soda blasting

[snopromoe]

i made a soda blaster (real easy) and the results are nothing if not incredible. the aluminum looks like new and the steel is completely rust free and ready to prime. there is no warping or holes blasted thru the material and i even cleaned up a large section of hood where a bad patch with bondo was . it only cleaned the plastic and bondo to like new. best idea somebody came up with and baking soda is cheap  and 5 pounds lasts a long time. give it a try.

[Drifter]

Sorry I'm new...What's soda blasting?

[jimvw57]

Sand blasting only using Baking Soda instead of sand as the media. Much smoother finish and doesn't damage the metal as much, but takes a bit longer

[Lloyd (ljm)]

Do you have pics of your home made blaster?

 I would like more info about it.

 Thanks
 Lloyd

[snopromoe]

soda blasting is exactly that. using cheap ordinary baking soda to quickly clean just about anything without the problems associated with "sandblasting". baking soda is a interesting material that is both very sharp but also very soft. sandblasting with say sand literally beats its way through stuff, it will warp metal and very destructive to anything softer than metal. because the soda is very sharp it will pierce the rust, paint and corrosion away. best off all the cleanup of parts does leave any abrasive residue. to make one just take a SIPHON FEED sandblasting gun, reduce the size of the siphon tube to say 1/4 inch and blast away with ordinary cheap baking soda you can buy just about anywhere. make sure to have a small vent hose in whatever soda reservoir container you are using. I used a 5 gallon plastic homer bucket  with two SNUG fitting holes in the top. one hole sized for a 1/4 inch vent hose and one hole for the siphon pipe hose. the siphon should go to 3/8 above bottom of bucket. grind a notch in bottom of siphon pipe and you got it . 100 psi for air feed and it does cut fairly quickly and you will not believe how it cleans aluminum engines.           good luck all
                                                                                            snopromoe

[tomahawkcat]

where did you get 5lb of baking soda?? not those little box in the store??

[Lloyd (ljm)]

 Any feed store will have it in 25kg bags. Ask for sodium bicarb.

Lloyd

[tomahawkcat]

is that stuff real dusty when you use it?  i tried glass beads before but must of had the pressure to high and it seem like they all broke into dust, lots of dust vents pluged and even came out the top 

[snopromoe]

i wear a light dust filter mask when i use the soda blaster and a face shield. some simple  goggles will work too. baking soda will not hurt your eyes and if you do get a little in your eyes just a little water and your fine ,unlike glass beads or worse sandblasting grit