Blasting cabinet media

[chevynut]

What are you guys using in your blasting cabinets?

I started out using glass beads, and it worked ok. Then I tried aluminum oxide, and it cut a lot faster, but it wore out my ceramic nozzles real fast and made it dark in my cabinet since it's dark gray. So I went back to glass beads, but found I would like something that cut faster again. I have not been able to find any white Alunimum oxide, though I know it's made. I wanted to try StarBlast, but I just found out it's brown and costs a lot to ship.

[NickP]

What number are your glass beads? They make them in several diameters. The bigger the bead (smaller No.), the more aggressive the cut. I use #7

[warren57]

Chevynut, there is a railroad unloading facility at the north end of Brighton that take sand (fine / white) out of the train cars and fills the onsite silo's. Their is some waste that spills. They pile it up and let people have it free for blasting. My NAPA store told me about it. Next time I'm up your way, I'll bring you a 5 gal bucket to try. You just filter it and go.
Warren

[WagonCrazy]

Harbor Freight sells a 25 pound container of what they call 80# glass bead. Says its good for softer metals like aluminum and brass. I'm using that at the moment, and it cleans aluminum satisfactorily, but not agressively.
25# is about $26.00 plus tax and shipping (if you can't pick it up)
A 50# bag is $38.00 plus tax and shipping.

The media is white.

http://www.harborfreight.com/50-lbs-80-grit-glass-bead-blast-media-30972.html

When I start cleaning steel items, I'm gonna fill it up with silica sand and blast away. Will probably go thru nozzles much faster then.

[NickP]

50 lbs is 38 bucks!!! Look for a local supplier rather than HF. I buy a 50 lb bag of #7 glass for under 20 bucks here in the DFW metroplex. I use this nozzle in my gun and have good service from it. (http://www.tptools.com/Default.aspx)

[warren57]

Careful of Silica for blasting. Read an article on it a long time ago, something about the fumes as I recall. Better do a little research, lungs are important later in life and I wouldn't want anyone to injure themselves unnecessarily. Masonry sand is pretty fine and cheap. I actually know a couple guys that use play sand but it sure beats things up...

[Rick_L]

"Masonry sand is pretty fine and cheap. I actually know a couple guys that use play sand but it sure beats things up..."

And to be sure both of those are silica sand.

Glass beads are not though?

It reallly doesn't matter, you don't need to be breathing the stuff you blast off your car or parts either.

[chevynut]

I use the HF glass beads...they don't really clean that well, but they do work. At least they're nothing like the ceramic (alumina) powder. I just wish they made it in white instead of gray.

[stroker]

Kleenblast has a product they call briteblast that comes in four grades I believe. It is environmentally safe and does a great job. I use BB2 size and it cuts good without impacting the substructure. It costs $ 16.00 for 50 lbs.