# Beadblasting wheels **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [February 27, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593 "2010-02-27T20:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sketchy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sketchy/32/6378_2.png) [@Sketchy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sketchy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/1 "2010-02-27T20:32:47Z")
Im getting a set of wheels froma dude in Maryland in like 3 weeks. I want to have them beadblasted as they are aluminum. Is there anyone in the area that does bead blasting on the cheap?? ---
**Author:** ![AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/amd_is_the_best/32/6342_2.png) [@AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AMD_IS_THE_BEST)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/2 "2010-02-27T20:38:54Z")
I have a set of some sick BBS’ that need some blasting as well. ---
**Author:** ![bennyfizzle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bennyfizzle/32/6291_2.png) [@bennyfizzle](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bennyfizzle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/3 "2010-02-28T06:26:18Z")
why glass bead? just curious. you can totally sand blast aluminum afaik ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/4 "2010-02-28T06:59:54Z")
yea, there is no problem sandblasting aluminum as long as you don’t keep it in one single spot for too long. I did my aluminum wheels just fine. What size wheels are they? ---
**Author:** ![bennyfizzle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bennyfizzle/32/6291_2.png) [@bennyfizzle](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bennyfizzle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/5 "2010-02-28T07:44:22Z")
I would imagine sand being cheaper than glass bead as well? ---
**Author:** ![Singh1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba8739/32.png) [@Singh1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Singh1)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 7:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/6 "2010-02-28T07:54:34Z")
> [@10-15 grand?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/10-15-grand/29531/51): > > Im getting a set of wheels **from dude** in Maryland in like 3 weeks. :rofl thats what i thought i read at first ---
**Author:** ![Sketchy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sketchy/32/6378_2.png) [@Sketchy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sketchy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 8:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/7 "2010-02-28T08:08:17Z")
> [@Need to get inspection tomorrow...?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/need-to-get-inspection-tomorrow/29639/2): > > yea, there is no problem sandblasting aluminum as long as you don’t keep it in one single spot for too long. I did my aluminum wheels just fine. What size wheels are they? They are 15x7 Borbet Type E’s. Im getting a pretty killer deal on them with tires to make the 12 hour round trip to get them. ---
**Author:** ![bennyfizzle](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bennyfizzle/32/6291_2.png) [@bennyfizzle](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bennyfizzle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 8:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/8 "2010-02-28T08:08:55Z")
best be like -15 offset ---
**Author:** ![offroadzj](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/offroadzj/32/6428_2.png) [@offroadzj](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/offroadzj)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 8:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/9 "2010-02-28T08:13:24Z")
I have a sandblaster, but its just a simple one so I could probably do them but it will take a while on each one… lol. When you get them, let me know and I can do one to see what it’s going to take then see about the others. ---
**Author:** ![Sketchy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sketchy/32/6378_2.png) [@Sketchy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sketchy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/10 "2010-03-01T05:57:28Z")
Will do man.Im just waiting for the guy to get back me so I can make the trip to Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/11 "2010-03-01T10:09:45Z")
Walnut shells work great too. takes a bit longer to strip paint or powder coat off alum, but it doenst leave the surface pitted up or rough. Sand will work fine too but like you said keep the gun moving! I dont have a cab yet. wish i did. ---
**Author:** ![AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/amd_is_the_best/32/6342_2.png) [@AMD\_IS\_THE\_BEST](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AMD_IS_THE_BEST)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/12 "2010-03-01T10:12:50Z")
More details on walnut shells please. ---
**Author:** ![votblindub](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/votblindub/32/6280_2.png) [@votblindub](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/votblindub)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/13 "2010-03-01T11:20:00Z")
im looking for soda blasting myself actually for my BBS wheels. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/14 "2010-03-01T12:28:53Z")
> [@FS: EJ20 05 WRX Engine](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-ej20-05-wrx-engine/29634/9): > > More details on walnut shells please. you can get a sac from harbor freight. I think they are like $19 for 20lbs or what ever the big bag is. They are softer than sand but still get the job done. Even on the sections of the wheel that were polished it didnt even faze the metal. It cuts right through the original paint nicely though. ---
