Glass Bead vs Aluminum Oxide for Cleaning Aluminum Parts

Aluminum Oxide vs Glass Bead Blasting

Different blast media will create different finishes on different types of metal. The aluminum part pictured was etched and corroded and need to be cleaned to a uniform surface finish. The section on the left was blasted with 120 Mesh Aluminum Oxide Grit to create a relatively smooth, matte, uniform finish. The section on the right was blasted with Medium Glass Bead to result in a bright, satin-like finish. A simple change of media can result in a dramatic change in finish.