Blaster recommendations?

[SeanW]

Can anyone recommend any blasters or other cleaners they have used for cleaning up engine casings etc. I'm particularly thinking about barrels, heads and timing cover, where some care would be needed to confine the cleaning to the outer surfaces only.

Am getting all the black steel / frame bits blasted by a local firm ready for powder coating, but they weren't confident about doing anything that might require a bit of delicacy or care

 

[newbuild100]

A lot of local engineering companies will have sand blasters. These work well on the casings you mention.
I could do them for you, but im not really on your doorstep. Hope the above helps tho'.

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

I would talk to Rob Farmer, Sean, he's got a proper vapour blasting cabinet and he's not far from you, BUT you will have to strip it first, it's the only way to do it and be safe!

 

[Rushy]

Yep Vapor balsting is the deffo the way, I saw someone doing a resto' on a 25yr old Kawasaki today. I asked how much all of the new parts had cost and were they hard to source and he said they were all original and showed me the cabinet and some engines he'd done too. Friggin amazin'.

 

[SeanW]

I've heard vapour blasting requires a lot of masking/prep work when you're dealing with stuff like heads and barrels?

I was thinking about trying soda blasting, which seems gentler and less fiddly all round.

Just want the stuff cleaned up nicely, not necessarily pristine. It's not like they're not going to get dirty again pretty soon...

 

[cookie]

i avoid using blasting if at all possible. great results can be achieved with elbow grease, though not the "as new" look attainable with bead.

on the other hand, if you add in the required time ensuring all blast media is removed, the equation equals up a bit. the consequences of leaving even a little behind can be catastrophic.

 

[SeanW]

soda blasters claim the process won't leave any gritty media behind - it works in a fundamentally different way to bead/grit/sand blasting.

All you have to do is give the parts a bloody good rinse with water afterwards (allegedly)

 

[Rob Farmer]

I tried soda and bead blasting. Personally I was very disappointed with the soda, the finish varies with the grade of aluminium. Bead blasting doesn't last 5 minutes. The vapour blaster gives the best finish but you do need a pukka ultrasonic cleaner to get all of the blast media out afterwards. Heads and barrels are ok but I'd be wary with Crankcases.

 

[SeanW]

interesting

does that mean that vapour blasting does something to the metal surface that bead blasting doesn't - ie that makes it stay clean longer?

 

[cookie]

interesting

does that mean that vapour blasting does something to the metal surface that bead blasting doesn't - ie that makes it stay clean longer?

AFAIK vapour blasting is just bead in water. it's less aggressive than just bead, and gives a very fine, as new look to ally.

still leaves extremely destructive bead everywhere.

 

[Benjamin M]

I wonder what process the chap at BAMW uses on his engines, they really do look as new. Might be messaging him?

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

I wonder what process the chap at BAMW uses on his engines, they really do look as new. Might be messaging him?

I do know the answer to that! It's nothing unique.