On Apr 10, 2007, at 7:54 AM, ljack70117@... wrote:

The EPA made the company doing the Statue of Liberty use Baking soda.
Of course you can buy Aluminum Oxide because it is used for things
other than blasting but they do not come into your home and stop you
from hurting yourself. I talk to the company that did our condo
( because I am a director on the board) It can not be used by them.
The directives are out there from the EPA.

Larry,

I think that you may be confusing large scale, exterior, uncontained abrasive blasting with smaller applications. It has nothing to do with private vs commercial use. Aluminum oxide is both sold to and used by many businesses for "grit blasting" applications.

Your original statement was:

EPA will not allow the use of the Aluminum Oxide any more.

This is patently false. It may well be that Aluminum Oxide has been banned for some applications, but it is most certainly available and LEGAL to sell and use for the application we are discussing, abrasive blasting of models.

Baking soda is definitely a viable alternative, better for the environment if use in an open system and somewhat safer if accidentally inhaled, but frankly, I wouldn't use EITHER for grit blasting a model in an "open system" without serious respiratory protection (hence I use a completely enclosed booth).

Regards
Bruce

Bruce F. Smith
Auburn, AL
http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/~smithbf/

"Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield."
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