Blast Pro Blog Keep up to date with all the latest news from the team at Blast Pro!
4 Reasons to Choose 2 Pack Paints for Earthmoving Equipment
Heavy earthmoving equipment is designed to take a beating, but backhoes, skid steers and other earthmoving vehicles still require regular maintenance to function properly. The paints and protective coatings applied to the exterior of an earthmoving vehicle are particularly important, and damaged coatings can leave equipment vulnerable to rust and corrosion.
Earthmoving businesses and contractors can choose from a variety of protective coatings, but 2 pack paint (also known as 2K paint) is one of the most practical options. These protective paints are applied using a unique twostage process, creating an extremely durable finish that can withstand the challenging conditions encountered on most work sites.
What are 2 pack paints?
2 pack paints consist of two components - a pigmented base paint, and a transparent, hardening resin. These components are kept separate until they are ready to be used, and for good reason. When they are mixed, a rapid chemical chain reaction occurs, creating a protective coating that hardens and cures extremely quickly.
2 pack paints are available in a variety of formulations, but most 2 pack paints used in heavy industrial applications are either urethane or enamel-based. Urethane-based 2 pack paints are generally more suitable for painting earthmoving equipment.
Why is 2 pack paint suitable for earthmoving equipment?
2 pack paints are used by many industry professionals, including automotive manufacturers and aerospace engineers, to create long-lasting protective coatings. They are especially well suited to earthmoving businesses, and have a number of useful properties when compared to powder coatings and other potential options:
Resistance to harsh conditions
When properly applied by a reputable industrial painting service, a coat of 2 pack paint can withstand just about anything you can throw at it. The specialised hardening resins used make 2 pack paint particularly resistant to scratches, chipping and abrasion damage, which makes them ideal for earthmoving equipment that regularly handles aggregates, grit, and other highly abrasive materials.
2 pack paints are also prized for their weather resistance and can withstand prolonged exposure to wet conditions without bubbling or flaking. Urethane-based 2 pack paints are also resistant to fading and perishing caused by exposure to UV sunlight. Earthmoving vehicles protected by urethane-based 2 pack paints can be operated and stored in unsheltered locations for extended periods.
Vibrant colours
Visibility is essential on any earthmoving project site, and making sure your equipment and vehicles are clearly visible will improve worksite safety.
2 pack paints contain less thinner than other types of industrial paint, which means the pigmented base won't evaporate and lose vibrancy as it cures. Equipment coated with 2 pack paints will be vibrantly coloured and highly visible.
Rapid application
Unlike other industrial paints and powder coatings, 2 pack paints do not need to be heated in order to dry and cure properly. The chemical reaction that occurs when the separate components are mixed causes the finished coating to dry by itself, usually within a matter of hours.
This allows 2 pack paints to be applied very rapidly, once the original, damaged coatings have been removed from your earthmoving equipment. A combined sandblasting and industrial painting service can use 2 pack paints to create a new protective coating very quickly, which minimises downtime and lets your vital equipment get back on the job as quickly as possible.
Eco-friendliness
2 pack paints do contain a number of highly toxic chemicals, and improper use can lead to widespread contamination. Despite this, they are actually a more eco-friendly choice than some other coating options, largely because they do not require any external heat source to cure properly. They also contain less volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than many solvent-based coatings.
Many industrial painting services also offer 2 pack paints that use non-isocyanate hardeners. Isocyanates are a particularly toxic class of organic compounds, and using non-isocyanate paints will reduce the risk of contamination while the paint is being applied.
If you have any more questions about 2 pack paints or want to know more about other protective coating options
for earthmoving equipment, contact the experts at Blast Pro
today.
Why Use Dustless Sandblasting
If you have vehicles, equipment or machines that show signs of wear, then now may be the time to give them a makeover-and sandblasting could be the right choice for you. Sandblasting uses sand and compressed air to forcibly remove rough imperfections and create a smooth surface for painting or finishing.
This process has obvious cosmetic benefits; it also helps keep your kit in good shape and in good working order. While traditional sandblasting techniques do a good job, you should also consider dustless sandblasting. How does this technique work and what are its benefits? Keep reading to find out.
How does dustless sandblasting work?
Dustless sandblasting shares some similarities with traditional sandblasting. Both techniques involve blasting an abrasive medium against a surface. The medium cleans the surface as it hits it.
So, for example, a blast on metal might remove paint, rust and contaminants. Regular sandblasting directs the abrasive medium directly at the surface. This blasting process creates a lot of dust as it works.
On the other hand, dustless sandblasting works slightly differently. Here, you encase the abrasive in water before you apply it to the surface. The medium still abrades effectively, but the water content helps reduce dust and contain it.
What are the advantages of dustless sandblasting?
While both types of sandblasting are effective, a dustless technique has some useful advantages that might better suit your needs.
Less dust and less mess
When you start using dustless blasting, the abrasive mixes with water in its tank. The water contains the abrasive until it hits the surface. It then picks up particles of dust and debris that fall off during the work.
This dust is less likely to get airborne in the same way that it would if you were using regular sandblasting techniques. And you get a much easier clean-up after the blast. Any dust or debris that is left behind will typically fall directly around the item or area you've sandblasted. It won't travel far.
