Grit Blast Media Recommendation

[HCO41]

I am currently using "speed bead" from TP Tools in Canton, Ohio. Cleans faster than glass beads with same fine, primer ready finish. Hope you got a vacuum with your new unit. Below is a link to TP Tools abrasive section of their catalog. Click on "most popular" abrasives, then on selected medias to review their characteristics and cost. Shipping is a killer!
Try this: http://www.tptools.com/Abrasives-and-Accessories.html
Howard

[outlaw]

At work we have standarized on medium glass beads. Over all it does a good general purpose clean, & leaves metal with a dull frost or sheen look. We buy ours from Grainger. Ballotini is the brand name. The grade is 70-140 & is a part # 2w580. If you are cleaning really rusty stuff you might wish to go with their coarse glass beads part # 2w765 wich is a grade 60-120. Either comes in a 53# 5gal pail. For really heavely rusty metal I would wire wheel the parts first to save the glass beads (they will turn to pumis over time) & keep the cabinet from "dusting up" with rust dust. Wipe down with thinner to clean the dust that will stick on the metal. Bill

[flatmotor40]

I get my blasting stuff from Tractor Supply.Cheapest any where and it last longer than play sand

[john in illinois]

Howard I have always used glass beads. I tried the TP speed beads and they work much faster with the same fine finish as regular glass beads. I use 1/2 a 50lb bag per fill. so a bag lasts 2 or 3 years.

I used to restore early Triumph motoryrcycles and I tried walnut shells for aluminum but never had much succes plus they bwere hard to clean out of cabinet. When I would clean spark plugs with beads a stray walnut shell would end up stuck in plug.

John

[39portlander]

Originally Posted by john in illinois

Howard I have always used glass beads. I tried the TP speed beads and they work much faster with the same fine finish as regular glass beads. I use 1/2 a 50lb bag per fill. so a bag lasts 2 or 3 years.

I used to restore early Triumph motoryrcycles and I tried walnut shells for aluminum but never had much succes plus they bwere hard to clean out of cabinet. When I would clean spark plugs with beads a stray walnut shell would end up stuck in plug.

John

My 960 patriot came with the scat magic, I have switched to the speed bead, similar results and a lot less dust. As for aluminum, I got the soda master attachment.

[robert dick]

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for very heavy blasting i use black beauty but for most of my work i use a product called potters beads, very fine and does a beautiful job on delicate parts.my primary pressure is 90 psi.