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Letter 37052
Abrasive blasting to prepare aluminum for
powder coating
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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.
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