Author Topic: Blast media for aluminum parts  (Read 5440 times)

Flowjoe

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 378
    • View Profile
Blast media for aluminum parts
« on: June 27, 2008, 02:49:13 PM »
I have  few alternators and distributors I need to clean up prior to rebuilding...any suggestions for a blast media type (or other method) to clean up but not pit?

sd1968z28

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 258
    • View Profile
Re: Blast media for aluminum parts
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2008, 07:20:27 PM »
try plastic media, i have done this it work pretty good.  leave clean original metal as new most times.

firstgenaddict

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2882
  • caretaker of 1971 LT1's 11130 & 21783
    • View Profile
    • Groome Family Automobiles
Re: Blast media for aluminum parts
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2008, 07:55:41 PM »
The best way to get the right finish is to find an aluminum foundry and ask if they will drop the parts into their vibratory media hopper (which they use to remove the sand from raw Aluminum castings) The finish is the same as the factory as that is how they got the finish in the parts to begin with.
James
Collectin' Camaro's since "Only Rednecks drove them"
Current caretaker of 1971 LT1's - 11130 and 21783 Check out the Black 69 RS/Z28 45k mile Survivor and the Lemans Blue 69 Z 10D frame off...
https://plus.google.com/photos/112392262205377424364/albums?banner=pwa

Jerry@CHP

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1533
    • View Profile
Re: Blast media for aluminum parts
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2008, 04:14:36 PM »
This is the same machine that we use at CHP.  You have to be careful with the different medias, it took us a while to get a handle on what works best to retain an original cast aluminum look.  Cycling time is also an important issue too.

Jerry