Beadblast cleanup, suggestions welcome

[jsmith1107]

Just received my engine cases back from the beadblaster---a lot of very small shards of glass.

So, best way to clean parts to make sure nothing happens when I get this engine back together? Plain water in a bucket? Go to a carwash and blast it?

Ideas?

[Rickytic]

JMHO.....After I did mine, I hosed it off then pressure washed it......Have not started it up yet so the jury is still out on how good and clean I got it. Just water!

[jsmith1107]

yeah, I washed mine up with soap and water pretty good using a brush to get in the small areas and then when I took it out to dry you can still see residue of glass so I guess the car wash it is. I better put on the rainsuit because this will be a mess. Another guy I know said even when you think you have it super clean, best thing to do is change the oil regularly once it is up and running just to be sure.

[LOUD MOUSE]

All the engine parts I blast are dry and I use my air hose to remove any dust or beads on/in the part.
I put bolts in the threads.
(the only part I don't blast is the crank). ....lm

Just received my engine cases back from the beadblaster---a lot of very small shards of glass.

So, best way to clean parts to make sure nothing happens when I get this engine back together? Plain water in a bucket? Go to a carwash and blast it?

Ideas?

[Snakeoil]

I would never second guess LM because he has more miles under his belt than I ever will when it comes to rebuilding engines. But, personally, I would never bead blast an engine case. I would soda blast it after cleaning it thoroughly with solvent, only if it needed it. And so far solvent cleaning is all any case has ever needed. So, if I had a case that was bead blasted, I would blow it out dry as LM has suggested. Then, I would fill up a large container, maybe a large drum, with soapy water (Dove detergent) and totally submerge the case and shake it around and pull it in and out of the bath until my arms hurt. The idea is to have the water sheet off and take any debris with it. The reason LM does things dry is because liquids make things stick to walls. You know how the unmixed powder sticks to the side of the glass when you down a hot chocolate? Same thing, only it's glass inside you engine case.

Regards,
Rob

[LOUD MOUSE]

OK to this.
Second guess!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I do and think about cleaning the cases.
Were I to have a tumbler or any other exotic way to remove stains of the cases I would use them.
I DO blast (round glass beads) where the case has stain enough that the Carburetor CLEANER followed by a bath in the dish washer (in the shop and used for cases and other large parts after they have been in the CARB. Cleaner) didn't remove the STAIN.
I know that MOST of you on this forum don't have the tools I have and as you know I offer what I do when I do my work. (ENGINE REBUILD)
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A blast SYSTEM OR SODA SYSTEM or VAPOR SYSTEM.
Maybe you can spend time with brushes to clean the best you can.
No matter how you clean parts or how I clean parts all of us are limited by what we have available and how we use it to make old parts LOOK/WORK "NEAR TO ORIGINAL PATINA".
AIN'T gonna happen. ...............lm

I would never second guess LM because he has more miles under his belt than I ever will when it comes to rebuilding engines. But, personally, I would never bead blast an engine case. I would soda blast it after cleaning it thoroughly with solvent, only if it needed it. And so far solvent cleaning is all any case has ever needed. So, if I had a case that was bead blasted, I would blow it out dry as LM has suggested. Then, I would fill up a large container, maybe a large drum, with soapy water (Dove detergent) and totally submerge the case and shake it around and pull it in and out of the bath until my arms hurt. The idea is to have the water sheet off and take any debris with it. The reason LM does things dry is because liquids make things stick to walls. You know how the unmixed powder sticks to the side of the glass when you down a hot chocolate? Same thing, only it's glass inside you engine case.

Regards,
Rob

[mike in idaho]

A couple of cycles through the dishwasher works pretty well(best done on a day when the wife isn't home). A fellow, over on one of the britt bike sites, says he likes to lightly go over the freshly cleaned castings with aluminum shot. Says the parts look NEW after that.