Any of you lads do media blasting?

[oldschoolace]

Alreet lads

I've got an idea for some cranks and am looking to get them media blasted with baking soda, walnut shell or something similar to achieve a matt nice flat alloy look but without the overly granulated look of heavier media.

Tried wet or dry and fine wire wool but it's impossible to get a truely even matt look. Don't want to trust them to a company that don't appreciate the finesse needed so who can help me?

[sawzall]

Try a red layered scotch bright wheel on a polishing
Mop clint,great for a satin finish

[oldschoolace]

Cheers Phil will give it a whirl, hopefully it should just get in around the spider. Did think about a light etch with oven cleaner but the parts I have stripped in the past have never had a totally even finish

[Bfellows]

You need to tumble them rather than blast for a nice matt even finish - have a mooch through the yellow pages for metal burnishers

[oldschoolace]

I've actually got a vibratory tumbler and was playing with it this evening but it's not really big enough for a crank arm. I know a company in Birmingham but I plan on leaving the face of the arm and the spider rim polished so would be easier to mask off for shot blasting.

will get a pic of thermal up in a min

[Bfellows]

Awkward sod

[oldschoolace]

Here she is. Want it all matt grey with high polish on the Fuji logo surface

[Bfellows]

Could you not tumble them then re polish the other bits......?

[oldschoolace]

Probably but i hate polishing and the faces are only a wipe over with some peek away from being perfect 

[dp and chopper dude]

Could you attach a container big enough for the crank arms and the media to a sander (or other power tool) and vibrate it that way?
Or even make your own blaster like this one:

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 I'm sure you'd be able to knock something up.

[oldschoolace]

I have already "upgraded" my tumbler with a few mods and it will now vibrate heavy cone shaped media but a bigger bowl would render it useless

might try and find a pal with a compressor and go the homebrew box of baking soda route

[Bfellows]

Must be a decent soda blasters in your neck of the woods?  For the £5 it would cost on a dinner break special I'm sure they'd sort it for you?

[griff]

I've actually got a vibratory tumbler and was playing with it this evening

That's something you don't hear every day 

[oldschoolace]

I've actually got a vibratory tumbler and was playing with it this evening

That's something you don't hear every day 

  have to do it in the man shed, the missus finds the noise I make really annoying 

Think you might be right Bert after a bit of research it looks like this homebrew stuff is very hit and miss if you don't have the right compressor. Will give Phil's idea a go and if not will ask the lads who aquabasted my mags in Stockport.