3 replies to this topic

[ac427]

Aqua, bead and vapour blasting all seem to be interchangeable terms.

 

I watched an MED YouTube video where it was mentioned that vapour blasting (glass beads and water) can leave some glass beads embedded in the gearbox casing.  Also it can damage bearing surfaces so you can leave old bearings in to protect the surfaces.

 

Are these both hyped/cobblers?

 

Has anyone used soda blasting?

 

 

How do people normally clean the gearbox cases?

[Spider]

Most these days I have soda blasted. They come up fine, 100% damage free from the process. While they do come up quite clean they are not 'bling', just dull. They do need a wash in something after to remove the residual powder.

For the bling looking cases, I have them Vapor Blasted (and yes, I agree, there's an interchangeability in terms). It's not supposed to be abrasive but it is every so slightly. If the monkey doing the cleaning pays little attention to what they are doing, if they worked at it, they could do damage. The firm I use have a machine, like a dish washer on Steroids that they put the parts in to for this process, as far as I know, they don't do any by hand.

I haven't had any issues with damaged machined surfaces or impregnated abrasives.

This one was soda blasted

(they actually look a bit duller than that appears)

 

This one was Vapor Basted;-

 

 

 

[ac427]

Most these days I have soda blasted. They come up fine, 100% damage free from the process. While they do come up quite clean they are not 'bling', just dull. They do need a wash in something after to remove the residual powder.

For the bling looking cases, I have them Vapor Blasted (and yes, I agree, there's an interchangeability in terms). It's not supposed to be abrasive but it is every so slightly. If the monkey doing the cleaning pays little attention to what they are doing, if they worked at it, they could do damage. The firm I use have a machine, like a dish washer on Steroids that they put the parts in to for this process, as far as I know, they don't do any by hand.

I haven't had any issues with damaged machined surfaces or impregnated abrasives.

This one was soda blasted

(they actually look a bit duller than that appears)

 

This one was Vapor Basted;-

 

 

Thanks very much Spider. 

 

Do you leave bearings in place during the vapour and soda blasting?

[Spider]

Do you leave bearings in place during the vapour and soda blasting?

 

I strip them bare, remove all studs, plugs, dowels and bearings.