Letter 37052

Abrasive blasting to prepare aluminum for powder coating [Australia] 

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I paint large sign structures and would like to switch from steel with solvent paints to aluminum structures and powder coat. I don't want to set up enormous dipping tanks or deal with the chemicals, can I use abrasive blasting as a surface preperation for aluminum and steel and powder coat immediately after blasting?

Tony Fischli
sign manufacturer - Inverell, NSW, Australia

The enormous tanks and chemicals, to which you refer, are pretreatments that are required to get good adhesion and long life from painted aluminum.

If you are not ready to invest in the proper treatments, it is better to stay in steel and solvents. The best thing to do would be to find out the paybacks for switching. It may be worth it to switch to save money, and secure your future business, but there will be a learning curve, and and and investment.

Tom Pullizzi
- Levittown, PA

Abrasive blasting of aluminum with media that has been used on steel will then imbed fine steel particles in the soft aluminum. As the media gets dirty you will be pounding organic trash into the soft aluminum also.

Call in you favorite cleaner salesman and buy a non-foaming combination cleaning and phosphating compound containing molybdinum salts. Apply this compound thru a steam cleaner or a hot water spray machine.

Rinse with a water hose. The run off from the steam cleaning apron may be neutralzed with swimming pool soda ash (sodium carbonate), and put on the grass.

Robert H Probert Robert H Probert Technical Services Garner, NC, USA Editor's note:        Mr. Probert is the    author of Aluminum How-To

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