**Author:** ![Hank1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hank1/32/6329_2.png) [@Hank1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hank1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/15 "2010-03-01T22:48:26Z")
I would personally use aluminum oxide personally. and u could ask sully what the name of the stuff was that he used. U must use a finer media not matter what on the alum debating on the finish product that ur going for !!. otherwise it will leave a super rough surface. But u don’t have to take my word for it. ---
**Author:** ![Boxersix](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxersix/32/6327_2.png) [@Boxersix](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boxersix)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/16 "2010-03-01T23:15:30Z")
> [@I hate cars......](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/i-hate-cars/29655/57): > > im looking for soda blasting myself actually for my BBS wheels. Soda media really requires a proper cabinet to use. Even too high of humidity will fuck up your gun and cause it to not feed. Our soda blasting machine is a finiky bitch and we spend more time making it work right than actually blasting parts. It’s a big machine though, can fit a Triton V10 block on the turbtable easy, so it’s got alot of volume to absorb moisture. Stick with an 800-1K grit oxide media. Walnut works good too, just set your blaster up for it as it jams easy. You can prework the paint by slathering paint stripper on it and just letting them sit to dry completely. buy a few cans of aerosol paint stripper to make it even easier. It breaks the adhesion and makes the blasting process go 1000x quicker. Piant blasts right off in sheets. ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/17 "2010-03-02T06:38:13Z")
> [@I hate cars......](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/i-hate-cars/29655/81): > > Soda media really requires a proper cabinet to use. Even too high of humidity will fuck up your gun and cause it to not feed. Our soda blasting machine is a finiky bitch and we spend more time making it work right than actually blasting parts. It’s a big machine though, can fit a Triton V10 block on the turbtable easy, so it’s got alot of volume to absorb moisture. > > Stick with an 800-1K grit oxide media. Walnut works good too, just set your blaster up for it as it jams easy. You can prework the paint by slathering paint stripper on it and just letting them sit to dry completely. buy a few cans of aerosol paint stripper to make it even easier. It breaks the adhesion and makes the blasting process go 1000x quicker. Piant blasts right off in sheets. Great point with the paint stripper. Thats exactly what I did too. I used a 1/3 of a can of that Aircraft remover paint stripper. sprayed it on, let it sit a few hours and dry completely. Then whe wheel will look like a 90 year old snatch all dried up, and you can use a fine media to blast it right off. ---
**Author:** ![votblindub](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/votblindub/32/6280_2.png) [@votblindub](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/votblindub)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/18 "2010-03-02T11:23:15Z")
> [@I hate cars......](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/i-hate-cars/29655/81): > > Soda media really requires a proper cabinet to use. Even too high of humidity will fuck up your gun and cause it to not feed. Our soda blasting machine is a finiky bitch and we spend more time making it work right than actually blasting parts. It’s a big machine though, can fit a Triton V10 block on the turbtable easy, so it’s got alot of volume to absorb moisture. > > Stick with an 800-1K grit oxide media. Walnut works good too, just set your blaster up for it as it jams easy. You can prework the paint by slathering paint stripper on it and just letting them sit to dry completely. buy a few cans of aerosol paint stripper to make it even easier. It breaks the adhesion and makes the blasting process go 1000x quicker. Piant blasts right off in sheets. ah, ty for the info, Adam. I’ll look into walnut blasting. Never heard of that though. > [@KrazyKid"](#): > > Great point with the paint stripper. Thats exactly what I did too. I used a 1/3 of a can of that Aircraft remover paint stripper. sprayed it on, let it sit a few hours and dry completely. Then whe wheel will look like a 90 year old snatch all dried up, and you can use a fine media to blast it right off. Yea, I used some on the valve cover for my eclipse to get that black paint off it. It looked absolutely scary when it was peeling up. I used a pressure washer and a rough sponge to get the paint off it, but it worked ridiculously well. You think it will work just as well on my factory wheel finish? ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/19 "2010-03-02T11:38:25Z")
it prolly wont eat all the paint off, the factory stuff is strong. might even be powder coating, not sure. It will eat the shit outa the stuff though and will loosen it to help remove it. power washer up close might remove it… but you be getting covered in acid/paint remover spatter when you shoot the wheel point blank with a power washer! ---
**Author:** ![votblindub](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/votblindub/32/6280_2.png) [@votblindub](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/votblindub)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593/20 "2010-03-02T11:42:34Z")
so, i guess i could go with walnut. maybe we can do a “group buy” type thing where a few of us get in on it once we can wear summer shoes and do it in spring? [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/beadblasting-wheels/250593.md?page=2)