bead blasting melonite

[NICKNICK]

Does media blasting (like prepping for cerakote) hurt a melonited surface? Since salt bath nitriding isn't supposed to "grow" on the surface, that implies that the hardening INTO the surface. If you're just cleaning and roughing the surface without trying to remove too much material, does the surface hardness property of melonite withstand media blasting?

Is cerakoting over melonite an OK thing to do?

 

[turbo54]

Blasting will remove the black color SBN leaves behind.

It will not reverse the metallurgic changes from the SBN.

Cerakoting SBN parts is good to go.

 

[Mgordon]

We do it from time to time. You lose the Melonite Color, but do not blast through the Melonite. We do this frequently with a Melonited bolt where we blast and paint the handle and leave the body alone.

Mark

 

[Danco411]

You don't bead blast for cerakote you use Aluminum Oxide. AO removes any finish and etches the metal surface. Bead blasting is different in that the small beads dimple or peen the surface. Not sure of the effect it would have on a nitrided surface other than dulling the finish.

 

[proneshooter]

Typical nitriding case depth is anywhere from .020" to .050". If you're taking that much off for paint preparation, you're doing it wrong.