Sandblasting ???

[Noob2PC]

Does the medium you use for sand blasting make a difference? I used clean play ground sand and it worked ok I guess. This is my first time and I felt it should have worked better. I had my pressure set for 100. My cabinet I made worked grea though!!!

[dagobert]

Yeah, it can make a difference, but the key to it is what you are trying to use it on. For striping, a good Aluminum Oxide like a 120 grit is a good choice, unless it is a soft surface. Then, you can step down from glass bead to walnut shells, and some people even have success using talcum powder for really fine finishes. There are a lot of people on here more knowledgable than I am to ask, but compared to the playground grade sand, I think you'd be happier with other options. Best of luck with it.

[Noob2PC]

Guess Im glad it was given to me then will check out other options

[skiddz]

Lose the playground sand. It's got a very high silica content and can lead to silicosis (fills your lungs with scar tissue) if you breathe the dust. At a very minimum, get yourself a decent respirator or switch to coal slag or aluminum oxide.

I blast Aluminum Oxide and glass bead and *always* use a half-mask respirator.