Blasting Media For Sheet Metal

In fact aluminum oxide is so gentle that it is used on skin for microdermabrasion.

Blasting media for sheet metal.

It can be used to remove rust paint or scale from steel surfaces. Check out our blast media chart to find the right one for the task at hand. It s important to understand the different advantages and disadvantages of abrasive types. Size shape hardness and density.

There really isn t a way to get down to bare metal more efficiently than media blasting. I have 1 body shop and 2 custom shops that i do regular work for. Crucially it does very little damage to the unmarred metal beneath the rust layer making aluminium oxide an ideal media for blasting thin sheet metal and other relatively fragile metal objects. For thin metal like old coach style bodies i use 105 or walnut shell and 50psi.

It can be found in applications ranging from anti slip surfaces industrial applications as a blasting media and as a raw material in refractories. On hoods i tend to lower the pressure to 50psi. Aluminum oxide is another gentle abrasive. Just one of two of the above suggestions can prevent your sandblaster from warping sheet metal.

I use 70 silica or crushed glass 5 nozzle 70psi for most of the vehicle. Aluminum oxide is characterized by its superior hardness and strength. Every other method of stripping is an attempt to get around the major disadvantage of media blasting namely the investment in rather costly equipment. But if you plan your projects accordingly the money you lay out for equipment now will pay huge.

However many companies are moving away from sand as a blasting medium for a number of reasons. Walnut shell sandblasting media does not blast the metal but for some heavier rust jobs walnut may be too soft to come through. If there isn t a lot of rust on the sheet metal softer abrasives like walnut shell soda blast crushed glass or plastic beads are sometimes used to reduce warping of sheet metal. Media blasting has a variety of uses from removing a layer of paint to deodorizing a countertop to eliminating fire damage.

The terms sandblasting and abrasive blasting are sometimes used interchangeably. There are four properties of abrasives that contribute to profile depth. Despite this soft touch however aluminium oxide is more than capable of removing relatively thin coatings of rust on metal components. Steel grit offers a more angular shape and sharper texture.

I media blast cars.