bead blast rods

Considering having my rods shot peened. I take it that this is not the same as bead blasting or vapour blasting. Rods have been lightly shaved for weight match and then polished. But I would think the idea of shot blasting is to compact the surface.
Am I correct in thinking you are not using glass beads and remove the risk of micro particles of glass being embedded and
later escaping? Any help on this appreciated.

Onder said:

Considering having my rods shot peened. I take it that this is not the same as bead blasting or vapour blasting. Rods have been lightly shaved for weight match and then polished. But I would think the idea of shot blasting is to compact the surface.
Am I correct in thinking you are not using glass beads and remove the risk of micro particles of glass being embedded and
later escaping? Any help on this appreciated.

Click to expand...

I had a Conrod from a highly tuned BSA b25 shot peened by seager engineering
It was on their recommendation and it took the punishment

Onder said:

Considering having my rods shot peened. I take it that this is not the same as bead blasting or vapour blasting. Rods have been lightly shaved for weight match and then polished. But I would think the idea of shot blasting is to compact the surface.
Am I correct in thinking you are not using glass beads and remove the risk of micro particles of glass being embedded and
later escaping? Any help on this appreciated.

Click to expand...

The idea is it pummels the molecules into alignment and reduces hidden stress risers, as I understand it at least. For example, polishing out scratches and dings is good, but the underlying impact on the molecular structure will still be there, and peening can address this.

I didn’t even know shot peening was a thing to do to alloy. I used to bead blast mine after polishing in an attempt to get a similar effect.

Only give them to someone who knows what they’re doing with alloy rods though. Someone more used to shot peening steel will blast your nice alloy rods away !

Onder said:

Considering having my rods shot peened. I take it that this is not the same as bead blasting or vapour blasting. Rods have been lightly shaved for weight match and then polished. But I would think the idea of shot blasting is to compact the surface.
Am I correct in thinking you are not using glass beads and remove the risk of micro particles of glass being embedded and
later escaping? Any help on this appreciated.

Click to expand...

Blasting with fresh glass beads at the proper air pressure can be considered like less aggressive steel shot peening. However, at above 45 psi the chances of breaking the beads and turning them into glass abrasive (GA) exists.

I follow a strict program of GA, scrubbing, and Bead Peening to make crankcases look new and resist staining. On rods, not trying to lighten them, I'll remove minor stress risers, bead peen to smooth out any scratches, and lightly re-polish. I just don't use rods with larger stress risers.

Thanks for the comments but as usual it is back to the old "don't be cheapskate, stump up for a set of new rods". Small problem of new rods are getting to be
quite the eye opener. I've never had a rod fail, even some pretty sad looking ones.
Rods fail because of lube failures. Of course, this is in general service not track level loads.

Onder said:

Thanks for the comments but as usual it is back to the old "don't be cheapskate, stump up for a set of new rods". Small problem of new rods are getting to be
quite the eye opener. I've never had a rod fail, even some pretty sad looking ones.
Rods fail because of lube failures. Of course, this is in general service not track level loads.

Click to expand...

I doubt you'd get a rod failure on a street bike tbh

As FE says above, and it gives a nice finish that is ideal where part is not required to be polished but is exposed to dust and grime making it easier to clean. Not necessary on the rods unless you are intent on breaking records, more important they show signs of correct fill when forged and they were forged sqaure.