# Beadblast or not?



## Keith A (Aug 14, 2017)

Good Morning folks, 

I made a recent purchase of a Craftsman/Altas 12 inch lathe.  The gearing all was good but it was stuck in back gears and after a little dissection I found the eccentrics were frozen in place and the back gear shaft completely shot underneath the lever end.  It appears the eccentrics had frozen and one of the past owners tried to drill into one of them and insert a setscrew so it might turn.   If I get a chance I will post the picture of these two parts what a mess.   The Clausing folks had the parts I needed for a few bucks and they are on the way.  

Anyway since I have the headstock mostly apart I was thinking of repainting everything.   

It has two coats of paint with the last coat brushed on terribly and flaking.  

When I got my Delta Drill Press when I was 22, long long ago, I restored it, changed all the bearings and took it down with glass beads to bare metal.   I was a kid then but even today I felt like I did a good job.  Used duct tape, masking tape, and corks to insure machined surfaces that were not supposed to be beaded didn't get beaded.  Painted with Rustoleum.  The thing still looks good today 28 years later.   

I was planning on doing the same for the lathe.  I was thinking Rustoleum gray again.  Close enough to its original color. 

Any thoughts on whether to blast bead the parts or use a different means to remove the paint?

Thanks


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## tq60 (Aug 14, 2017)

Just spray oven cleaner on it.

Sams has a 3 pack of grill cleaner for 9 bucks that is the best deal and it works very well.

Spray let soak scrub then rinse repeat.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## brino (Aug 14, 2017)

Hi Keith,

Sorry I have never done a bead-blast on a machine, so I'll leave that for others to comment.

I just wanted to say.....Welcome to the Hobby-Machinist!

I believe the key to the drill press looking good so many years later is: i) the original restore done well, and ii) it has an owner that takes care of it. Good to know that that lathe does now too.

-brino


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## tyler machine (Aug 14, 2017)

Bead blast will still peen the surface somewhat. It might be better to use soda blast, if it's available.


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## 4GSR (Aug 14, 2017)

tq60 said:


> Just spray oven cleaner on it.
> 
> Sams has a 3 pack of grill cleaner for 9 bucks that is the best deal and it works very well.
> 
> ...



That grill cleaner has lots of caustic in it.  If you decide to use it, don't leave it on very long and it will eat up any aluminum in it's sight.  Water rinse, then go back over with a mild detergent with another water rinse to make sure all of the caustic is removed.  Be sure to coat bare metal surfaces immediately after cleaning.  Then paint.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 14, 2017)

The caustic will attack any alloys with aluminum or zinc in them. Craftsman had quite a few Zamak components in their lathes and if you want to use an oven cleaner type cleaner, strip the lathe down to the bare casting.first.


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## Keith A (Aug 16, 2017)

Thanks all for the replies and the warm welcome.  Yes Soda Blast is available and I will try that first.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 17, 2017)

Hi Keith, welcome to the forum.
i would resist the urge to use any blasting media on the ways and mating surfaces.
the exterior surfaces are fine to do as you please.
i'd like to see pictures of the process if you can post them!


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## Keith A (Aug 18, 2017)

Thanks Mike,  Yes I would definitely not use media on the ways and machined surfaces; not even blasting soda.   I have not taken many photos because I was not really planning to take her down to bones.  I will try to put some together.


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## Keith A (Aug 19, 2017)

Here are a few of the machine when I first purchased it.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 19, 2017)

she looks like she's in pretty good shape, congratulations!


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