Commercial parts tumbler

[CamarosRus]

JM would have those flame sprayed with ALUMINUM so they wont rust
and the 1200 degree VHT paint for the cosmetic "LOOK"

Mark, How does the bake abrade and sending them through a steel shot blaster
differ in the end results ???

Mark, Do you experience yourself send stamped steel parts (vs cast iron/cast alum)
through your guys shot blaster. I sent misc parts through for 90 seconds...and they
came out perfectly clean with a SLIGHT profile on the metal.....Have not epoxy primed
yet so honestly dont know if Rick would find acceptable.

My new "place" (a different business) uses very fine shot in their steel shot blaster
but I yet to try any stamped steel parts yet..........

[marxjunk]

much better surface profile..i do wheels, bumper brackets, pullies and brackets all the time..ive done sheet metal type stuff too..any factory striation remains..and markings are untouched..works really well...if theres no pits..its ready for sealer/epoxy and paint..its that good..i have a body and paint back ground..so i understand what surface prep and condition means...on a block you still see every broach mark..

heres the best way i can describe it.

blasting leaves the surface "fuzzy". and i think its because the shape of the media and its pushed in a concentrated stream thru a nozzle..and changes the surface..looks like waves under a micro scope

this brake abrade is micro stainless beads (that wear out actually)..the heat and the length of the abrading process peens the metal surface smooth..and heres why i think its better..

the part is warm..the part is rotating and the beads are coming in every direction..not a stream, like coming thru a blast gun..when i say every direction i mean, the shot machine has an octagon shape and the deflection is major..the beads are moving in every direction..so no concentrated stream..and its mechanically thrown if i understand what i have seen, not forced thru a nozzle...but i will ask my guy and take a pic of the device

my personal experience...i can see sand blasted cast iron from across the room..it just has a look...this is just steps higher..may not be for everyone like a concours guy, but for what i do..its impressive..

ive had 2 wheels go thru a metal shot blaster and was not impressed..it was a commercial machine, and i dont know what kind of pressure or "grit"...but i had to really work them over...

since i found this process..i do every thing in it..love it,,may not be for a concours type resto but for much of whats going on in a resto..its perfect for that..i believe anyway..

but im no expert on the subject..ive just tried many things and now and i'm stuck on this..but believe me..i will go another direction if theres better...i just havent found it yet....and its dirt cheap..i mean crazy cheap for me to get it done..at times i wonder if my guy is even making money..lol,,, but he keeps taking stuff from to do..

[CamarosRus]

mark, I googled "Bake Abrade" without any good result.......so could you find out a more
complete name for the machine/the process ...Thanks

[Verne_Frantz]

Originally Posted by marxjunk

heres what cast iron looks like after bake abrade..I had these done for our resident 409 guy Verne....theres nothing on them..no spray no coating..they where still warm when i picked them up ( Verne even asked if they had a coating on them), they looked so good...they are ready to coat..or paint or leave alone..lol...they came out beautiful

next week ill show some alum im having done..

I knew they weren't painted, but I was wondering if he had coated them with a light oil or something else to ward off instant oxidation (that I would have to clean off). I plan on rinsing them down with solvent anyway before covering them with POR-15 hi-temp gray. A lot of people have had excellent results with it. I've heard the VHT turns a goldish color after a few heat cycles.

They look great! Lucky for me, they were premo examples to begin with.
Verne

[CamarosRus]

Verne, I mentioned VHT 1200 degree (above) ..............as several years ago I saw a picture where a JM customer posted his flame sprayed ("new skin") manifolds with the
VHT can that was returned with them...........( the flame spray assumption is my personal
opinion of what was done)

[CamarosRus]

Rick Nelson, Curious if you followed up on buying a shot blaster or shaker machine...

This past week I took some misc steel brackets and fasteners (mostly bolts) down to
a LARGE commercial parts rebuilder Ive made a connection with.

They use a couple of LS branded Shakers with Alum star shaped media, to agitate and clean with. I ran several original galvanized disc brake dust shields thru the shaker and it did a very nice job of cleaning without damaging the galvanized finish....whereas any other process using abrasives would damage.

Ran misc stamped steel brackets and brake calipers thru shot blaster (very fine size ??)
in minutes cleaning everything.....Ready for primer ready for rebuild.

I'm convinced a shot blasting machine is the #1 item that saves huge amount of glass bead cabinet time.

The shaker is also a huge time saver on cleaning, restoring die cast alum finishes etc...

[CamarosRus]

Last week I bought a Mr DeBurr "Shaker" machine at on line auction
located in Salt Lake City area. Working on getting it moved to Seattle
area...
Hoping to restore OE finishs to Trans Cases, OE Alum Valve Covers,
and other misc parts....
Will experiment cleaning steel misc parts also

[firstgenaddict]

Chuck steel shot media used to remove green sand in castings is great for restoring the finish on intake manifolds and trans main cases (rough cast),

The pressure cast aluminum side covers, tailshaft housings, steering box covers, Corvette finned or Camaro Aluminum valve covers requires something less aggressive like a plastic media.

[CamarosRus]

FirstGenAddict, I have never heard the term Pressure Cast....Ive been calling Side Covers
Tail Housings etc DIE CASTINGS....

I have first hand experience running DIE CASTINGS through a SHAKER Machine with Aluminum Media with Great Results... See pics

I also have experience running SAND CASTINGS (ie Intake Manifolds through
a Shot Blasting Machine using very fine steel shot.
Also run misc metal brkts, stampings etc thru shot blaster with excellent
results

[firstgenaddict]

We have parts cast in Aluminum at a local foundry and when they come back they look just like an unrestored Intake or trans main case... the steel shot burnishes the surface and for lack of a better word "seals" the surface.

I imagine clear anodizing would keep things from oxidizing.