Bead Blast Finish: Complete Guide & Tips

What Is Bead Blasting?

Bead blasting is a way to make metal parts look nice. It uses tiny round beads that hit the metal fast. This makes the metal clean and smooth.

When you bead blast, you shoot small beads at a part. The beads can be made of glass, ceramic, or plastic. They hit the part and make it look matte instead of shiny.

Bead blasting works on many things. It works on metals like steel and aluminum. It works on plastics too. Even glass can be bead blasted. This is why many people use it for .

How Bead Blasting Works

To do bead blasting, you need:

A blast cabinet (a box where the blasting happens)
An air compressor (makes air push the beads)
A nozzle (where beads come out)
Beads (what hits the part)

Here are the steps:

Put your part in the cabinet
Put on safety gear
Turn on the air
Spray beads at your part
Move the nozzle around to hit all spots
Stop when it looks good

The pressure matters a lot. If you use too much, you can hurt the part. If you use too little, it won’t work well.

The size of beads matters too. Big beads make bigger marks. Small beads make a finer finish. For most jobs, No. 8 glass beads (70-100 mesh) work best.

Why People Use Bead Blasting

People use bead blasting for many reasons:

To clean parts (get rid of dirt, rust, or paint)
To make parts look better (nice matte finish)
To get parts ready for painting or coating
To make all parts look the same
To remove burrs (sharp edges)

Many car parts get bead blasted. It helps wheels look nice. Engine parts get bead blasted too.

Medical tools often get bead blasted. It makes them look clean and professional.

Electronics housings often have a bead blast finish. The Apple MacBook has this kind of finish.

Bead Blasting vs. Other Ways to Finish Metal

There are other ways to make metal look nice. Let’s see how bead blasting compares:

Finish Type	How It Looks	Good For	Not Good For
Bead Blast	Matte, even	Most metals, delicate parts	Heavy rust
Sand Blast	Rougher, more texture	Tough rust removal	Thin materials (can warp)
Shot Peen	Similar to bead blast	Making metal stronger	Keeping exact size
Polish	Shiny, mirror-like	Nice looks	Hiding scratches
Brush	Lined pattern	Modern look	Hiding deep marks

Bead blasting is safer than sand blasting. Sand can cause a health problem called silicosis. Glass beads don’t cause this.

Bead blasting is also good for the earth. You can use the same beads many times. Glass beads can be used 3-5 times before you need new ones.

Good Things About Bead Blasting

Bead blasting has many good points:

It doesn’t hurt thin materials
It gives a nice, even finish
Paint and coatings stick better after bead blasting
It’s good for the earth (beads can be used again)
It works on many kinds of materials
It can get into small spaces
It’s not too costly

When parts need to look good or need paint to stick well, bead blasting is a great choice. This is why it’s used for aluminum CNC machining.

Not-So-Good Things About Bead Blasting

Bead blasting has some bad points too:

It makes dust that can be bad to breathe
You need safety gear (mask, gloves, eye protection)
It’s not great for heavy rust
It can change the size of parts a tiny bit
It can make stress in the metal
It needs special tools and space

If you need to get rid of thick rust, you might need a tougher way like sand blasting or metal CNC cutting.

Staying Safe When Bead Blasting

Bead blasting can be safe if you do it right. Here’s how:

Always wear a mask that keeps dust out
Wear eye protection to keep beads out of your eyes
Use ear protection (it’s loud)
Wear gloves to protect your hands
Make sure the area has good air flow
Use a dust collector to catch tiny bits
Check the cabinet seals so dust can’t get out
Don’t eat or drink in the blast area

OSHA (the safety people) says you need special filters called HEPA filters when you bead blast. These catch very small dust that can hurt your lungs.

Picking the Right Beads

Not all beads are the same. Here’s what to know:

Glass Beads

Most common type
Good price
Give a nice finish
Not as tough as ceramic
Sizes from 70-325 mesh
Good for soft metals like aluminum

Ceramic Beads

Last longer (42% longer than glass)
Cost more at first but save money later
Give a similar finish to glass beads
Good for lots of use
Better for harder metals

Plastic Beads

Very gentle on parts
Don’t change the size of parts much
Good for soft materials like plastic or wood
Don’t last as long as glass or ceramic
Cost more than glass beads

For most jobs, glass beads are a good place to start. But if you do lots of blasting, ceramic might save money over time.

Real-World Use: Car Restoration

Here’s a real story about bead blasting:

A car shop needed to fix old aluminum wheels. The wheels had old paint and some corrosion. They tried sand blasting at first, but it warped some wheels.

They switched to bead blasting with glass beads. It took a bit longer, but it:

Removed all the old finish
Didn’t warp the wheels
Left a nice surface for new paint
Didn’t change the wheel size

The car shop now uses bead blasting for all aluminum parts.

Questions People Ask

Can bead blasting remove rust?

Yes, but only light rust. For heavy rust, you might need sandblasting or CNC plasma cutting to cut away bad spots.

How long does a bead blast finish last?

It depends on what the part is made of and where you use it. With a good seal or coating, it can last for years. Without a seal, it can start to change in months if used outside.

Can I bead blast at home?

Yes, you can buy small home blast cabinets. They cost about $100-$300. You’ll also need an air compressor. But big jobs are better done by shops with professional equipment.

Will bead blasting remove scratches?

It can remove light scratches. But deep scratches will still show. Bead blasting makes everything look the same, but it can’t fill in deep marks.

What metals work best with bead blasting?

Almost all metals work well:
Aluminum (gives a nice matte silver look)
Stainless steel (removes fingerprints and makes it less shiny)
Steel (cleans it well, but needs sealing to prevent rust)
Brass and copper (gives an even, matte finish)
Titanium is tricky because it’s very hard. It needs higher pressure or longer blast times.