[Steam-engine] sand blasting a boiler

[HISTMACHRY at aol.com]

I have sandblasted numerous locomotive boilers, on the inside and out. All 
appliances, valves, as well as the boiler tubes and flues are removed, we are 
blasting an empty shell. The blasting can be aggressive enough to leave a white 
steel surface of a partly rusty surface, what ever is desired. Removing the 
sand from the firebox area takes time, but it can be done, the result is a clean 
boiler with no scale to obscure defects, cracks, etc. Needlescaling can take 
weeks to accomplish, with a result that is no were as clean as blasting. Also, 
if the boiler interior is to be coated to prevent/slow the effects of 
corrosion while in service, sandblasting prepares the surface nice and clean for the 
coating to adhere to.

Metallurgically, sandblasting will not degrade the steel, if it does 
then...scrap it!


Robert Yuill