"Bruce L. Bergman" wrote in message
...
snip---
For paint removal and light rust cleaning you want glass beads.
That's all I have at home, and it cleans up rust and loose paint on
metal nicely without removing lots of metal - gives a nice burnished
finish for painting.

While it provides a nice finish, it is not the best surface for painting.
Glass bead peens the surface, closing grain and smoothing the surface such
that you don't develop good "tooth".

I make it a practice to use AO for surfaces that will be painted. It cuts
(cleans) faster, and yields a much better surface for painting.

One must be wary of silicosis with glass bead, too. As it abrades, it's
constantly shedding minute particles of silica. It eventually experiences
a total collapse and self destructs, becoming nothing more than fine dust,
assuming you use it long enough. My cabinet has some that meets that
description as we speak.

Harold