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Any suggestions & sources for cabinet blast media?

I've been using sand and glass beads and don't like either for rust removal.

Thanks,
John

I like aluminum oxide, that is what a blasting company recommended when I decided I did not like sand. I do not think glass is tough enough for rust removal, nor plastic. There is also silicon carbide. I have never used it, but bet it is really tough, I wonder if it is expensive.

John,

I have one cabinet with glass beads and another with aluminum oxide. In the glass bead unit I have used several different " grits" of beads.

Both cabinets work great on everything I have put in them...nasty rust to light. I wonder if it isn't the media, but the cabinet or air supply or gun.

I feel that sand is a "once through" media and isn't suitable for a blast cabinet, unless you are going to change it often. The coarse glass beads are quite aggressive and will take rust off most anything. If you aren't getting the results you expect, I would look at the system, not the media.


Stuart

I have used both Glass bead and aluminium oxide in my cabinent and I find I use the aluminium oxide most often for paint and rust removal. I buy my blast media from an industrial supply house in Rochester, NY.

You can buy blasting medias from Eastwood. They recommend aluminum oxide as the best media to remove carbon, rust and paint.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1313&itemType=CATEGORY&path=1%2C2%2C1310&KickerID=243&KICKER

Aluminum Oxide or crushed garnet are good. Be careful with that sand, even in a cabinet - whenever you open it, some free silica is going to get loose.

Try a farm store - even if they don't carry media, they can probably get it for you...or check out Harbor Freight/Cummins type stores if you have one nearby.

Northern Tool carries black oxide and Tractor Supply carries Garnet and glass. Do not know if either are in your area though.

I wish we had a Tractor Supply here. The closest one is about 2.5 hours away in Leesburg, VA.

I ended up taking your collective advice and I ordered 50 lbs of Aluminum Oxide from TP. I had them throw in a small parts basket while we were at it.

Yeah, I was using silica sand. I was using a respirator, too. But the dust was awful and I couldn't see. I'm going to clean the whole thing out, replace the window shield and start over. Maybe it will be fun to blast again...

Thanks for the advice!
John

AB grade

Make sure you have an inline drier on the air feed. Gets nasty without it.