Vapor blasting is often called wet blasting, liquid blasting, slurry blasting, dry blasting, or wet honing. Wet blasting (also known as wet colloidal blasting, or wet honing) is a method for removing contaminants in a material, usually by means of abrasive spray media and pressurized water. This method is usually employed to finish materials that have not been completely machined. When using this technique, high temperatures are used along with a high-pressure setting. Here is more info about the best vapor blasting machine.
The purpose of wet colloidal blasting is to use a fine mist of water, abrasives, or other collimating media to remove small particles and micro-organisms from materials. This can be used in the production of metal products such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper, or nickel alloys, or in the cleaning of electronics, ceramic, and stone surfaces. For example, it is often used in the removal of lead from water pipes and other metal fixtures, or used to finish the interior of a baseball diamond. Another popular application is in the sanding and honing of wood, granite, or other textured surfaces.
One advantage to using collimating media is that the particles are carried away through the medium of fine mist that is low in pressure. It is because of this low pressure that the resulting surface has high friction, which further removes the contaminants from the surface. Unlike most other techniques for removing and polishing materials, vapor blasting does not require mechanical equipment, chemicals, or power sources. All of these materials are removed by the abrasives flying against the walls of the blast cabinet. The only materials that are continuously used during a vapor blasting session are the fine mist abrasives that are placed on the walls.
Two different types of materials are used in vapor blasting: compressed air and dustless blasting. Compressed air is usually used in the process of dustless blasting, although dustless blasting can also use compressed air as a dustless option. Dustless blasting is preferred because it is less messy than compressed air. Also, with dustless blasting, any excess moisture that collects on the surface is cleaned away by using compressed air. Compressed air can be a more costly option than dustless blasting.
Vapor blasting uses a special spray equipment with a brush attachment. It coats the surface to be blasted with a crystalline silica compound. This compounds hardens the surface by a process called crystallization. Once crystallized, the sprayer sprays it onto the surface at very high pressures. Because of the high pressures, the crystals bond together, providing a very tough and clean finish on the surface.
As with wet blasting and sandblasting, proper surface preparation is an important factor in vapor blasting. Drywall finishing contractor who is not familiar with the proper surface preparation should not do wet blasting. And any contractor who suggests wet blasting without surface preparation is potentially dangerous. For more info about this topic, click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrasive_blasting.