[av8bpilot]

Dorkis,

Wondering if anyone has a good source for vapor honing in the area? I went and bought myself (another) project car that's in need of a lot of aluminum part cleanup and would like to get most of it vapor honed. I've called a couple local blasting places, but have struck out thus far.

Thanks!

[Vicegrip]

Is there a reason vapor blasting is a requirement?

[av8bpilot]

Mostly because they’re bare aluminum components with a fair amount of light surface corrosion and grime. Everything I’ve seen seems to point to vapor blasting being the best goto for cleaning them up without any risk of grit deposited in the block pieces and shining it up at the same time. My last block, I got soda blasted, but wanted this one a little shinier and finished looking. I’m certainly open to input though.

[edevinney]

I've never met this guy but mean to as he's in the next town over and his work on BaT looks quite good. Not local for you, though - diametrically opposite Solomons...

https://motorelic.com/other-services/

[Vicegrip]

“Vapor” is simply wet media blasting. Same media is use just with liquid added. It’s early adoption/adaptation was to control dust. If you are cleaning a complex part that has oil passages for example I would use a method that 100% media removal is assured. This is where CO2 and baking soda is good. One changes state to a gas and the other dissolves

I like the finish medium glass bead leaves on cast aluminum. Will never clean a complex oil wetted part with it. Will do heads it I also pressure wash and ultrasonic tank them after. There might some shops that have the proper equipment to 100% clean the parts of all media.

[av8bpilot]

Valid concerns and always lingering in the back of my mind. The main reason I want to farm leave my own blasting cabinet out of the running.

The motor I'm working on is air-cooled, with removable bores, and has minimal (and short) short oil passages that I will clean thoroughly before install. Really, there's only one oil passage in the whole block, with 3 plugs that will all be removed for cleaning. The last block like this I had soda blasted and it didn't quite get the finish I was hoping for. Since this one will be a more 'refined' restoration, the new look fits in better.