Shaping Bag Filler

[Gareth Davies]

How about expendable shot blasting media such as aluminium oxide or copper slag?

I think that whatever you choose there will always be a certain element of it that is harmful to health and would agree that welding and grinding are of greater cause for concern.

[John Buchtenkirch]

I would think small stainless balls would be the safest, can’t turn into dust or rust but very expensive. I looked into it one time and came up with over $200 to fill my large bag. Expensive but have you priced new lungs lately ? ~ John Buchtenkirch

[weldtoride]

Lots has been written in different threads re: dangers of silica.

Taking more than a hint from Gareth,

Originally Posted by Gareth Davies

How about expendable shot blasting media such as aluminium oxide or copper slag? .....

As I was researching a new low silica sand for my blast cabinet, I read that Black Diamond has very low silica content. So I looked up the MSDS on Black Diamond, it has less than 1% silica content, in fact, according to the document referenced below,

"Silica concentrations have been below quantification levels, less than ≤ 0.36%, in samples taken each year since 2000."

http://www.ati-blackdiamond.com/medi...sds-4B5219.pdf

Black Diamond is a readily available by-product of coal fired power plants here in the US, I paid $7.50 for 50 lbs at my local big box farm store recently.

It comes in 4 grits: extra fine through coarse. Here's the fine grit, works just fine in my blast cabinet. Also pounds just like the sand I removed from my bag, and no dust emanating from the Velcro closure like the play sand had.

[Mike Rouse]

Mix some mineral oil. Also known as baby oil in with your sand bag sand. No more dust. And the bag is tighter.
Try it.
Mike