# Anyone used portable soda blasters for sandblasting wood?



## TZH (Oct 20, 2009)

I'm considering getting a sandblaster to help clean juniper and pine for my woodworking and saw a portable soda blaster at Harbor Freight that looked interesting to say the least. Baking soda is much more eco friendly, but since I have no experience with this media, I'm not sure how effective it might be versus old fashioned sand. Any LJer's out there who've used baking soda instead of sand, and, if so, what were your results (satisfactory, unsatisfactory, suggestions, etc.)? Thanks.

TZH


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## studie (Oct 14, 2009)

TZH I have that soda blaster but have not used it on wood yet. I'll try it and let you know. I have used it on aluminum wheels with moderate success. I have a larger sandblaster and want to try walnut shell blasting for wood too. Keep up the good work and we all need to share the skill!


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## wmodavis (Aug 28, 2007)

Please tell me why a chemical Sodium bicarbonate, though it does occur naturally, is more eco friendly than sand which also is naturallly occuring all over the world.


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## TZH (Oct 20, 2009)

Studie, thanks for the feedback. I'll look forward to hearing from you again on how effective your soda blaster is on wood.

Bill, I didn't mean to imply that baking soda was the end all eco friendly solution to my problem. All I intended was to try to get some info on whether or not baking soda was effective at removing the crud off the wood I use in my projects. I guess I shouldn't have mentioned anything at all in my post about it being any more eco friendly than sand. Don't want any controversy. Just hope to get some feedback. That's all.

TZH


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## studie (Oct 14, 2009)

I've used brass plated ( solid brass drill brushes are expensive!!!) drill brushes to distress wood timbers & other projects with good success and without the mess of blasting. Also remember that sandblasting with sand or silica medium tend to embed the sand into the wood, not good for tooling further or finishing for that matter. This is why I think a more wood friendly media like walnut shell as a final cleaning would be good. Baking soda has been said to be good for auto body work and can be used even around chrome parts without damage. This makes me think it may be too fine for cleaning up wood, but I am curious now so will try it out.


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

FWIW: I use a wet blaster attached to a power washer (Karcher).
I mainly use crushed walnut shells. I'm cleaning driftwood and Eastern Red Cedar (juniper).


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

hobomonk,
Is the wet blaster an attachment that can be used with another brand of power washer.?


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

*Is the wet blaster an attachment that can be used with another brand of power washer.?*

I don't know.


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