Originally Posted by
rubenec_85
It came with those shifters, it was blasted with sand, it was the only placed I found here in Costa Rica, I'm aware that there are better blasting materials such as plastic, but sand was my only option.....
Goodness! sand isn't the issue, it's knowing how to do it, that person did not.
Media matters, but a clean job can be done with sand/glass
Most blasters do a lot of steel and not so much aluminum so they don't retune for the metal.
Firstly, start with an empty pot. whatever your normal blasting pressure is, drop it by 35 to 40%
Always use used sand on aluminum. Second or third generation used is better than new.
Turn the volume up on your sand, 10 to 20% this gives a billowing effect and makes for a nice smooth post blasting surface.
Blasting isn't my living anymore, but I've done a lot of aluminum using sand.