How To Choose The Best Sandblasting Media For Your Situation
Posted on: 25 June 2015
Sandblasting is the process of taking some sort of media, such as sand, grit, or silicone beads, and forcefully propelling them towards a hard surface. Any paint that is on the hard surface will be stripped away as a result of this process. There are many different types of sandblasting media to choose from, and a novice sandblaster might feel overwhelmed at all of the possibilities. In order to make the choice easier, follow these tips.
1. If You Have Absolutely No Idea, Choose a Gentle Media
The first tip is that if you are sandblasting for the first time or have no idea what you are doing, choose a media that is relatively gentle and requires very little cleanup afterwards. Consider using ground up corn cobs or walnut shells, which both belong the the most gentle media group on the market. They are both biodegradable, which means that you won't have to worry about picking up all of the pieces and disposing of them appropriately. If you have any worries about the hardness of your surface, such as soft wood, make sure that you use pumice, which is the softest media available.
2. If You Need Your Finish to Shine, Use Glass
If you need your finish to shine when you are done, consider using one of the different types of glass media. Glass beads are a popular, if expensive, option because they create a different finish and can be reused multiple times. You can also purchase grit that is made out of the glass from recycled bottles.
3. If You Need to Sandblast a Car, Use Plastic Beads
When you are sandblasting a car, you will need to be careful to make sure that you do not cause the car to bend. Not only will small dents in the car look unattractive, but they will also cause your vehicle to be much less effective because all of the parts might not fit together. One media option is to use plastic beads to blast the body of the vehicle. Plastic beads are hard enough to get rid of any paint that might be on it, but soft enough to be repelled by the vehicle and not be able to influence its shape.
For more information, talk to a company that specializes in sandblasting like Powder Coating Specialties. They will be able to make sure that you are using the right media and will be able to provide you with the tools that you need.
Share