TOPIC:

I'm looking for a way to clean up and restore some of my aluminum engine parts. I've seen some DIY instructions for building a simple soda blaster, then I found this hand held sand blaster from Harbor Freight.



The idea of sand blasting without a cabinet sounds like a giant mess, but for soda blasting, I figure that'll just wash away.

Anybody ever used one of these? How's it work for soda blasting?

Topper wrote: I'm looking for a way to clean up and restore some of my aluminum engine parts. I've seen some DIY instructions for building a simple soda blaster, then I found this hand held sand blaster from Harbor Freight.

The idea of sand blasting without a cabinet sounds like a giant mess, but for soda blasting, I figure that'll just wash away.

Anybody ever used one of these? How's it work for soda blasting?

The Harbor Freight soda blaster probably works just fine.

The DIY versions are also interesting.

www.kzrider.com/forum/21-tools/318083-budget-soda-blaster

kawpen.edebris.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2049

www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

www.garagenight.tv/diy-soda-blasting-build-your-own-rig-cheap/

Good Fortune!

I've used that one and 2 others from HF with good results, they have a couple of blast medias there also. I've used the Walnut Shells on a few things, they work pretty good if the part is not terribly gross. I've never tried using Soda though.

I have that same one I use with soda and it will get the job done. Not bad for the price

For $20 you can build a soda blaster and also buy 3 large boxes of baking soda.

Those speed blasters can work "ok" but you run out of media quick. Also, I don't buy specific media for blasting because it costs too much. I buy regular baking soda from the grocery store and $3/bag play sand from Lowes. I have to sift the play sand though but it works great in my gravity feed sand blaster. Sand and soda both wash away.

After you're done, use high pressure air to blow as much of the soda off as you can, then wash the bike big time...if you dont, you'll get soda that can dry and stick to the surface and dam hard to remove.

This sounds pretty promising. Is it safe and controlable enough to soda blast the engine block, head, etc. all in place?

I figure I'll remove the painted parts and mask off most of the stuff I don't want to blast. I assume I'll want to get electrical wires, brake lines, etc. all out of the way or safely covered.

I soda blasted my Z1 like this:

Oooh... shiny!

Did you pull the carbs off? I'm a little worried what the soda will do to the holders and boots.

I buy a 50 pound bag of soda from Harbour Freight for $35. It will do quite a bit before you run out

Topper wrote: Oooh... shiny!

Did you pull the carbs off? I'm a little worried what the soda will do to the holders and boots.

My soda blaster is only 1/2 or 3/8 tubing so you can pin point where you aim it. It's not like a fire extinguisher. lol

I sealed up the top of the airbox or any opening. It will remove some paint, so watch your frame. But you don't need to mask every single thing. Like Medina said, you'll have to wash the crap out of your bike when you're done, all in between the fins and crap. I found some a few weeks later in the header collector. lol

You can do complete wheels too. I did a bunch of MX wheels, but my Z1 rear hub is polished so no soda for that.

Ok, I've picked out my air compressor.

When it comes to a soda blaster, I'm torn between Harbor Freight's $20 hand held blaster and the $40 portable blaster

I know they make a unit specifically for soda blasting, but it's too expensive. I know there's lots of DIY plans out there for soda blasters and they look pretty simple, but I think I (or my wife actually) might want to do a little sand blasting for other projects too.