Glass beading my engine

[gearman]

After trying various al. brightners I decided to just blast the engine.75 psi and large beads.






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[Huzo]

Have you been left with a nice "sheen" or has it gone flat and every time you touch it, you're left with smudge marks? It sure as hell looks like a good result...

[rodekyll]

That takes some work.  I'm whittling the blistered paint off a free engine case with the sandblaster.  I've got about 4 hours into it now and it still has reluctant patches.  So I understand the effort.

You might want to have it clear coated.  A zero or low-gloss clear powder coat will keep it looking like that for a long time.

[gearman]

Yes the sheen is wonderfull. You get that by using the right size beads and not too high pressure.It is still new so it will weather. I see that someone here said to spray it with WD40 once in a while to keep the discoloring at bay.Any Ideas?RK, I thought about clear coat but am concerned about soft paint. I did my valve covers a few years ago and the metallic part softened and changed for the worse. Any body do rattle can clear?

[wrbix]

I've always used walnut shell derived abrasive on mechanical parts for fear of glass or sand residua in the nooks and crannies. Walnut shells residua supposedly less damaging to moving parts.

[rodekyll]

I said powdercoat, not paint.

[gearman]

Powder coat means the engine would have to come apart. Right?

[Lee Davis]

In my VW/Porsche engine rebuilding business we always glass beaded the heads before rebuilding. Made them look like new, but in a different sort of way. Never used walnut shells or other items like that, but I think that I would like to try. I am currently setting up a new shop and will make my own blasting cabinet and use glass beads to start on loopframe heads.

[rodekyll]

Powder coat means the engine would have to come apart. Right?

Yes, just like for proper glass beading.

[dsrdave]

+1 on the walnut shells, a couple glass beads in the wrong spot (and it gets EVERYWHERE) can wreak havoc.  Amsoil metal protectant or wd40 every now an then helps retain the sheen.

[gearman]

Yes, just like for proper glass beading.

If you know what you are doing, you can do what I did.No need to take the engine apart. one hour of blasting vs ?????????