The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest sand blasting media size?

I need some sand for blasting the frame. With sand sizes, is the higher grit number smaller or bigger? For example...is 24 grit bigger particles then say 40 grit?

Thanks,

Yes the smaller the # the larger the grit size , I would think for a frame that a aggresive grit like 36 will be fine ...Biggest thing will be to get the Muck & Grease removed before you blast...blastin and grease dont mix .
I had all my suspension & frame steam gennied before i did anything, made life much easier.
Just some thoughts
Tim

Just go to Home Depot and get a bag of Sakrete (SP?) builders sand and use it. It's cheap and dry. Sandblasting a frame is not rocket science, it's the act of firing tiny pieces of sand at rust and old paint to dislodge it.

Builers sand is not sized. There may be pieces in it too big for your orifice. Best stick to sized blasting sand.

I get my blasting sand at Metromont which is a concrete mixing place. $6.25 a bag for 100 lb bags. I can't remember what the actual size is......15 and 30?? or 15 and 40?? I just ask for the fine stuff and throw it on the back of the truck. What Cletis says is true. You want to use sized sand or you'll spend more time cleaning out a stopped up line then you do blasting.
Be sure to wear a decent respirator.

Don't be difficult. Sift it through a window screen. I sifted mine and got a handful of pieces barely larger than the screen.

I have an "official" size sifting screen. I use it to re-use my sand sometime and to get out the junk. But at $6.25 a 100lb I don't see how you could go wrong using blasting sand!

Except that Home depot is 1/2 mile away & Metromont is around Boling Springs, SC.

I think Chipmonk and I are both making good points. He's saying that they make sandblasting sand and that's the ideal. I'm saying that builder's sand is good enough for a frame if you sift out the big chunks.

And now 57 is pointing out that everyone lives near a Home Depot so that may be convenient as well.

Peace, out.

57stepside: Metromont is just the name of the company but I have found the sand at other places that mix and sale cement. I would think all of them carry it if contractors go there. I also have a Home Depot close by but prefer my local concrete mixing place because I can pull up to the door....they load it for you....its just as cheap.....and I can be gone in just a few minutes. I only go to HD when there is no other choice and my poor knees appreciate it!!!

I used to get mine at a place called Material and Concrete, they sold primarily brick, concrete block and other similar supplies. Or at least I did until they went out of business. Like Achipmunk said, alot of material places have sandblasting media. Also, you might check out the farm stores in your area. Around here, both the local store (Big R) and TSC have blasting media (Black Diamond) relatively cheap, around the $6-7 range.
From what I've seen, playsand or builders sand is just not as efficient as regular blasting sand. It's also more expensive, or at least here it is.

I get my blasting media from the local Monument Company ....they carry abought any media you can think of.

I just got 100 lbs at a rental facility that also supplies blasting sand to a monument company. The size I got is size "000". They had 3 different sizes-"0", "00" and "000"

Does anyone know how that is compared to grit size? It's working real good, I'm just curious.

~Ron

True enough, I was just yanking your chain a little, I can't find any smiley things. I should have added a :-). Unfortuenatly for me, Lowe's is even closer than HD so I'm always getting a workout.

I'd be leeery about blasting with sand from anywhere. I picked up some black stuff for blasting from Tractor Supply and it worked well. Screening it after picking it up would help. I can get a name and some ingredients off a bag later this week.
It was around $5.00, but I don't know the weight off hand.

Eric

if you are blasting at home outside with sand that is not a good idea you expose yourself and all your neighbors and pets to silica that is very bad for your health. I use black diamond also known as black beauty it is $6 a bag and is much safer for everyone

how many pounds to a bag of Black Beauty? And what store did you get yours at 50adrod?

50 pound bags and I bought it from the local tractor supply store

Thanks for the info. I've got to go over that way and thought I would try some of it in my bead blasting cabinet to see how it cuts and how I like it. I've got one more rim to blast so I can compare to the other three.....Alvin