Minimal disruption
If you're sandblasting a machine or piece of equipment onsite, then you may not be able to move the item. If it is close to other machines or equipment, then you have to work out how the process might affect them.
If you use traditional sandblasting techniques, you may have to cover the machines or equipment and shut them down. You'll also need to clear your workers out of the area. You don't want machines, equipment or employees to be exposed to the dust the blast creates.
If you use a dustless technique, then you have far less disruption. You can usually keep everything else running and your workers on the job.
No friction damage
Regular sandblasting creates friction, so the abrasive makes the surface heat up as it hits it. This process needs careful management to avoid collateral damage. For example, if a metal surface gets too hot, then it might warp.
Dustless sandblasting has a built in cooling tool-water. The water in the mix automatically cools the surface and prevents the abrasive from creating too much heat.
This will allow you to clean even delicate materials without causing any damage. You can also control the pressure of the blast to use this kind of sandblasting safely on many different surfaces, such as metals, stone, brick and wood.
If you think that dustless sandblasting might work for you, then contact Blast Pro. We offer a one-stop service that includes a full range of sandblasting techniques and industrial painting services. Contact us today to learn more about our sandblasting and painting services and how we can help you
Garnet Sand Blasting & Its Applications
Sand blasting has applications in myriad industries, from outdoor painting to steel manufacturing. One of the most common abrasive materials used in precision sand blasting applications is garnet sand. In this blog, you'll find an overview of garnet-based abrasives and how experts use them in industrial applications. If you understand your material options as a business owner, you can make better manufacturing decisionsin your company.
What is garnet sand?
The garnet sand used in industrial blasting looks much like the garnet stones used in fine jewellery. Garnet sand consists of natural Almandine garnet grains. Almandine, also known ascarbuncle, represents an iron-aluminium garnet. Deep red translucent Almandine stones may undergo cutting and shaping to become fine gems. Smaller Almandine grains and dust particles may become industrial-use garnet sand. This type of garnet occurs in metamorphic rocks. While metamorphic rocks form, they undergo extreme heat and pressure, which results in growth of gemstones. Garnet sand remains brittle, which allows it to break into a several grain sizes but also makes its uses finite.
Where does garnet sand come from?
Originally, most garnet sand came from mines in Asia Minor, but our garnet is sourced locally from GMA Garnet mined in the Geraldton area.
What applications do technicians use garnet sand for?
Garnet sand works as a surface preparation and cleaning abrasive. This makes it ideal for a wide range of industrial applications, including the following:
- Aluminium surfacing
- Anti-magnetic steel preparation
- Fibre glass surfacing
- Glass etching
- Glass polishing
- Speciality metal alloy surfacing
- Stainless steel preparation
- Turbine blade surfacing
- Water filtration
- Wood finisher
Because garnet sand contains no metal, various industries approve it for use. Garnet sand represents one of the most common abrasives used by major oil companies, large factories and industrial plants and ship yards.
Why do technicians use garnet sand?
The characteristics that make Almandine garnets desirable as precious stones also makes garnet sand desirable. This type of garnet retains high levels of hardness, durability and abrasiveness. With large stones, these characteristics make garnets difficult to chip or break. With garnet sand, this gives the particles the strength required for industrial smoothing and surface preparation. During this process, garnet sand enters a stream of compressed air. The compressed air propels the dust onto a surface in controlled, concentrated amounts. The blasting creates a smooth, even surface, ready for finishing or painting. Most sizes of garnet sand grain handle 5 to 10 uses while retaining total recyclability.
How does garnet sand blasting compare to other types?
Garnet sand is environmentally inert and meets most health and safety requirements. In recent years, this means it has begun to replace other sand blasting materials. Materials like silica, aluminium oxide and steel slag emit toxins and create high levels of dust. This makes them a breathing hazard for industrial workers.
While silica still represents the most common abrasive in most countries, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and the United Kingdom have banned its use. These bans resulted from links between silica use and operator lung disease.
Garnet sand costs somewhat more than silica, which is why it remains less common. However, garnet sand poses little to no health risk as it does not produce excess dust during use.
If you or your company require a sand blasting service, talk to your technician about garnet sand for your next project. This environmentally friendly option can decrease costs and increase efficiency in sand blasting tasks for many industries.
Consider the characteristics discussed above when deciding whether garnet sand is the right abrasive for your specific application.
Getting in Touch with Our Artistic Side!
We have had a a very busy period since our last up date in November 2014 undertaking a wide variety of work. Back in November we mentioned we were getting in touch with our artistic side and that we would have photos etc., well we can now show you what we have been up to.
Our client Swan Fabricators www.swanfab.com.au have been involved in the fabrication of some metal artworks for the Reveley estate at Ellenbrook for LWP.
Article: http://www.lwppropertygroup.com.au/…/new-11m-sculpture-form…
These photos show some of the intricate sandblasting work we have undertaken. The finish on the non polished areas has to be carefully blasted to ensure an even profile, There is a lot of masking involved and a special stand had to be made to allow the ball to be rotated during blasting. Also shown is a clam shell that we blasted prior to it going to be polished.
