aluminum oxide media question

[corybarta]

I am currently using garnett as a blasting media and it is VERY dusty, even with a vaccum. I am thinking about trying aluminum oxide. Is it dusty and will it work on blasting aluminum parts. thanks, any info would be great.

[pickleboy]

no and yes. no its not as dusty and yes you can use it on aluminum. keep in mind though that it is more coarse than garnet and will roughen the surface up more so i would shy away if you want to shoot transparent colors unless you chrome base them.

[corybarta]

thanks, I think I am going to get a 50 pound bucket of it. The garnet is real dusty and I am worried about the silicosis from it. That and it plugs up my vacuum very quickly.

[boink]

I don't believe that garnet will cause silicosis. It has to do with silica based media.

I currently use garnet and I don't notice much dust... but I have a dust collecter on my machine....maybe I just don't notice it.

[mtnbiker]

Want to talk about dusty... glass bead is ultra dusty. Will not use it again. Alum Oxide was much better in that regards.

[corybarta]

I just took out all of the garnet and put in 100 pounds of alluminum oxide, much better, I can almost leave my vacuum off. I strips alot better also. I will never go back to glass or garnet. thanks