Help - Vapor Honed

[A. G. Russell]

One of my friends let me know that we had failed to cover the term "Bead Blasted" in our FAQ http://agrussell.com/faq/index.html. It goies in tonight.

I want to also include the term "Vapor Honed" I know what it means but not how it is done, is there a machinest out there who would enlighten me? Thanks, A. G.

 

[Larry Chew]

Vapor honing is very similar to bead blasting.

In bead blasting, as it applies here, a dry media such as glass bead, crushed glass, ceramic, or aluminum oxide is used. The media is propelled through a gun or handle with air pressure in a sealed cabinet to obtain a matte finish on the part.

Vapor honing is the same except that the media is much finer and suspended in an aqueous solution. The part is blasted in much the same manner using air pressure to propel the media. In my experience, this process has had a more consistant finish and leaves a less abraided surface which is less likely to oxidize (rust).

Both are messy, dry blasting is dusty, vapor honing is muddy. Vapor honing is also the more expensive of the two process'. If I had a choice I would rather have a vapor hone than the dry blasting dust monster in my shop!

Larry

 

[Mike Hull]

Vapor honing is is also the process generally used prior to hard chroming firearms,etc.

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MIKE