Sandblasting
Organic abrasive granules for sandblasting and shot blasting
Production and sale of granules obtained from corn cobs and walnut shells
Among the different types of abrasives for sandblasting and shot blasting on the market, corn cob granules are the safest because they do not create toxic dust for the body during their use, allowing completely ecological shot blasting, so that it cannot cause health problems for the operator. Given their elasticity, the granules do not shatter on impact, and this characteristic makes them not only reusable (with special sheets placed on the ground), but above all indispensable where normal sandblasting would cause irreparable damage (such as the woolly effect on wood, caused by inert silica granules).
The equipment normally used for sandblasting is very well suited to the use of this product, also because the operator does not have the problem of inert silica granules, which can cause silicosis.
Type of uses:
- To clean boards and beams from rubble.
- To remove paint and varnish.
- To remove the patina acquired by the wood over the years.
- To smooth evenly and highlight the grain on newly cut timber.
- For stripping and cleaning external parts of wooden and fiberglass boats.
- It can also be used for delicate metals such as aluminum
Walnut shell granules, available in the same grain sizes as the cob, are suitable for surfaces that require greater abrasive power.
Equipment
Normal sandblasters are used equipped with a compressor with a flow rate of 3,500 / 4,000 liters per minute capable of providing a maximum continuous pressure of up to 7 atm. The nozzles used have a diameter of 4 mm up to 9 mm. The air outlet pressure varies from 5 atm up to a maximum of 7 atm.
Grain sizes used
Normally, a product with a grain size between 0.4 and 0.7 mm is used, classified as GM/GN30. For sandblasting with an aged effect or with evident scratch marks and for hard woods, type GM/GN20 is used, which has a grain size between 0.7 and 1 mm. For particular finishing jobs, the GM/GN80 type is used, which has a granule size between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.
Consumption
Sandblasting can be carried out in a more or less marked way, consequently the product consumption depends on the type of result you want to obtain. With 20 kg of product you can clean 5 to 10 m2 of surface, consumption varies depending on how much dirt there is to remove.
With a 6 mm nozzle approximately 160 kg per hour are consumed, while with a 9 mm nozzle approximately 300 kg per hour are consumed at a pressure of 6-7 atm. To clean a painted wooden ceiling it takes approximately 4 kg of product per m2.
Benefits
The ever-increasing diffusion of the use of abrasive granules is motivated by various positive characteristics:
- it is a fairly hard material (4.5 degrees on the MHOS scale) and at the same time soft and elastic;
- the granules are clean (absence of dust) and biodegradable;
- they do not cause sparks during their use;
- they do not damage the mechanics of the sandblasters;
- no problem for disposal, being a plant product that can be recycled as urban waste;
- they have a high liquid absorption power, thanks to the particular alveolar structure of the granule cells which can quickly absorb and remove polluting substances, making the cleaning process quicker;
- they are reusable.