Multi-Media Blasting
Restoration for Marine, Auto, Furniture Concrete and Many More!
What is blasting media?
Abrasive grit blasting, or sand blast cleaning, is a surface treatment process widely used in a variety of different industries with many diverse purposes. Abrasive blasting is the process by which an abrasive media is accelerated through a blasting nozzle by means of compressed air.
Benefits of Abrasive Blasting for Surface Coating Preparation
Abrasive media is generally inexpensive and many types are reusable. Blasting offers additional economic advantages because it efficiently cleans surfaces better and faster than traditional techniques. It’s also effective at removing rust on metal surfaces.
Abrasive blasting prepares surfaces for coating applications effectively.
Removing Rust and Corrosion
Removing rust from metals is in most cases important because rust can severely damage or erode and degrade surfaces to the point where the metal, especially as it pertains to machinery, is no longer structurally useful and in fact in some cases dangerous.
Abrasive media blasting strips the existing oxidation leaving an exposed metal surface. Once the decision is made to blast clean a metal surface it is critical to have a plan for protecting the exposed metal because once surface contaminants are removed rust bare, raw metal is once again exposed to the oxidation process. Time, temperature and humidity become your enemies in the battle to preserve the newly exposed metals. Properly and completely removing rust from a metal is perhaps the single most important step we at Beyond Painting can help you take to ensure longevity of your equipment or component parts and they are restored to their most optimal condition.
Our team brings years of professional experience to each job entrusted to us. They have the expertise to strip and blast clean any type of metal or fiberglass hard surface parts.
Our media blasting products include versatile and “green” materials such as plastic, glass bead or other types of environmentally friendly media. It is imperative to know the optimum size and type of grit (media) to utilize and the time, angle, distance and pressure to deliver to the surface to insure the original metal, alloy or fiberglass surface is not damaged yet achieve optimal surface, blast & strip cleaning.
Time Efficiency
There is a financial advantage to abrasive media blasting. By using these different methods of blasting and media types, we can complete jobs effectively and in the most cost efficient manner.
In the past, when steel or other metals needed cleaning, it took days of scrubbing and soaking in harsh chemicals. Now, thanks to state-of-the-art abrasive blasting techniques, these jobs can be completed in hours instead of days, saving money, time, and labor.
You can be confident:
- Component parts are thoroughly prepared per work order requirements
- No damage to components
- The safest methods of stripping available
- Precise, optimal project outcomes
Positives of Soda Blasting & Sand Blasting
Soda Blasting Positives | Sand Blasting Positives |
|---|---|
| Soda blasting is environmentally friendly and biodegradable | Better for industrial applications |
| Soda blasting is gentler than sand blasting | More effective at removing rust than soda blasting |
| Does not produce excess heat. Will not warp or pit metal surfaces | Quicker cleaning than soda blasting |
| Removes grease and paint up to 15x quicker than industrial hydro-blasting | |
| Sodium bicarbonate cleans mold and deodorizes smoke fires. | |
| Non-toxic and water soluble | |
| Prevents further rusting | |
| Soda blasting can be applied on plastics, chrome, and wood |
Types of Medias for Blasting
Glass Beads: Glass is not as aggressive a blasting media as other materials, such as steel shot or silicon carbide. However, it is an excellent choice for applications that require a softer, brighter finish. It is well suited for stainless steel applications. Glass beads can also be recycled multiple times.
Aluminum Oxide: Aluminum oxide is characterized by its superior hardness and strength. It can be found in applications ranging from anti-slip surfaces, industrial applications as a blasting media, and as a raw material in refractories. It is designed for abrasive pressure blasting of almost any type of substrate: glass, granite, marble, and steel. Due to its ability to deeply etch it is used in the preparation of surfaces prior to painting or coatings.
Plastics: Plastic abrasive is a dry thermoset cleaning media made from crushed urea, polyester or acrylic. Each varying and available in a range of hardness and particle size. Plastic is generally regarded as the best media for mold cleaning, blasting of plastic parts, or in applications where the removal of the substrate material is not permitted. Common industries include automotive, aviation, boating, electronics and industrial applications.
Silicon Carbide: Silicon carbide is the hardest abrasive blasting material available, making it the best choice for your most challenging surface finishing applications. It is available in various colors and purities. Its primary use ranges from bonded abrasive tools, lapping, polishing, glass etching and general purpose heavy duty blast cutting applications.
Steel Shot & Grit: Steel abrasive is a cost-effective alternative to other abrasives due to its toughness and high recyclability. It can be used on a variety of surfaces to effectively remove contaminants, texture a surface for proper adherence of a final coating, or in peening (hardening) applications. The correct size, hardness and shape play a significant role in the proper media selection.
Walnut Shells: Walnut shell abrasive is a hard naturally occurring material made from crushed walnut shells. It is the harder of the soft abrasives, available in a variety of sizes for blast cleaning and polishing softer surfaces that could incur damage from harsher abrasives. Typical applications include polishing of soft metals, fiberglass, wood, plastic and stone. It can also be used in tumbling operations for polishing gem and jewelry.
Corn Cobs: Corn cob abrasive is a granular abrasive manufactured from crushing the dense woody ring of a corn cob into various grit sizes. It is the softer of the naturally occurring abrasives making it ideal for cleaning, deburring, burnishing and de-flashing applications. Common industries include jewelry, cutlery, engine parts, fiberglass and the removal of graffiti or debris from wood, brick or stone.