After the success of my DIY sand blasting box ( I'm now sponsored by B&Q ) Ive moved to soda blasting to get that really smooth satin finish.. I personally push tissue into all the orifaces and then put masking tape over the top.. The soda is very cheap, and not too aggressive.. Pictures below along with my ( thanks to a forum post) home made valve seal puller.. On my 796 I cannot get a deep socket square over the seal which would cause damage.. So I bored and filed out a flat washer to fit just over the rubber but not over the collar.. Worked a treat.. View attachment 33736
This is the original sand blast box.. I constructed it in such a way that I can pipe in the soda powder and use in the box, recycling the powder as you go.. For large items I just construct a temporary tent out of old bed sheets blast away and reclaim what I can... The bottles I use come from macro.. £01.39 a bottle... If I sand blast, or grit... I use Kiln dried sand its so much better than the grit supplied by machine mart etc for £23 a tub... You get twice the sand in a bag, it's ten times better and it cost £04.69 a bag!
I love restoring things so this is ace. Are you doing jobs for members too? Im planning on doing my headlight bucket soon and im sure you would take more care than my local blaster monkey at the powdercoater......
Hi, great ideas are often simple................the engine on my MS is appaling... really badly corroded/flaking/rust etc............just thinking could i blast it with soda while its still in the frame or take out and do........as its water soluble as well could just wash it down after wards...? save alot of hassle......what airline pressure do you use..? cheers....
Soda is alkaline and therefore could well be very corrosive if left anywhere it can attract damp or not cleaned off fully, I don't think it is worth chancing it, a safer method would be something quite inert like media blasting (plastic) or something organic like walnut shells. Here is someone who sells plastic media in different grades. BIP (Oldbury) Limited - since its creation in 1894, BIP has moved on to become a world leader in the supply of thermoset plastics and chemicals with manufacturing and distributors now located worldwide | BIP (Oldbury) Limited
Original hub, sprocket and s arm above, all finished by DIY soda blasting.. Mix it with water and it's... Vapour blasting... Studs nut etc, blasted and then polished via mops on bench grinder... Again... The N@@DS way! I run my compressor at around 70 psi.. It works great, afterwards I attach my parafin gun and give it a real good clean out with machine mart engine/ parts cleanser, very cheap... I then soak it overnight in the same substance before drying it off with airline and then a final dry off with a clean micro fibre cloth.. Lastly a heat proof lacquer.. 24 hrs later.. By the way when I grit or soda blast and recycle the materials .. I collect it up I and put it through a fine flour sieve or, a pair of lady's tights.. Not while she's wearing them though! Just removes any rubbish from the material.. Took the parts to a well known company who restore italian machines to the very highest of standards... Was told, " that's exceptional" they couldn't believe I'd done it myself... Which was nice! As I often have to ask for help, so it's great to be able to give something back.. Not as quick as a pro blast company I'm sure, but, very satisfying.... Enjoy! N@@DS
Can you tell me if you can go straight to soda on the engine without sand? We tried soda at the weekend and it only gave a clean smooth surface, perfect for painting, but not aesthetically good enough to leave as is.
If you want the slightly imprinted finish the yes.. Seal off any areas where sand or grit could damage bearings etc.. I force tissue paper in any holes and seal with masking tape.. Then blast as per soda but with grit or as I use kiln dried sand from B&Q .. Gives a lovely finish which if you wish too you can soda blast afterwards.. If need be flush out part with parts washer or parafin ...
Thanks. We are more concerned about a pure colour that is not stained than the texture. So you say really you need to do sand first?
