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PeteVS 07-05-2020 05:41 PM

Wet sand blasting??
 

I'm pretty much finished with sand blasting on my project but I came across this about sand blasting with a power washer. It seems that it might be worth it for the elimination of all the dust. Has anyone tried this or have. an opinion? Thanks!

https://diysandblast.com/products/x?...pQxBmLKO0eSnGs

ford38v8 07-05-2020 06:36 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

I’d say let someone else go first. Both sandblasters and pressure washers are well designed and very effective if used correctly by themselves, so why mess with success?

alanwoodieman 07-05-2020 07:13 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

40 years ago we wet sand blasted-simply a water halo around the blast nozzle, now we see a sandblaster with sand mixed into the water under relatively high pressure. I have used a sandblaster with the pressure washer and it works good but it can have sand flow problems if sand is not kept completely dry--which is hard to do around water. I used it on wood and metal-gives a fine finish just need to work on the sand flow somehow as opposed to the suction feed it came with

cmbrucew 07-05-2020 08:10 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Surface rust very quickly on iron.
Bruce

Pete 07-05-2020 08:15 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Since the 50's there has been a process called liquid honing which is nothing more than a sophisticated blast cabinet with the blast media mixed with a water based coolant.
It produces a very fine satin finish.

Phil 07-05-2020 08:23 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

I have one, use it with my 2500 pressure washer. I blasted the chassis on the 34 cabriolet I am restoring. It works pretty well a more powerful pressure washer would work better.
The sand has to very clean. If it has a larger chunk it will clog the nozzle and force water pressure back up the sand hose and yes,you will have wet cpogged sand in the sand hose.

flatheadmurre 07-05-2020 11:45 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Downside to wetblasting is you canīt sweep the media into a pile and shovel it back into the blasting pot...
So you need media enough for the entire job canīt reuse any until it has dried completely.
Otherwise you have the cooling effect that is great on sheetmetal.
You can spray on rust inhibitor to prevent flash rust....gives you a couple of weeks to prep and primer.

frnkeore 07-06-2020 01:21 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sand-Blasti....c100047.m2108

Same unit but, a little cheaper.

Soda blasters are much more expensive but, you can blast thin sheet metal (steel & Alum) with out damage.

51 MERC-CT 07-06-2020 06:26 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete (Post 1906368)
Since the 50's there has been a process called liquid honing which is nothing more than a sophisticated blast cabinet with the blast media mixed with a water based coolant.
It produces a very fine satin finish.

When used on aircraft jet engine components it was called 'Vapor blasting'
The media was the consistency of powdered sugar.

frnkeore 07-06-2020 03:36 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

The reason I know about it, is because I was a sub-contractor for Erickson Air Crane. Before they bought the rights to manufacturer, the Sikorsky 64, they bought all the surplus stuff they could find and blasted it. Not just to clean it but, the paint has weight to it and painting over old paint, adds weight, that at is a premium in aircraft.

philipswanson 07-07-2020 09:48 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

On aircraft such as the F/A 18, we used plastic media blasting. In the early days, the media was made from grinding up plastic buttons!

Jack Shaft 07-07-2020 10:02 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

https://i.imgur.com/Z5snGhj.jpg

Blasted mine with a 20lb pot,in a plastic booth..summertime,95 plus heat.learned my lesson.Wet ? Dry? walnut shells? next time it doesnt matter as long as I dont do it.

Newc 07-08-2020 12:10 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Hi; The commercial unit showed up at my place ,contained on a car trailer, compressor and all. Hooked up to my water hose and wet-blasted a '39 cpe shell in my gravel yard. One yr later no rust as I work on that shell, inside. I posted it on an old thread here. they used a rust inhibitor in the mix and the sand went into my gravel. Newc

rotorwrench 07-08-2020 09:23 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Some of the turbine engines I've worked on call out the type of cleaning methods that are acceptable for certain parts. Wet grit blast is one but they use a specific grit that is light duty on abrasion or it would ruin the parts. The equipment is specially made for it. Walnut shell, plastic media, and soda media are all common grits for turbine engine parts. Glass media has to be pretty fine to be able to use it. Most of these medias require the parts to be washed and scrubbed well before application of protective coatings or assembly in an engine.

I could see grit blasting on some steel or corrosion resistant steel aircraft parts but not so much on thin aluminum structures. It would ruin things quickly. I've always used stripper to remove paint and primer but it has to be acid based stripper to remove Super Koropon epoxy primers. That was the only thing that would touch it 35-years ago. Cee Bee A-202 was the last one I used but I don't know if it is even available anymore with the modern EPA regulations. They have some newer technology stuff now that might even be better.

A person has to be careful sand blasting thin steel too. They claim that those wet blast rigs won't warp steel but it depends on how thick the skin is and how rough the sand or other media is. Metal that is thin from corrosion could get wavy if blast force is held in one place too long. Sand is harsh blasting media. I've always used glass bead myself.

frnkeore 07-08-2020 02:03 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

I've warped .093 sheet aluminum, taking epoxy paint off of it, using glass beads.

What happens is that you peen the surface, distorting it, in comparison to the off side. Even if you try to peen the other side, with the beads, it never comes out even, in my experience.

1948F-1Pickup 07-09-2020 01:01 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Never done it (wet sand blasting) but I've seen folks do it or get it done from a mobile vendor though.
I've also seen dry ice blasting.

rotorwrench 07-09-2020 03:18 PM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

It leaves only the CO2 gas and the removed crud as residue but the EPA likely doesn't like it much.

If it's done under a shade tree, the tree might like it.

51 MERC-CT 07-10-2020 04:19 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by frnkeore (Post 1907225)
I've warped .093 sheet aluminum, taking epoxy paint off of it, using glass beads.

What happens is that you peen the surface, distorting it, in comparison to the off side. Even if you try to peen the other side, with the beads, it never comes out even, in my experience.

Glass bead is not aggressive enough (wrong media) for the removal of epoxy paint.
That, along with excessive air pressure is a recipe for disaster.

1931 flamingo 07-10-2020 08:25 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

When I worked at Pratt and Whitney in the 60's in the overhaul shop, if there was no work, sometimes we'd be farmed out to where the rotor blades were "blasted". Only thing I remember about it was that after a while my hands would get so cold it was like having them in a snowbank because of the water/grit combo.
Paul in CT

flatheadmurre 07-10-2020 08:55 AM

Re: Wet sand blasting??
 

Thereīs a few different aproaches to wetblasting to....the cabinets and some pots use a slurry and pump it up to the nossle.
I have a nossle i use in my normal blasting setup that ad a tiny amount of water and i can use whatever media with it.
Water acts like a cushion and coolant so calms down the cutting of the media and cools the surface to avoid warping.


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