Shot blasting

[Tootyred]

Theres lots of other media, including iron particles, glass bead, plastic bead, garnet, walnut shell, alluminium oxide....huge list .....all have their own properties and uses.

Some are single use, some go round and are filtered.

 

[baron von greenback]

Ye i was thinking about dipping but cant find anybody near me found a guy who does water media and another one near me but i was thinking of doing it myself with soda

 

[1552]

If you want a lasting finish on alloy without damage, you want to ceramic polish it.

It involves the said article being submerged in water and ceramic beads that are vibrated at a high frequency, polishing the material.

Its very similar procedure to GT's ball barnished from back in the day.

 

[dan28]

my mate got alloy frame shot blasted he then left it his shed for a while you could little specs of rust where shot had embedded into it left a dull an rough finish no good for polishing
i think you need walnut bead or soda blastiing if you intended to polish it

 

[baron von greenback]

I have a look into that ceramic polish 1552 any ideas who does it ye dan28 thats what i was afraid of doing it and not being able tonpolish i seen a frame after shot blasting leaves it looking white its the same with walnut and soda its the risk of knackering the frame for polishing the other thing is dipping had a bit of a look at that but i found a guy not far from me he does 3 diffrent blasting types i going to go see him

 

[paton]

Removing paint or powder coat from an aluminum frame can be problematic.
If blasting with an abrasive media: then the media needs to be abrasive enough to remove the paint but not so abrasive that it destroys the aluminum frame.
Removing powder coat can require an even more abrasive media, which can be even more damaging to the aluminum.

Chemical removal of powder coat is used by some companies for alloy wheels.

It might be worth finding a company that can do vapour blasting, soda blasting or dry ice blasting if you want a surface that you can polish.

The more abrasive blasting will create a surface that is better for a paint or powder coat finish to stick to.

 

[Tootyred]

All of the problems above are caused simply by taking it to somebody who had no idea of what they were doing!

find an expert who has done the job before and understands the requirements ...not somebody who powdercoats gates all day!

 

[paton]

That does just about sum things up.
But where is the fun in doing that....... getting the job done properly, then what is there left to talk about......