Vapor Blasting of Aluminum Parts

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Spectacular results, Nils.

[jt]

Oh My !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wowzzzzeeerrr

[Mouse]

Looks awesome

[NobleHops]

Thank you lads!

[NobleHops]

And now with no further ado, more vapor blast goodness!

Got an entire Honda CB550 engine in a couple of weeks ago, some disassembly required (which is no problem):

Removing the valves from the head.



Before:





Cases after cleaning, bolted and plugged up, ready for further processing:



Yes, these get masked before processing...



...like so:



Ewwwww








Ahhhh














N.

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

I can't get over how "finished" the parts look after the blasting. Bolt 'em together and go.

Nils have you got any pics back yet from your customers of reassembled engines or bikes?

[NobleHops]

I can't get over how "finished" the parts look after the blasting. Bolt 'em together and go.

Nils have you got any pics back yet from your customers of reassembled engines or bikes?

Yaknow, I don't! I will follow up and ask, for sure some must be on the road by now. Good idea Steve!

N.

[NobleHops]

OK, time for an update - we have been busy on a number of projects, having fun too.

Did a fun project for a customer with holed XR600 cases: He bought a used set of good cases, had them shipped directly to us and we vapor blasted them and sent them along to him. He was pretty psyched.







Helped a local customer with his cafe build - pulled his engine from his bike, soda blasted it, painted it, vapor blasted the valve and sidecovers, put it back in the bike. He was also pretty psyched







Have been dabbling in some automotive work - this is a throttle body and valve cover for a Miata that was dropped into a Sunbeam...





...and an intake for a Sunbeam (I think?)





These folks were (you guessed it!) PRETTY PSYCHED!

Met a very cool cat at a swap meet - an airhead guru. He sent me his transmission case in advance of a tech day he was hosting for a bunch of guys.








I confess I have fallen into deep like with American aluminum, as used by Harley Davidson. We masked these cases to preserve the Glyptal and blasted them on their exterior:





And nobody doesn't love a Honda CBX. By 1979 Honda was using some really nice quality metal and it is very much on display after vapor blasting it spotless:









Shall we have Italian? Tasty Moto Guzzi valve covers are on the menu:





Over on the other side of the shop, we are nearly finished with the restoration of another lovely little Honda CB400F:



...and we recently installed a vibratory polisher, aka a 'tumbling tank'. With this we can restore a smoother, shinier finish to sidecovers and wheel hubs and similar parts after vapor blasting that is much closer to the original finish. There's no charge for this service, at the customer's election.



Vapor blasted:



...and then tumbled:



And THAT is what's been going on lately at RestoCycle

[Michael Vidovic]

Very cool!

[NobleHops]

Very cool!

Thanks Michael!

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Nils, it is great to see someone really enjoy their work.
Does the tumbling process smooth the finish so much that a clear or paint would not adhere as well?

[barryadam]

The vibrator is really cool. Have you tried other media to get a variety of finishes?

Barry

[NobleHops]

Steve - I would say "I think you are correct" but then again, aluminum is usually chemically etched before painting. I think it would be fine.

Barry, I have different media and chemistry more suitable to steel on hand, haven't had a reason to try it yet. I'm using ceramic spheres and burnishing compound which are optimum for aluminum, there's nothing I'm aware of that's going to create as nice a finish and work as gently.

[barryadam]

Walnut shell is usually blasted, but I wonder how it would work in the vibrator on aluminum.
I could have given you about 25 lbs of it. Maybe I'll have to drive to Tucson with the rest of my CBX cases and motor parts!

Barry

[Jeff Bennetts]

Hmmmm Nils, I'm getting ready to pull the the valve covers from my 4.6 Mustang, the natural finish of the aluminum covers are getting dull and stained looking. I was thinking of a black wrinkle finish but the finish you are showing off here has me wondering.

Your stuff looks great Nils.