Sand blasting with fine walnut shells

[vw rule 19]

Have any of you used fine walnut shells when doing sand blasting ?

To be honest I've used sand blasters before,

but that was using fine grit, plus it was inside a chamber unit if you know what I mean.

I was thinking of sand blasting my rear axle beam, mainly the inside area = where the torsion bar is.

 

To be honest I've seen a few videos on YouTube, and they say that the walnut shells are best for outside use, as there biodegradable and not like all the others, where there made from more harmful chemicals.

 

But wanted to hear your thoughts on this.

 

Many thanks

 

Si

[a_riot 0]

Have any of you used fine walnut shells when doing sand blasting ?

To be honest I've used sand blasters before,

but that was using fine grit, plus it was inside a chamber unit if you know what I mean.

I was thinking of sand blasting my rear axle beam, mainly the inside area = where the torsion bar is.

 

To be honest I've seen a few videos on YouTube, and they say that the walnut shells are best for outside use, as there biodegradable and not like all the others, where there made from more harmful chemicals.

 

But wanted to hear your thoughts on this.

 

Many thanks

 

Si

 

The shop up the street cleans all the BMWs and Minis with direct injection using walnut shells. I think its what BMW recommends. Seems overly arduous and cumbersome to me. Happy my car doesn't need that every 30k. But they recapture them with a vacuum. I don't think I would use it unless you can guarantee you don't get tiny walnut shell particles everywhere. That'd be a mess! For what you are doing, I think I'd soak it with Simple Green and let it sit, and use elbow grease or a pressure washer if you want the factory look. Walnut shells might not be the tool for that job, but I'm sure it could be made to work if that's all you had to use, and had a lot of time, and enjoyed breathing in dust and tiny walnut particles, vacuuming, cleaning up messes, etc.

[seanl82 23]

I'm pretty sure walnut shells are used for areas where minimal agression is required. Sand or glass media will be fine on the rear beam as it's such a robust item so there is no need to be careful.

[vw rule 19]

Thanks guys for info and advice,

I'll think about it, as A_RIOT says it'll probably make one hell of a mess especially outside on the drive.

It's just trying to get all the surface rust that's up and around the rear torsion bar area,

mainly as space their is so confined,

hence thinking of sand blasting it.

The rest of the rear beam is cleaned up and painted pretty much.

 

Thanks again

 

Si

[vw rule 19]

What a turd I've misplaced my 12mm studding and tooling bits for fitting the rear axle beam bushes, so just to save time I was going to purchase the proper tool but can't see it on Ebay, looks like they sell the tool for doing the MK3 bushes though.

Can you still purchase the MK2 Golf tool or will the MK3 one be ok ??

 

Many thanks

Si