Blast it!

[ian65]

Couldn't resist a "VAT Free" voucher offer at Machine Mart and just lugged home a Clarke version of that cabinet. Might be a while before I can set it up fully, but I already have a bench full of rusty parts that need attention and doing it with wire wheels, etc, was getting to be a chore!

you won't regret it Malcolm, they're great. You need a good compressor though and a water trap/pressure regulator on your airline.
I'm using crushed glass in mine... walnut shells are good for gently removing paint from aluminium and light work but to get heavy rust off stuff the glass is good. I went to a local shotblasting business to see if they sold any blasting medium... they didn't sell stuff but gave me a huge carrier bag of crushed glass anyway.
Here's an inlet elbow that was just cleaned with a wire brush...



and then after I blast cleaned it...



I'm going to do the inlet manifolds next

You need a good dust extract on it... I plug our Henry Hoover into the back of my cabinet although that is a bit too powerful.
The media pick up tube also needs anchoring into the bottom of the cabinet or else it will pop up out of the blast media.... it's amazing how fast this thing sucks up the media and the end of the tube clears.

Great fun though, I've got loads of things I want to blast!

[m swann]

Currently I have used playground sand ( no salt) for large steel ie rear axle and front crossmember.
Glass for almost all other steel.
Glass and walnut shell mix for aluminum, including rotor housings.
Animal grade baking soda for glass and delicate items ie window trim.
Sometimes a wire wheel is just easier.

[DWNUNDR]

my kids loved using mine to help on the parts cleaning.. the boys were on it.. the girls helped but not as much with the blasting