Source for inexpensive blast media?

[mytoys]

Hi all,

I bought one of those small Clarke 20 gallon sandblasting units like they sell at Northern tool and Tractor supply. I can get the sandblasting media from tractor supply but it's pricey and the largest quantity they sell is 50lbs. Anyone know of a supplier of media locally or online that will ship? I need no larger than 80 grit. Thanks for the help.

 

[MrJimi]

Have you tried Lowes or Ace hardware or a concrete supply yards in south Ct.
and shipping would kill the good online prices if it arrived without holes in the bags
Jim

 

[john_bud]

Is that a suction unit or a pressure unit? I used to use a suction one that was about that size and it sucked. Uh, well sure, that is the point I guess, but I mean it didn't work very well either. Used a lot of air and a lot of sand and didn't take off much paint / rust.

Bought a 100# pressure unit and it uses about 1/2 the air and 1/3 the sand and takes off 2-3x the paint/ rust.

There is a new media called "Black Max" or "Black Blast" that is the cinders from coal power plants. It cut's better than sand and is not harmful to your lungs like sand is. Sand powder will fill your lungs and has no way to get out. Picture cement hardening in there. Not good.

jb

 

[gatcoequip]

The name is "Black Beauty". Check your local heavy duty truck repair shop. I buy mine there locally. I shift mine though a window screen to remove any large chunks.

 

[Danno1]

.

Black Beauty's not new. I used to buy it at the local tool rental place 20-25 yrs ago.

.

 

[bjcsc]

The lower end blast units will not blow black beauty (coal slag). Even the fine grade has irregular shaped particles and you'll spend as much time clearing the nozzle as blasting (BTDT). It is the cheapest media, though ($11/100lbs). The stuff we use is called Star Blast. You can blow the medium or fine through the appropriate ceramic nozzle. It's ~$8/50lb bag...

Try one of these:

1. Dawson-MacDonald Co., Inc. - Wilmington, MA (Serving Connecticut)
Distributor, Service Company
Dawson MacDonald Products
Company Profile: Distributors of abrasive blasting machinery & systems for surface preparation & shot peening. Offers all commercial grades of blast media in all sizes & hardnesses. Other products include dust, mist...

2. Harrison Hager, Inc. - Clinton, MA (Serving Connecticut)
Distributor, Manufacturers' Rep
Harrison - Hager, The Particle People
Company Profile: Distributor of aluminum oxide, glass beads, garnet, plastic, zirconia, silicon carbide, crushed ceramic & glass sandblasting abrasives. Applications for lapping, wet or dry blasting. Abrasives...
Brand Names: Electro, Treibacher, Unical, San-Deb, UK Abrasives, Saint-Gobain

3. Composition Materials Co., Inc. - Milford, CT
Distributor, Manufacturer
404 at Composition Materials
Company Profile: Manufacturer & distributor of abrasives & blasting equipment. Abrasives include walnut shells, walnut shell grits, pecan shell grits & flour, apricot shell grits & plastic. Plastic grits are...
Website Links: Distributor Locator

4. Fastenal - Multiple Locations
Distributor, Manufacturer, Service Company
Products | Fastenal
Company Profile: ISO 9001:2000 & 9003 certified worldwide distributorof sandblast abrasives. Types include sand blast guns, sand blasters & sand blasting nozzles. Blast guns include abrasive blast machines, suction...
Brand Names: Dee-Blast, MARCO
Website Links: Online Catalog

5. Logan Steel, Inc. - Meriden, CT
Distributor, Manufacturer, Custom Manufacturer, Service Company
Company Profile: Manufacturer & distributor of sandblasting abrasives. Steel service center supplying carbon, stainless steel & aluminum bar, tube, pipe, plate, angles, channels & sheet.

6. New England Metal Finishing, Inc. - Windsor, CT
Distributor, Service Company
Company Profile: Distributor & Service of aluminum oxide, garnet, glass beads, silicon carbide & plastic sandblasting abrasives.

7. New England Silica, Inc. - South Windsor, CT
Distributor, Service Company
Company Profile: Distributor of sandblasting equip., safety supplies, sands, aggregates, abrasive media, landscaping stone, concrete pavers & wall block systems & supplies.
Brand Names: Black Beauty, Boride, Bullard, Empire, Starblast, Wheelabrator/Hutson, Solidstrip, MSA

8. Associated Chemicals & Abrasives, Inc. - Branford, CT
Distributor
Company Profile: Distributor Of Abrasives; Metal Finishing & Prefinishing Service
Brand Names: Exolon

9. B.C.S. Co., Inc. - Thompson, CT
Distributor, Manufacturer, Service Company
Company Profile: Stocking distributor of aluminum oxide, silicone carbide & organic sandblasting abrasives.

 

[kossetx]

I never could get my unit like that to work. Let me know the trick if yours does.

 

[john_bud]

.

Black Beauty's not new. I used to buy it at the local tool rental place 20-25 yrs ago.

.

You big city boys get all the new fangled stuff ahead of us country types! Why, I even heard about some sort of device that city folks have that allows you to talk to people, supposed to work just like a phone! Can you believe it? Yup, heard it Saturday night while listening in on the party line....

jb

 

[mytoys]

All,

Thanks so much for the responses.

bjcsc - wow, thanks for taking the time to provide so much info, much appreciated. As you mentioned the black beauty stuff doesn't work for me. It's to big and i spend all my time clearing the nozzle.

kossetx - If you use a media that is 80 grit or smaller your blaster should work. Mine works great with the right media. Sometimes i have to wait a minute for the compressor to catch up but i'm only using it occasionally for my own stuff.

Thanks again

 

[MrJimi]

And I would like to add, that when you use that black stuff!! you will look like a BLACK person and so will your lungs.. and everything else in your shop...
Please becareful with this stuff
Jim