The right stuff

The right media makes all the difference in the finish.

Head on the left has been blasted with a cleaning media. On the right is a head blasted with finishing media.

Crushed glass, sand, soda..... leave a dull flat surface. True glass bead of the right size with the right pressure can leave a brilliant surface.








Also, all castings are not equal. Some are softer than others. You can tell immediately when you start the blasting process or cutting the ports with a carbide. The head on the right was one of the hardest castings I've come across. Aluminum is funny stuff when it comes to cast parts.

Something I've noticed about transmission fluid and aluminum too. Often times the bottom of the tappet bores are stained brown. Trans fluid seems to remove that discoloration pretty well.

A cheap and effective way to clean heads, blocks, pistons, etc. is to get a plastic storage tub at Walmart. Get a few gallons of Simple Green. Cut it with about 20% water. Soak the head in it and use a parts brush to scrub on it.

Hose the hell out of it. Don't let the cleaner dry on it. When it's as clean as you can get it, a stiff nylon brush can be used to buff it.

Here's Wireman heading in to get one.. :laugh:

I took your advise last year when i sandblasted my cases. I went with the glass bead. I think it was 60/80. I played with the pressures. It turned out looking real good, maybe even better than factory :lol: Thanks for the tips.

What size bead do you use Larry

peter1958 wrote: What size bead do you use Larry

30/40

I have read on the internet (and you know everything there is true) that blasting aluminum with glass bead can result in glass embedded in the surface. Have you ever run into this problem, or maybe is it the result of using too much pressure? Ed

And heres Larry out test riding a vmax

650ed wrote: I have read on the internet (and you know everything there is true) that blasting aluminum with glass bead can result in glass embedded in the surface. Have you ever run into this problem, or maybe is it the result of using too much pressure? Ed

You can run into that problem with just about any material,thats why its important to clean every place there will be surfaces rubbing against each other.
I also plug ends of valve guides before blasting cylinder heads

650ed wrote: I have read on the internet (and you know everything there is true) that blasting aluminum with glass bead can result in glass embedded in the surface. Have you ever run into this problem, or maybe is it the result of using too much pressure? Ed

Ed....with enough effort, anything is possible I suppose :laugh: Personally I've never had any problems from using glass bead on those heads. It's like anything else....apply common sense to what you're doing and you don't have issues.

Everything should be degreased thoroughly before you blast and it must be flushed properly when you'r finished.

wireman wrote:

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And heres Larry out test riding a vmax

It was really hot that day...what can I say :lol:

LarryC wrote:

650ed wrote: I have read on the internet (and you know everything there is true) that blasting aluminum with glass bead can result in glass embedded in the surface. Have you ever run into this problem, or maybe is it the result of using too much pressure? Ed

Ed....with enough effort, anything is possible I suppose :laugh: Personally I've never had any problems from using glass bead on those heads. It's like anything else....apply common sense to what you're doing and you don't have issues.

Everything should be degreased thoroughly before you blast and it must be flushed properly when you'r finished.

I figure maybe the person who had the problem was using too much pressure. I once had a boss who tried to wash his 6 month old Chevy truck using a 2,000 PSI pressure washer and he bitched like crazy when it blasted off some of the paint. Ed

650ed wrote:

LarryC wrote:

650ed wrote: I have read on the internet (and you know everything there is true) that blasting aluminum with glass bead can result in glass embedded in the surface. Have you ever run into this problem, or maybe is it the result of using too much pressure? Ed

Ed....with enough effort, anything is possible I suppose :laugh: Personally I've never had any problems from using glass bead on those heads. It's like anything else....apply common sense to what you're doing and you don't have issues.

Everything should be degreased thoroughly before you blast and it must be flushed properly when you'r finished.

I figure maybe the person who had the problem was using too much pressure. I once had a boss who tried to wash his 6 month old Chevy truck using a 2,000 PSI pressure washer and he bitched like crazy when it blasted off some of the paint. Ed

Exactly Speaking of that. My neighbor got an industrial power washer to strip paint off his porch. He put on the zero degree nozzle and ripped trenches into the wood :silly:

Powerstroke_fan wrote: I took your advise last year when i sandblasted my cases. I went with the glass bead. I think it was 60/80. I played with the pressures. It turned out looking real good, maybe even better than factory :lol: Thanks for the tips.

You're very welcome