Here at Powder Buy The Pound we offer various types of media blast that can be very beneficial during the prepping process of powder coating. Sandblasting was first patented during the 1870's, by a civil war veteran named Benjamin Chew Tilghman. His first revelation about sandblasting actually came to him during the war after seeing the effects that wind blowing sand across glass window panes had. A few decades later, compressed air was brought into the mixture by a man named Thomas Wesley Pangborn and this allowed for even more industrial styled strength during the process. Today, sandblasting is used all around the world through out many different professions including powder coating.
Here at Powder Buy The Pound, we carry a wide variety of blast media because depending on the project at hand, certain blast medias are better suited for specific projects in comparison to others. The most commonly used blast media is aluminum oxide, mainly due to its longevity. It is very sharp and can be used numerous times before dulling and having to be replaced. Another option commonly used is granulated plastic. Plastic blasts are more suitable for softer metals and plastics that need a more fragile approach to stripping. These are two of the seven different types of blast media we sell here at Powder Buy The Pound.
Along with the different blasting media material, there are also different grit sizes. If you want a more polished and smooth look, it is better to opt for a lower grit size with finer particles. Where as if you need a more aggressive clean or a better etch, opting for a bigger grit size is the way to go. If you have a lot of rust build up or piled on paint that you need to strip off, the heavier grits will be better suited.
When using any blast material, it is always best to use your online resources to double check which blast media you should be using because certain media can't be used with certain powder coat paints. An example of this is high temp powders. When you blast anything, it always leaves a tiny bit of blast material embedded into the piece you're spraying, creating an etch. So let's say you use glass media and it leaves little bits of glass in the piece, when you go to cure your high temp paint, the heat causes the glass to shatter causing many marks to appear on the piece. You can also always call our technical support here at Powder Buy The Pound (615-776-7600) and we'll be happy to lead you down the right path and answer any of your questions!