On 6/3/2011 12:20 AM, gpsman wrote:
On Jun 2, 11:49 pm, wrote:
On 6/1/2011 11:04 PM, Smitty Two wrote:

Lots of things are used for sandblasting, but
sand isn't one of them. Most common is aluminum oxide, the same stuff of
which sandpaper is made.

Nonsense. Sand may be obsolete for fancy or specialty work, but is still
commonly used for rough cleanup, like of old cast iron.

And that's silica sand, not the sandbox/mortar varieties available at
the BORG. Moisture controlled sand (sometimes more/less). The kind
where your white metal doesn't sprout rust immediately behind the
nozzle, and/or you don't spend most of your time unclogging the
blaster.
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- gpsman

You are talking pro metal finishers- I am talking DIYs and shade tree
mechanics and farmers with a HF or similar crude sandblaster they may
use once a year or so. They don't buy expensive blasting media- they go
to the big-box and buy a couple bags of washed sandbox sand for a
fraction of the price. It is usually kept inside, and is usually 'dry
enough'. After blasting, blow off the excess grit, and oil or finish it
to stop the rust flash-over. Plenty good enough for an old clawfoot
bathtub exterior, or car frame, or patio furniture, or whatever, when
you just want to get it clean enough to handle. Stuff where you need
precision and a 'factory' surface, you haul it over to local
metal-finishing job shop with pro-grade equipment.

--
aem sends...