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TROUBLESHOOTING SODA BLASTING
1. The most common problem encountered with Soda Blasting is clumping of media due to
moisture contamination. If media stops fl owing, stop all work and "burp" (quickly open and
close) the Purge Valve allowing a minimal discharge of media from the Clear Purge Hose.
Be certain to direct the discharge to a safe area. Placement of the hose in a cardboard box
covered with a blanket is strongly recommended.
2. If a purge fails to restore fl ow, stop all work and close the Throttle Valve fully. You can then
depress the Nozzle Discharge Lever several times which will discharge a quantity of media
under tank pressure clearing the clumping.
3. It is strongly advisable to drain all unused media when completing work as any moisture
present in the tank will drain to the bottom of the tank and can create a solid "cake" with the
media. Should this occur, it will require complete disassembly of the apparatus at the bottom
of the tank for cleaning.
4. If results become erratic or undesirable, remember that there are many variables affecting the
fl ow such as media formulation, hardness of coating, air volume, air pressure and atmospheric
conditions, this process requires a bit of "trial and error" by experimenting with distance, angle
and throttle position. By adjusting Throttle Valve position (Fig. 1) between 1⁄2 and full open and
varying the distance of the nozzle to work surface along with the angle, optimal performance can
quickly be restored. Refer to steps 8 through 11 in the Operation section for the procedure.
WORK AREA PREP AND CLEANUP
1. Soda Blasting generates a considerable amount of fi ne bicarbonate of soda dust. If working
outdoors, be aware of wind direction, open windows, vegetation, vehicles, pets, people and
property. It may be helpful to place a fi ne mist, garden hose lawn sprinkler downwind of the
blasting site to suppress dust generation.
2. It is best to cover the work area under and surrounding the vehicle or object to be stripped with a
3 mil or thicker plastic sheet material to assist in cleanup. You may also wish to tape up window
seals and other areas to keep unwanted dust out of a vehicle.
3. Bicarbonate of Soda itself is virtually harmless to the environment however, in higher
concentrations; it may cause browning of vegetation. Care should be taken to avoid
depositing excess soda on plant life.
4. When fi nished, the plastic sheeting with the used soda media can be rolled up and disposed of,
reducing sweep up time. The remainder should be swept up and disposed of. Any remaining
soda residue is water soluble and can be hosed away.
Important Note: Although the Bicarbonate of Soda blasting media itself is safe in most
situations, appropriate care should be taken when using or disposing as any removed paint
or coating can contain some levels of hazardous materials such as lead, zinc chromate, etc.
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© Copyright 2009 Easthill Group, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
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