What do you suppose a sandblasted B4B would look like? It's painted red now and is the old version B4B so probably not all that pretty before it was painted. I'd be using 20-grit Silica sand and try to keep the pressure as low as possible. Wondering if anyone has done this and what the results were? Will a clear high-temp paint hold up on the finished product? Thinking of trying the same thing on my crinkle black TA valve covers. Sounds kinda half- :moonu: I know.
I did it on a B4B before. It makes the intake look gray. I wasn't thrilled with it. I then put clear on it, made it worse. I think the only thing I've ever seen that makes it look sort of new is glass beading. Anyone else???
Using coarser media will impart a grayish (vs. bright aluminum) tone to the aluminum as noted above. Clearing it makes the gray come out even more...so just confirming the above. Glass beading will give it the bright, silvery aluminum look that new intakes have---but you won't have the protection of any clear or paint. Each way has its own tradeoffs. Patton
You know.... Jim Weise can get a polish job to them, and they really look great. He did mine, dust & dirt wipes right off, no clear coat to turn yellow... :TU:
In my shop i have a shot blaster that i put stainless steel shot in and the manifold looks all most new.Try and find some one in your area that has one with stainless in it.
I glass bead blasted my valve covers, and then used silver engine paint on them.......came out great......the last time I used clear it looked gray and later turned a little brownish. :ball: :bglasses:
I blasted the paint off of my factory aluminum intake that came on my 83 hurst olds. It looked like crap all gray. I then took a wire wheel on a drill and went over the thing and it looked great afterwards. It kinda put a polish on it. May give the wire wheel a try if you have already blasted it.
ceramic media tumble sorry to get off topic of your original question but...I second Jim W's polishing. Here's a pic of my old nailhead timing cover that he ceramic media tumbled for me a few years back....just as a reference to what the aluminum can turn out like.
Like pglade stated the size of the media will affect the color but so will the condition. If you use new glass beads they will impart a shinny finish as if the part were new. If the glass beads have been in the blaster for a while they will turn the aluminum a darker grey color. When you use the older media the metal will also show fingerprints when you touch it. The reason for the color difference is the media actually gets dirty. If you do not have a blasing cabinet then I would suggest you looking into getting one for yourself. They are cheap and media is about 20.00 a bag. It is very convient when you are woring on something to get a nice surface to work with. I am kind of anal and do not like to add paint because it darkens the finish of the aluminum. As far as the pressure I would not be very concearned. I have blasted my intakes before at 100 psi with no ill effects. I did not spend time on the mating surfaces but they were not what I was trying to clean up. Don't know if any of this is usefull to you but just trying to help. Bart
Sand is very aggressive.....I'd use glass beads. Another method is to have the intake Jet-Hot coated.....Awesome results, but at a price!
Where do you get the "media" - glass beads? I've only been able to find silica sand. On the rocker covers: what we need (I would like) is chrome, stamped-steel like the Stage 1 covers, only tall enough to clear the TA roller rockers. I still like them as well as any I've seen. And EASY to keep clean. Thanks.
Blast and powdercoat it in an aluminum finish. Powdercoat will stand up to gas spills and other staining, it also won't have to be maintained like polishing will. Not much of a close up but it looks as good today as it did two years ago when I did it.
How about the new Permastar finish that Edelbrock is now using. See; http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/index.html , go to intakes, then Permastar finish to see examples. They started with just intakes but it looks like they are expanding to w/pumps, valve covers etc. I checked into it last year but there were no shops doing it on a small one item level. They were only interested in volume commercial accounts such as manufacturers of wheels etc. Maybe somebody knows a shop that will do individual items for us. I kept hearing the process was still in it's infancy and not yet available to the small guy but is the technology of the future.
Hey Gary, you can use a small spacer gasket that TA sells that will allow the use of stock valve covers with roller rockers. Also, check ebay, they have new chrome 455 valver covers there.
Gary, For all your blasting needs, www.tptools.com I have their cabinet and dust collection system. Love it!
Hmmm... didn't know about the spacers. I have a set of chrome Stage 1 covers. Just blasted and painted one of the black TA covers today. Did it in engine red with polished aluminum highlights. I like it lots better than the wrinkle black. I'll post a pic when done detailing the engine. #2 will be done tomorrow. Thanks
