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Steel Type Media
This aggressive media creates a rough finish that
accepts paint well. The media is very durable and
has a long life; however, it MUST be kept very dry
to prevent rusting. The main types are as follows:
—Steel Grit (8-9): Compared to aluminum
oxide, steel grit is softer and has a low
habit of fracture, which leaves an excellent
etched surface on rubber coatings, paints,
and other coatings. This is a popular choice
for aircraft applications. Steel grit comes in
many grit sizes and hardness.
—Steel Shot (6-7.5): Steel shot is one of
the most widely used media for stripping,
cleaning, and general improvements of
metal surfaces. This media has a rounded-
ball shape and comes in many grades,
sizes, and hardness. In most instances,
this type of media gives the surface a shiny
or polished look. Steel shot peening also
serves as a method to strengthen machin-
ery parts such as impeller fins, bearing
parts, springs, and torsional components.
This media does not create high amounts
of dust and has a superior recycle rate.
Glass and Garnet Type Media
Glass media contains no free silica or heavy met-
als and is non-toxic and inert. This media works
well for soft metals and is a common choice when
critical tolerances of machine parts must not be
affected. The life of this media is limited and is not
well-suited for repetitive screening and recycling.
—Glass Beads (5.5): Just as the name
indicates, this media is round in shape,
chemically inert, and has no dangerous
free silica. The glass beads come in vari-
ous grit sizes and hardness. It is manufac-
tured from lead-free, soda lime-type glass.
Unlike angular abrasives that cut, these
beads burnish and leave a bright finish that
typically will have no dimensional change.
The beads can be recycled many times.
Common applications are honing wood,
blending surfaces, polishing, peening, fin-
ishing surfaces, removing scratches, and
basic cleaning of most materials.
Model G0708 (Mfd. Since 12/23)
—Crushed Glass (5.5): This media is cre-
ated from recycled bottle glass, and other
glass. The media described here has a
sharp cutting behavior, as the particles are
angular shaped. Often this media is used
to remove epoxy coatings, glues, polyure-
thanes, vinyls, elastomers, rubbers and tar.
Surfaces have less imbedded particles with
this media, and as a result, the finishes are
usually very light and clean-looking.
—Garnet (6.5-7.5): This is a very effective
blast media typically used in shipyards
and the oil and gas sector where steel
pipes and fittings must be cleaned. This
media is also used on brick, stone, and
stainless steel. It is naturally occurring and
very dense and hard. The recyclability is
good, and it is a common choice for use in
cabinet-type blast cabinets.
Slag Media
Slag media are by-products of various types of
smelting and coal burning processes. Be aware
that some slag media may contain unwanted by-
products from these processes.
—Copper Slag (7-8): This media is consid-
ered an expendable media and is a very
good alternative to sand media. Copper
slag is a by-product from the copper manu-
facturing process and it is very economical
but non-reusable. Compared to the use of
silica sand usage, it does not present a
silicosis health hazard. Blasting operations
best suited for this media are cleaning rust,
mill scale, and paint from steel. Copper
slag leaves a good surface that is ready to
anchor and bond coatings and paints. The
structure is blocky and sharp-edged.
—Coal Slag (6-7): This type of media is
made from liquid coal slag from utility boil-
ers. The material is hardened and crushed
into a fast-cutting media that is sharp and
angular. This media creates little dust, but
can release hazardous pollutants into the
air. Various grit sizes can be used from
light blasting operations to heavy-duty rust,
paint, and mill scale removal. The resulting
finish is a good surface ready to anchor
and bond coatings and paints.
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