Vapor Blasting aluminum vs Dry Ice Blasting

[Nicad]

I have several aluminum parts I'd like to refinish for both my E9 and right at the moment an engine block and carburetor bodies for a motorcycle I'm hoping to finish this winter. My goal is to have it looking 100% like the day it was new vs better and shinier. I have a Bead blast cabinet and am quite familiar with how this renders parts and strips away the original properties. Would Vapor blasting do the same thing to these parts more or less? Anybody have parts done by Dry Ice blasting?
Tia

 

[Breiti]

Vapor will not give you the result you looking for.
Dry ice is the best to get rid of old debris with oil mixed from last 50 years.
But that is expensive and need planning.
But dry ice will not remove oxidation.

So the best way is to clean with chemical and pressure washer and them blast the part with glas bubbles <200 um

Breiti

 

[boonies]

I converted my dry blast cabinet to vapor hone and am very pleased with the results that I get.

I am able to use various media, but for aluminum parts you would want to use a fine mesh glass bead to finish properly. The results are striking. Here is a pair of BMW 3.0 intake manifolds before & after.

 

[rsporsche]

very nice result @boonies

 

[Krzysztof]

I converted my dry blast cabinet to vapor hone and am very pleased with the results that I get.

I am able to use various media, but for aluminum parts you would want to use a fine mesh glass bead to finish properly. The results are striking. Here is a pair of BMW 3.0 intake manifolds before & after.

Very nice...

but how to protect such a look for years inside engine bay impacted by different chemistry and temperatures?

Paint will change the look (even transparent).
Wax has to be renewed and will collect dirt.
Maybe to anodize them (OE?) or other way for chemical passivation.

 

[boonies]

Very nice...

but how to protect such a look for years inside engine bay impacted by different chemistry and temperatures?

Paint will change the look (even transparent).
Wax has to be renewed and will collect dirt.
Maybe to anodize them (OE?) or other way for chemical passivation.

Great question. So far I have used Cerokote clear on the vapor honed aluminum parts. If others know of a better solution please share!

I have also been vapor honing the other steel parts to clean them and prepare them for zinc plating and yellow chromating. Here is before & after on the throttle linkage pivot (down low on the engine).

First image: As Installed

second image: cleaned of grease in solvent tank

Third image: after vapor hone, then soaked in grease remover, then acid dipped, then zinc plated for about 30 minutes after which a yellow chromate (passivate) dip for further protection and to match original finish.

 

[Stevehose]

For my cleaned, bare aluminum parts, I just polish them for a few minutes with metal wax every 6 months or so - I don't like mine cleared, painted or too bright.

 

[nosmonkey]

A lot of people have good results with cerakote. For my vapor blasted bits I use a satin clear and have always been happy with the results

 

[Krzysztof]

Great question. So far I have used Cerokote clear on the vapor honed aluminum parts. If others know of a better solution please share!

I have also been vapor honing the other steel parts to clean them and prepare them for zinc plating and yellow chromating. Here is before & after on the throttle linkage pivot (down low on the engine).

For how long Cerokote lasts in the engine bay-located parts?

 

[boonies]

I have only been using for a couple of years. So far no degradation.

 

[Nicad]

Very nice...

but how to protect such a look for years inside engine bay impacted by different chemistry and temperatures?

Paint will change the look (even transparent).
Wax has to be renewed and will collect dirt.
Maybe to anodize them (OE?) or other way for chemical passivation.

On my 2002 I have given the intake manifolds and valve cover an Alodine coating. From what I believe this is how they came originally. This is used on aircraft to keep aluminum from corroding and it was what we did to all the aluminum parts even if they were to be painted at an aircraft museum I used to volunteer at (Lancaster FM104 restoration)

 

[bluecoupe30!]

On my 2002 I have given the intake manifolds and valve cover an Alodyne coating. From what I believe this is how they came originally. This is used on aircraft to keep aluminum from corroding and it was what we did to all the aluminum parts even if they were to be painted at an aircraft museum I used to volunteer at (Lancaster FM104 restoration)

Gotta love the Avro Lancaster reference!

 

[Stevehose]

On my 2002 I have given the intake manifolds and valve cover an Alodyne coating. From what I believe this is how they came originally. This is used on aircraft to keep aluminum from corroding and it was what we did to all the aluminum parts even if they were to be painted at an aircraft museum I used to volunteer at (Lancaster FM104 restoration)

Very nice, how is it applied?

 

[Nicad]

Gotta love the Avro Lancaster reference!

Gotta love the Avro Lancaster reference!

Hey that Lancaster is now in your neck of the woods if you want to take over! I never did finish the fire arrestor in the mid upper turret! (Quite an interesting part), which I theoretically still own (As I helped procure it from a burnt out wreck in California)

Catching up to Lancaster FM104 at BCAM

Historian and CAHS Secretary John Chalmers visited the British Columbia Aviation Museum this Fall, remembering the history of their Lancaster FM104.

www.cahs.com

 

[Nicad]

Very nice, how is it applied?

It is really as simple as can be. Best practice is to start with an etching acid called Alumiprep 33, then soak or brush the part with the Alodine and water solution for a few minutes, then rinse well. Not fumey and relatively safe from what I remember.

 

[Breiti]

I don't think so that alodine was used original.
That leave a yellow finish, didn't it?

Breiti

 

[nosmonkey]

I don't think so that alodine was used original.
That leave a yellow finish, didn't it?

Breiti

The yellowing was cosmoline applied to the aluminium as a protective wax that darkened with age

 

[Nicad]

I don't think so that alodine was used original.
That leave a yellow finish, didn't it?

Breiti

No, the finish does not have a Yellow component when using the Henkel Alodine 1001 solution (Clear).
From the company "Henkel Bonderite M-CR 1001 Aero, also known as Alodine 1001, is a nonflammable, chromic acid based, coating chemical that will produce a chrome conversion coating on aluminum and its alloys. The coating formed by Bonderite M-CR 1001 is clear in color and it becomes a part of the aluminum surface."

 

[stphers]

Interesting stuff, where did you buy it from? Can you get it in Canada?

Thanks, Rick

 

[Nicad]

I don’t remember where I bought it, but it was online and shipped to me. If you are local I have plenty you can use.