When using sand and glass beads you run the risk of silicosis (sic),
Aluminum oxide and silicon carbide do not have the same risks but the dust
is an irritant. Natural abrasives such as walnut shells have little health
risk. Plastic abrasives the same.
The dirt, rust and paint that you remove offer a variety of risks.
For a description of media and their use go to our site
<http://www.eastwoodco.com> use the category search and click abrasive
blasting. On the page that appears click abrasive media.
Some points to ponder.
Make sure the cabinet is well sealed. (Glass bead makes for a very slippery
floor.)
Use a vacuum system to insure that the broken down media, and debris is
removed. The vacuum required is very small and a small shop vac will do the
job. Too much vacuum will draw out abrasive and gets expensive.
Use a filter system on your vacuum that will stand up to the dust and is
reusable. I use a unit made by Gore Tex costs about $30 and is washable.
It is made for Shop Vac and Craftsman units. This unit works as well as a
Hepa (federal government health association like OSHA) rated filter without
the rating. 43025 is the item number for teh shop vac version,
Use a disposable filter mask while using the cabinet. Each individuals
tolerance to dust and irritants is different. I am very susceptible to dust
and chemicals and must use a filter mask.
Use a incandescent light source so you can see the part well and speed up
the cleaning time. The less time at the cabinet the less exposure.
A question for the list. What other information would you like provided
about this process We have a lot of material available that comes with the
cabinets and can put it up on our site. I also have too many hours logged
in front of a cabinet cleaning parts and am more than willing to share the
how to information. Let me know what you need and we will put it up on our
site. If you have any comments on the media presentation or if other
questions still exist please e mail me or <techelp@eastwoodco.com>
Curt Strohacker
Eastwood Company
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