Sandblasting: What abrasives do you suggest?

[BigBlock61]

I tried to run coal slag through my Grizzly cabinet and it hated it. it clogged something fierce. I changed to 100 grit Aluminum Oxide and only run 50lbs and it works great.

 

[747mopar]

I've bought dry playground sand several times, dirt cheap and it works. I have a Harbor Freight cheapo and it won't work with black beauty, way to larger so you're constantly taking the nozzle off. I've pulled a handful out to inspect it and it looks like little glass noodles throughout!!! Like mentioned, anything with an absorbing affect like rubber, grease, thick dirt ect will really slow progress.. even thick scaly rust should be knocked off to speed the process up.

 

[747mopar]

Ditch the pick-up tube and go with a metering valve. They work much better. I made one for my HF cabinet and it works great. I also made a dust cyclone from a Home Depot bucket and some pvc fittings (videos on YouTube show how to make it). I use HF glass bead with great results too.
And led lights are a must. I have these installed in mine:
RKS 4 ft. 118-Watt Equivalent Integrated LED White Magnetic Strip Retrofit Kit 5000K (1-Pack) RKS2440-50-A - The Home Depot

DIY metering valve:

I need to get off my butt and do this!

 

[Kern Dog]

I switched to a really course 50 or 60 grit Red Garnet. That stuff works GREAT! It blasts away the crud, paint, surface rust...I am impressed.

 

[747mopar]

Here's a tank that I hadn't planned on blasting until I realized someone had put cheap paint over the original with little prep. Paint stripper wasn't touching it so I figured I'd do a quick cleaning blast but it stripped it down to the metal really fast using cheap playground sand.

 

[CudaChick1968]

Playground sand is cheap for sure but has also been "softened." It doesn't have the cut blasting medias have. Using it equates to longer run time and compressor wear over the long term. $21 for 100 pounds vs. $7 for 50 lbs vs. New 5 hp Compressor = $megabux.

 

[JimKueneman]

My favorite mix is 3 parts medium coal slag to 1 part Starblast. I can sweep it up, screen it and run it through 2-3 times if I want. It is the best cutting I have found for rust. The opinion on the SPI group is crushed glass cuts even better but since "I am never restoring another car" I may never find out

 

[JimKueneman]

Playground sand is cheap for sure but has also been "softened." It doesn't have the cut blasting medias have. Using it equates to longer run time and compressor wear over the long term. $21 for 100 pounds vs. $7 for 50 lbs vs. New 5 hp Compressor = $megabux.

Not to mention the Silica health dangers.

 

[snakeoil24]

Star blast xl from dupont

 

[JimKueneman]

Star blast xl from dupont

My gold standard. As I said above mix in some medium coal slag for heavy rust. The coal knocks the scale off faster than pure Starblast then the Starblast takes over to get down in the pits.

 

[Kern Dog]

I use coal slag for rust.

I use black diamond.

My local company recomended aluminum oxide blast material.

The aluminum oxide stuff sounds interesting. Looking back in this thread, I already tried it and maybe the grit was too fine because it didn't work well for me and what I do. My stuff here isn't that rusty, just dirty, grimy and often the "ugly" is in nooks and crannies where a wire wheel cannot reach.
The majority of what I have blasted is thick. I'm talking either cast iron or stamped steel brackets, some hardware too. I'm not worried that the abrasives will damage the stuff I'm working on.
I have some Red Garnet in the cabinet right now but it isn't working so good. I thought it was 40 grit or something close to that. I suspect that the sand is worn out since it puts out plenty of dust. The opening in the nozzle tip seems to have worn oversize. I know that with more volume, you get less pressure so I suspect that a smaller diameter nozzle tip and fresh blasting material would help.
I've blasted exhaust manifolds, engine pulleys, alternator and P/S brackets, suspension and steering parts too. Never anything like thin sheet metal, delicate aluminum, brass or copper.

 

[493 Mike]

I used glass beads for a long time but, I switched to crushed glass and have stayed with that product. I buy it a thousand pounds at a time to get a better price, then split the order with a friend.
Mike