Emoto
New member
Yes, I know. I just wanted to make a positive statement because I like the guy. It was not a counter to anything at all. 
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Vapor Blasting - has anyone tried this?
- Thread starter Visian
- Start date
Yes, I know. I just wanted to make a positive statement because I like the guy. It was not a counter to anything at all. 
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
I thought you were taking a shot my recommendations. No worries!
Nils and I have PMed a lot back a couple of months ago. I asked about the post Vapor Blasting treatment because like any media blasting, there needs to be some form of protection of the metal, be it a coating (paint) or chemical conversion. Without that, unless you park it, it'll corrode again.
I would be ultra happy if someone found a source that can treat our BMW castings so that they are protected and look like the factory BMW finish as shown in my pics that I posted in this thread.
Slightly off topic, but just for everyone's info. Here is one of many metal brackets (not for my BMW) that I chemically stripped and then had yellow zinced by a local shop. Unfortunately, the shop backed away from doing an aluminum casting that I wanted to clear anodize.
Original and 19 years old:
After I chemically stripped the bracket:
After having it yellow zinced by a local shop. Like new again:
Emoto
New member
Oh! Gotcha. No, no shot at your recommendation was intended in any way, shape, or form. Sorry it read that way.
nilsmenten
New member
You guys are all A-OK with me too 
Sincerely though, thank you Bob, very much.
I have not been down to my plater to test the clear anodize yet, I confess I forgot all about that. I did however finish building my spray booth and I am going to play around with that some too. So thank you for the reminder.
I tried for about 2 weeks solid to find and buy that Facto stuff from a US distributor, finally did get a (frankly ridiculous) price for the stuff, so I'm not pursuing that at the moment - have other fish to fry, but the clear anodize is interesting to me. One point about that though - I asked my plater about it and he said that the parts cannot have any ferrous metals pressed into them when this is done. Said they'd turn to goo more or less.
I'll learn more when I drop off a part, hopefully later this week.
Best,
Nils
Sincerely though, thank you Bob, very much. I have not been down to my plater to test the clear anodize yet, I confess I forgot all about that. I did however finish building my spray booth and I am going to play around with that some too. So thank you for the reminder.
I tried for about 2 weeks solid to find and buy that Facto stuff from a US distributor, finally did get a (frankly ridiculous) price for the stuff, so I'm not pursuing that at the moment - have other fish to fry, but the clear anodize is interesting to me. One point about that though - I asked my plater about it and he said that the parts cannot have any ferrous metals pressed into them when this is done. Said they'd turn to goo more or less.
I'll learn more when I drop off a part, hopefully later this week.
Best,
Nils
jamesevans
New member
Soda blasting is effective - I had my boat bottom done - but it leaves a lot of nasty corrosive (sodium bicarbonate) residue. I guess it would easily wash off (although it didn't on my fiberglass) but walnut shells would be better for aluminum.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
One of the guys on the Porsche forum who lives in Chicago was able to get a pail, but it took some doing. The US distributor had a tough time shipping it and now shipping a pail seems to be rocket science for some reason.
I can get a pail of Facto AT30 locally but they price it too high up here so I pick up a pail or two when I am at their facility in the US.
Could be. If the metal part is available separately or can be pulled without damage, I'd simply replace it into the casting after the anodizing process.
BTW, I just got myself a nice Skat Blast 960 Pro Blaster Abrasive Blasting Cabinet. More than good enough for home use.
nilsmenten
New member
One of the guys on the Porsche forum who lives in Chicago was able to get a pail, but it took some doing. The US distributor had a tough time shipping it and now shipping a pail seems to be rocket science for some reason.
I can get a pail of Facto AT30 locally but they price it too high up here so I pick up a pail or two when I am at their facility in the US.
Could be. If the metal part is available separately or can be pulled without damage, I'd simply replace it into the casting after the anodizing process.
BTW, I just got myself a nice Skat Blast 960 Pro Blaster Abrasive Blasting Cabinet. More than good enough for home use.
