Bead Blast Media & Size

[Pawnee Bill]

Just finished a SS Caspian 1911 build and need to bead blast the frame. What type of media and what size will give me a nice satin finish?

 

[paperpuncher]

I used BT 8 glass beads
Media chart

 

[Toptom]

I just did my first one the other week I believe glass beads were 240 grit.(when I get home I could check and make sure that is right) it was a fine grit for sure with higher psi. I don’t have experience with other grits I read some use course and some use rough that was just what we had in our garage at the time.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Toptom]

All the old info I read on internet pointed me in direction of guys using lower psi with course grits and finer grits being higher psi. Before I put barrel in I played with scrap prices of a junk barrel and Scrap metal adjusting psi and settled on 100 psi, that was as high as I went because highest I read of anyone else using for a finish.

 

[tobnpr]

I use 70-140, roughly 80 grit.
You need to select the size of the beads for the finish you're looking for. Bigger beads, equals deeper more aggressive peening.

I generally run them at 60 psi, sometimes as high as 80 but never higher than that- they'll self-destruct on impact.