Topic: Sandblasting head

[70CB750]

Is it ok to have the whole head sandblasted?  Last time - for Red - I head only chambers done before I changed valve guides. Anything wrong with having the head blasted from every side?  Spark plugs in to protect the thread?

[BenelliSEI]

Probably not, I’ve done it with glass bead. Does need a bit of clean up afterwards. I ran it through the “pots and pans” cycle, standing in our dishwasher (when my wife was NOT home).

This week I am trying vapour blasting instead. Anyone local to you providing this service? I’ve seen the results and they are amazing. Will post photos when mine is complete.

[PeWe]

I have got heads glass beaded everywhere when left for restoration.
The shop cleaned it so no small glass particles left.

A nice feeling to get it really clean and shiny. Chambers, ports with new guides and valves.
I painted the head outside afterwards so not too much time spent to blast all small compartments between fins.

Here a friend's restore where the entire top end was vapour blasted. Really nice finish.
I do not remember how the cases where done. I think side covers where vapour blasted too.
He restore and rebuild engines for others so he got the parts like this.

[70CB750]

Thank you, gents.  Gotta give some attention to Dorothy finally. 

And yes, i pushed stuff through the dishwasher few times. It's also great for cleaning military rifle stocks - I am particular to SMLEs.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Not mating surfaces

[Flyin900]

Pictures of Laser cleaning first then glass bead vapor honing on sandcast CL77 head/barrels and cases of motor on my latest project. Shop did a very good job of high pressure clean afterwards, so minimal wash and dry to finish.

I like the dishwasher idea... never thought of that as the final solution. 

[dave500]

i guess if your doing a lot it would be worth buying a used dishwasher just for parts?happy wife happy life!

[pekingduck]

Vapor blasting/honing, soda blasting, sandblasting, bead blasting  - the names and descriptions often overlap and are confusing. Most media used for cleaning can get into crevices and pores, and subsequent blasting can pack them in, folding metal over and trapping them.   

Glass beads especially, which fracture and become a fine abrasive has a history of resurfacing after vibration and repeated heat cycles break them free to enter the oil system.  I would not use sand or glass anywhere near the inside of an engine, or where a bearing is found.  Walnut shell and plastic are much safer.  I'm not sure where baking soda lies.

If you are cleaning the inside of an engine that is dirt stained, and you can't scrub it off, it's probably safer than trying to blast it with media.  Even though a commercial cleaning firm assures its cleaned out, damage to the engine may still occur, maybe even years on.
Just use caution and good judgement.