Blast cabinet on cast aluminum?

[gearheads78]

Looking for advice from those of you that have experience with this. I have several items like a cast intake and some brackets that I want to look new as cast. What have you found to be the best media for this? Thanks

[turp mcspray]

Glass beads.

[sick472]

I have used silica sand with good results. The coarseness of the finished product might be too much for some tastes depending on how rough it was to begin with. Walnut shell should give a softer finish, but I have not actually done that. I would not blast any gasket surfaces or threads with silica or glass when cleaning aluminum and would avoid blasting then at all even with shells or husk media. A couple layers of masking tape will protect those surfaces so long as you do not blast down on the tape, a little grazing will be fine, but not for prolonged moments.

Certainly start with lower air pressures and work you way up to equalize the finish and your patience.

Disclaimer: I assume when you say "cast" you mean that the parts have a very dull/rough surface to begin with and not anywhere near polished.

[nsb29]

Glass beding will make it look like new and won’t hurt the gasket surface I do it all the time don’t use sand it will etch the aluminum