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Abrasive smoothing

Posted by grantham 
Abrasive smoothing
September 23, 2014 10:35AM
Has anyone tried using an airbrush with abrasive to smooth prints? If so, what abrasives have you tried, like glass beads, aluminum oxide, silica sand, etc. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks . . . Rod Grantham
Re: Abrasive smoothing
September 26, 2014 09:23AM
I don't think I would ever that. Seems like a quick and reliable way to destroy a perfectly expensive airbrush.

Now running a very fine acetone spray through the airbrush for vapor smoothing (with lots and lots of safety gear on) seems like it would be highly effective.
Re: Abrasive smoothing
September 27, 2014 01:43AM
Abrasive blasting would be too aggressive. I use to sand carve glass (actually used aluminum oxide at low pressure but high feed) and this would almost melt anything plastic that it touched and the surface would look like a rasp had been over it. So I believe it would look worse than before you started.

I have played a little with ABS prints and a vibratory tumbler and ceramic triangle with a little soapy water. It takes a long time but does smooth the surface a bit and the end surface is more matt than glossy looking. Though a polishing stage might make it glossy again.
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