Bead Blasting (I think)

M

Melvin Eades

New member
I think it is called "bead blasting" to dull the finish on a stainless barrel. Can anybody explain exactly what it is and how it is done? Can I do it myself with sand blasting equipment? I'm looking at a new rifle in stainless that has a very shiny finish and was wondering what it would cost to dull it. Would appriciate your input.

Thanks.....ME
 
bead blasting is just that, small steel shot...

you can do anything with your rifle you want... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

if you can control the amount of blast you put on it, I see no reason why you couldn't do it yourself... just make sure you clean it well when you finish...
 
Stainless steel looks cool after sand blasting (I do mean sand blasting) but you don't get exactly what you think you are going to get. A few years ago I made a 45acp comp. gun and was looking for a gripping surface without stippling or checkering. So before plating my stainless parts were shot with sand. Wow what an interesting finish. I expected a nice dull stainless steel finish. What I got was a DARK gray almost green finish.

So the point is, you should have something stainless steel bead blasted to see how it looks before you commit to bead blasting your rifle. I'd do it, but you might not like it.
 
If you use steel or metallic media to blast your barrel, the action of the media striking the surface of the barrel etc. will be work hardened. What you have done is compress the grain structure of the barrel metal, simply put you have pounded the surface with tiny little hammers.
You will certainly want to cover up very well with tough tape all of the other surfaces that you don't want to have this effect. Machined fits may not fit! anymore after the process. The spray will act just like over-spray paint.
 
You can certainly glass bead blast your stainless gun yourself. However, the profile of the surface after bead blasting is like little ridges, or mountains, on the surface. If you scrape that very hard you will see a line that will appear less dull, almost like a scratch.

In the end, it's totally up to you.
 
I guess you just need to blast some parts yourself, I've used the glass beads on several guns and the finish is an even matte stainless look. Yes you can get rolled edges and even faint numbers if you don't know what your doing.

Sand does have a distinct look all it's own.

Almost forgot, I have a steel shot machine also if I could suspend parts (it tumbles) the finish would look like rugers target gray.
 
Bead blasting with sand and glass beads does two different things to the metal. Sand blasting is more abrasive and actually cuts the metal (like hitting the metal with a million fine punch pricks). A grain of sand under a microscope looks like a lot like a cockleburr.

Glass bead blasting indents the metal without cutting it (like hitting it with a million little ballpeen hammers).

Sand blasting without plating over it will cause the metal to show wear marks quickly leaving shinny spots on the metal. Glass bead blasting is less prone to developing shinny spots or wear marks on the metal.

I used to own a commercial bluing and plating shop. Whenever I wanted to do a satin nickle finish I would sand blast the part first. If I was doing a stainless part without plating, or if the part was going to be blued, it got glass bead blasted.

Use the smallest blasting rig you can find, wear goves and goggles and a good dust resperator. Inhaling glass bead dust is not recommended.

Practice on a piece of steel enough to get the feel of controling the degree of abrasive action. Start with the blast nozzle about a foot away from the part. Use clean Monterey Sand as it has a more uniform grain size. Don't reuse the sand or glass beads because it just keeps getting finer and finer. You might find some glass beads at a machine shop. Good Luck -- Truckeedan
 
Thanks for the info. I have a little sand blasting kit that works with a regular air compressor so I thought about using it. Will silicon sand work? I just want to dull the finish, if the gun becomes an ugly gun that's ok. I buy a gun to hunt with not to have something that looks pretty. Coyotes aren't concerned about pretty. I thought about painting it but when I shoot a lot of rounds through it at P.Dogs I'm afraid the paint will cause the barrel to retain heat. Do you think that paint will hold heat?


ME
 
Back
Top