Gearbox Bead blasting advice wanted

[fatfranky]

Hi

I wonder if someone can offer some advice please, I have an alloy gearbox casing that I would like to beadblast.

My question basically is will beadblasting clean it in one pass or should I grit blast it first and then follow up with bead blasting

Thanks in advance

 

[fatfranky]

Vapour blasting with glass bead is best

Thanks

But I don’t have a vapour blaster

 

[graffian]

Vapour blasting is bead blasting, but with water and you get less bead left on it and a shinier finish. I would have thought someone would have dry and wet beaded something and you would find a photo on google.
What are you trying to achieve?

 

[Brad93]

I would wash the gearbox as thoroughly as possibly first to remove as much contamination and oxidation before bead blasting.

I've found plain beads to be very mediocre on aluminium. Great on steel you want to gently clean.

Beads and water is a different story.

 

[brightspark]

is the gearbox getting painted

 

[Wildefalcon]

Is there a non iso 2k "gearbox silver" paint that could be used? Even if over an epoxy primer? I'm hoping to refresh a gearbox next month.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Silver engine enamel over epoxy primer looks okay

What's a good brand? Does it stay stuck?

 

[Wildefalcon]

Cool, thank you.

 

[fatfranky]

Thanks for the reply’s, basically I’m just looking for a “clean up” I’m not tied to dry blasting but I have dry blasting kit so it seems easier

I was just curious whether bead blasting would do the job in one pass or whether I need to blast it with something more aggressive first

 

[brightspark]

Thanks for the reply’s, basically I’m just looking for a “clean up” I’m not tied to dry blasting but I have dry blasting kit so it seems easier

I was just curious whether bead blasting would do the job in one pass or whether I need to blast it with something more aggressive first

if theres crap and paint on it a verry light abrasive is good then beadblast