerned.

Harold

Reply to
Harold and Susan Vordos

Bill Schwab wrote in news:edq91q$ak64$ snipped-for-privacy@usenet.osg.ufl.edu:

This might help:

Reply to
RAM³

[snip]

Something soft, not with sharp corners. Glass balls (microballons) or crushed wallnuts / peaches.

Reduce pressure (2 bar) at your first try.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Müller

As others have posted, blasting with glass beads works well with aluminum. But it sounds like your objective is deburring. A better way to deburr is to tumble the aluminum in liquid with a suitable abrasive "medium". That'll remove all slivers and whiskers and gently round all sharp edges. This learned from a friend who started a company called "Deburring, Inc" and ran it for years until he retired. They did everything from snowmobile skids and cellphone antennas to heart valves and hip joints.

Reply to
Don Foreman

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