That is a super nice cabinet - you will find endless uses for it. Pickup some two gallon buckets with lids - those hold about the right amount of media for a load, and will fit under your hopper. Those make media swaps a 5-minute affair if you want to change over from glass bead to AOX or something. You absolutely need a dryer for your air supply - do you have one?
N.
One of the guys on the Porsche forum who lives in Chicago was able to get a pail, but it took some doing. The US distributor had a tough time shipping it and now shipping a pail seems to be rocket science for some reason.
I can get a pail of Facto AT30 locally but they price it too high up here so I pick up a pail or two when I am at their facility in the US.
Could be. If the metal part is available separately or can be pulled without damage, I'd simply replace it into the casting after the anodizing process.
BTW, I just got myself a nice Skat Blast 960 Pro Blaster Abrasive Blasting Cabinet. More than good enough for home use.
My Brother has one at his shop. When he bought his, he found the lighting inadequate so he added his own light. He also takes the window out and lines in with a quality plastic food wrap to protect the window- changing it as needed.
It's a great prep tool.
OM
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Yes, but only the pellet type. If I have problems, I'll go all out and get an AC drier.
This blaster will be in the basement where my large compressor is. The air is pretty dry down there, especially in the winter.
A friend lent me his small table top blaster last summer and I used my 2 HP compressor to run it. Even in the hot humid summer, I had no clogging issue at all.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
The 960 DLX model has an extra light (2 in total) and a wider window, the latter that I did not want. I'll see how it goes with the supplied light. I can always add another.
nilsmenten
New member
I would be surprised if that worked out long-term. I have a auto drain valve on my tank, plus the drier inline, and I'm in Arizona, and I pull a lot of water out of the compressed air. You'll find the media sticks to the walls of the hopper and doesn't flow smoothly if it gets gummy, but that may take a little while. You'll know what to do if it does.
nilsmenten
New member
I just received a 20-pack of acetate sheets with two-sided tape around the perimeter, about 2 bucks each. Those things fog up quickly. I never would have thought to try cling film, and I have a nice 20 inch roll of the stuff. I may try a few wraps of that next and use it like tear-offs
N.
nilsmenten
New member
I just received a 20-pack of acetate sheets with two-sided tape around the perimeter, about 2 bucks each. Those things fog up quickly. I never would have thought to try cling film, and I have a nice 20 inch roll of the stuff. I may try a few wraps of that next and use it like tear-offs
N.
Update: It sure is nice to be able to very quickly clear the window of the blast cabinet in less than 5 minutes for $2 by swapping the acetate, but I am getting no more than a couple of hours of blasting out of a sheet before they are toast.
nilsmenten
New member
More vapor blast goodness
And now with no further ado, more SOHC goodness!
Got an entire Honda CB 550 engine in a couple of weeks ago, some disassembly required (which is no problem):
Removing the valves from the head.
Before:
Cases after cleaning, bolted and plugged up, ready for further processing:
Yes, these get masked before processing...
...like so:
Ewwwww
Ahhhh
N.
And now with no further ado, more SOHC goodness!
Got an entire Honda CB 550 engine in a couple of weeks ago, some disassembly required (which is no problem):
Removing the valves from the head.
Before:
Cases after cleaning, bolted and plugged up, ready for further processing:
Yes, these get masked before processing...
...like so:
Ewwwww
Ahhhh
N.
littlefield
New member
There are dry ice blasting services available, also. Leaves no residue but is slow.
exgman
Active member
Soda Blasting - DIY Rig
Gary's post got me looking: http://www.garagenight.tv/diy-soda-blasting-build-your-own-rig-cheap/
Gary's post got me looking: http://www.garagenight.tv/diy-soda-blasting-build-your-own-rig-cheap/
nilsmenten
New member
I have a Harbor Freight pressure-pot soda blaster and I use it all the time - it's a great tool as long as you have dry air to feed it. Awesome. The siphon-fed setups, purchased or DIY are half as effective, but given enough time, patience and soda, they will work, some. But that's a totally different result than vapor blast. Soda is great prep for paint, or for gnarly carbs, but not a finished surface. JMHO, YMMV, yadda.
