Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

[mhorowit]

Has anyone taken small parts, placed them in a box with abrasive and subjected the box to vigorous shaking (like a paint mixer) as a way of removing coating? If you've got a scheme, I'd like to hear it- MIke

[1938BF50]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

Mike,

I use my blaster for everything. I have a nice Trinco 36 inch blast cabinet. I also have a small "cheapie) tabletop model that works very well for small parts. I buy screen mesh food strainers at the local thrift shop, put small hard to handle parts in them and blast right thru the screen. Works fine with two strainers sandwiched together. Of course they are eventually consumed by the process but at half a buck/ea I really don't care. You can experiment with various medias/pressures to get a feel for the aggressiveness of each. I use aluminum oxide and recently coal slag bought from Farm&Fleet as a blasting agent. It is very agressive but short lived. The aluminum oxide (80grit) lasts forever. I also have a pair of needle-nose pliers dedicated to the blaster. They are great for holding individual small parts. Hope this helps. Mike

[GLB]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie.... or roll roll and tumble

I've used a rock tumbler to remove rust and corrsion on small parts and hardware, generally just put some water and dish soap in the tumbler let it roll for 6 hrs or so and check it, them requires washing of the soap drying works quite well.
GB

[jdoran]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

A cheap way to do it is to buy a couple cans of brake fluid, pour some in a bowl, and just let them soak for awhile. Work great on metal parts.

[ROllerton]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

For small, delicate, or fastner stuff I am too lazy to deal with the bead blaster I use a vibratory polisher I got from Eastwood. You put the parts in a tub, add media, put the lid on and plug it in. takes about 12 hours. Not unlike the rock polisher idea.

if I had to pick, I would get a bead blaster first. $1K for a great setup including a powered dust collector. www.eastwood.com. Table top ones with out a dust collector work just as well, with some limitations on size and visability.

[fearofpavement]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

Another ready source for vibratory cleaners is any sporting goods source that sells ammo reloading equipment as that is what people use to clean and polish brass shell casings. They are available in a variety of sizes. Often for brass, walnut shells or similar "soft" media is used. Eastwood isn't known for low pricing so this may be a more economical source. (or not? didn't check)

[Guest]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

Try this one; go to

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91907

I've seen in fliers for 50% off.

When you assemble it do not install the paddles.

Pour in your media and parts, works great.

It's a great tumbler, probably a crappy cement mixer!

Dave

[fearofpavement]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

I have the 3.5 cu foot version of this mixer and it works great for mortar. Haven't mixed much concrete in it but good for the price. I am not sure you would get much tumbling action without any paddles at all. (my paddles are steel) Would have to experiment some. What kind of parts are people thinking about cleaning up in this type of arrangement? I don't think it would be kind to aluminum or fiberglass. Would probably be ok for steel parts. There are small mixers like this available with a plastic or rubber like tub.

[mulwyk]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

For small parts I use a 25 cent garage sale strainer shown in the photo. The basket is roughly 4 inches high and 4 inches diameter. I put the parts in the strainer aim the blaster nozzle into the open end and then just blindly blast away. The little parts jump around as the air blast hits them and end up being cleaned on all sides. Problem: sometimes very small parts will jump right out of the basket. Someday I'll make a cover for the strainer basket with a hole for the blaster nozzle.

I've also attached parts to a board to hold them for blasting and also for painting...like the turnbuckle ends in the second photo.

Bob Gustafson

[fearofpavement]

Re: Shake, shake, shake your bootie....

The strainer shown in the previous post is half of a "potato ricer" in case anyone wants to ask for one at the local thrift shop. Do not. repeat: do not use your wife's kitchen utensils without very specific information being traded as to the potential for "some damage". (Don't ask...)