Vapour blasted before and after

[john-e89]

Dropped the M undertray and oil filter cap in the new vapour blaster today, first time it’s been run. Does what it’s supposed to..! Glass beads will not pit aluminium and is perfect for cylinder heads, crank journals, engine casings, carbs etc, etc, all soft metals can be done, polishes them back to as new.

 

[markplant]

Look good John, I've seen some recently using dry ice, don't know cost in comparison, but a good finish,

 

[mr.tourette]

looking good mate

 

[Z4C_er]

A while ago there was a thread I started about the 'puck' lifting point. Glad you got the cover off! Can you take a picture of what's above your shield? What does the lifting point rest on? I'm guessing its the cross member?

 

[inkey$]

Looks good. Was watching a thing on vapour blasting recently. Seemed to say that the process adds some kind of subtle texture to help stop future oxidisation, or am I making that up?!

 

[john-e89]

A while ago there was a thread I started about the 'puck' lifting point. Glad you got the cover off! Can you take a picture of what's above your shield? What does the lifting point rest on? I'm guessing its the cross member?

Correct Z4C, I thought I’d taken a full pic of the cross member but seems not... :roll: you can just see the end of it rear of the steering arm. I’ve got another car on the ramp just now so can’t take a pic, sorry.

 

[john-e89]

Looks good. Was watching a thing on vapour blasting recently. Seemed to say that the process adds some kind of subtle texture to help stop future oxidisation, or am I making that up?!

No you’re correct Inkey$, vapour blasting will keep the piece as is for up to 6 weeks with no intervention. I’ll be offering a spray that lasts up to 12 months that sinks into the alloy. Otherwise it’s a clear coat or regular cleaning as usual. Soda blasting will keep, say, a car door rust free for 3 days before surface rust starts, not bad considering surface rust will start straight away if you sand a panel down to bare metal.

 

[Jollyjoiner]

Looking good matey. I had some engine crank cases done about 8 years ago on the Yamaha RD250LC I had, they came up like new, I then used some engine clear lacquer on them so they stayed that way

 

[john-e89]

Looking good matey. I had some engine crank cases done about 8 years ago on the Yamaha RD250LC I had, they came up like new, I then used some engine clear lacquer on them so they stayed that way

Cheers Nige, have a run up when we’re allowed out of detention, kettles always on....I’ll give all that metal in your legs a clean.... :evil:

 

[Jollyjoiner]

Looking good matey. I had some engine crank cases done about 8 years ago on the Yamaha RD250LC I had, they came up like new, I then used some engine clear lacquer on them so they stayed that way

Cheers Nige, have a run up when we’re allowed out of detention, kettles always on....I’ll give all that metal in your legs a clean.... :evil:

Cheers mate, will do, as soon as we can venture out I'll pop over. As for my leg metal you leave well alone thanks

 

[mr wilks]

A while ago there was a thread I started about the 'puck' lifting point. Glad you got the cover off! Can you take a picture of what's above your shield? What does the lifting point rest on? I'm guessing its the cross member?

Correct Z4C, I thought I’d taken a full pic of the cross member but seems not... :roll: you can just see the end of it rear of the steering arm. I’ve got another car on the ramp just now so can’t take a pic, sorry.

Thought you were a devout Michelin man John :?

 

[john-e89]

A while ago there was a thread I started about the 'puck' lifting point. Glad you got the cover off! Can you take a picture of what's above your shield? What does the lifting point rest on? I'm guessing its the cross member?

Correct Z4C, I thought I’d taken a full pic of the cross member but seems not... :roll: you can just see the end of it rear of the steering arm. I’ve got another car on the ramp just now so can’t take a pic, sorry.

Thought you were a devout Michelin man John :?

Eyes like a frickin hawk...! :lol:

They were already fitted and about 1mm off new tread when I bought the CSL’s 2nd hand Andy, even I can’t justify scrapping tread of that depth.... :roll: They’ve been fine to be fair, can’t really fault them, but they really don’t have the soft grippy feel of Michelin’s, imho, quieter though for sure. When the wheels get refurbed if I keep the car I’ll slap MPS4’s on, for the grip and Mr Marshmallow wallow....

 

[ph001]

Impressive! What's involved with the process of vapour blasting and what chemicals are used?

 

[john-e89]

Impressive! What's involved with the process of vapour blasting and what chemicals are used?

Thank you..!

The vapour blasting uses glass beads, water and compressed air. The beads are mixed with water to create a slurry thats then pushed through a hose and met by compressed air at the nozzle firing it at a 45 degree angle at between 4 and 9 bar depending on the finish required and the condition of the piece to be cleaned. Essentially it’s polishing, all oil and grease is removed in the parts washer beforehand as they can contaminate the slurry and affect the finish. The beauty is it won’t damage or pit the surface and is perfect for even cleaning crank journals it’s so gentle. In a nutshell it’ll bring parts back to as new condition or better. Final polishing can be done for a non standard shine.

 

[john-e89]

If I put the oil cap or that tray in the soda blaster it would ruin them, they’d come out pitted and look like a tiny hailstorm had hit them. The soda is used for stripping paint or rust etc, on, say, suspension arms, furniture, anything really, it’s too coarse for soft metals but still won’t pit wood, I stripped a 100 year old chair and it’s perfect, barely needed even a light quick sanding. The beauty of soda over grit/shot sand blasting is it doesn’t create heat so you could strip a car body to bare metal and it won’t distort the panels, do it with sand and you’ll ripple the panels enough to scrap them with the heat created.

The chair pictured had at least 6 layers of paint, imagine trying to strip those flowers, leaves and all the round pieces with gritpaper or nitromors....!

 

[sars]

They look awesome and the chairs not to shabby either

 

[ronk]

Vapour blasting has been on the go for many years now - 55 that I know of.
I used it on precision die casting moulds (and on my car stuff when nobody was looking)

When I was moved into the Drawing Office I had to sneak in on the night shift!

Degreased in the hot Triclorethylene tank and into the vapour blast = good as new !

 

[john-e89]

Couple of tie bars off the MR2 soda blasted, ready for painting.