Vapor honing.
 

So thought this might be helpful. Many years ago my machinist has lightly glass beaded my RAIV intake. It left it with a slightly fuller finish compared to what it originally looked like. Over the years it got even fuller fro. Sitting and use. for years I looked for a good way to restore it.

I bought/ built myself a good vapor blaster recently and did a bunch of testing with it to find the right way ti get the look I wanted. . Here’s the result.
I initially did just the front half so I could see the difference, it’s so dramatic . Even the finish picture isn’t quite done but gives the idea.
Looks just like a new intake now that I’ve finished it up.
Used very fine beads, light pressure, a lot of care and time, w the blaster.

Transmission cases come out great also, but it does just as. Nice a job on steel as well . Very happy with the results . I have found that dry blasting lightly first will give better results there’s definitely a process involved to get it just right.

As you can see there’s a spot of RTV on the water neck it’s so gentle it will not removed the RTV unless it’s brittle like paint it’s not coming off. It pretty much just removes the oxidation

If you have any details on where you bought the equipment, what you had to build, price, etc and can post that info, it would be great.

Thanks
Old Joe

I bought the parts all different places. I can probably put together a list at some point.
I pretty much built everything just bought a cheap cabinet to make the set up easier to build but I ended up modifying that quite a bit too.

the most important part is the technique and mixture .of the slurry. Each part is different based on how clean it is, if it’s painted, how oxidized or dulled it’s been etc. It can take a few different slurry mixtures because what removes the issues won’t likely get it to the correct sheen needed . I’ve been doing a lot of factory Chevy parts oddly enough for a couple local machine shops lately

If anyone needs any aluminum intakes or brackets done let me know as long as I cover my time, and blast media I’m happy to help any fellow pontiac guys out Cleaner it is the less time it takes .

The trans case in the pictures is the roughest casting I’ve ever seen but it’s original needed to be saved, it was pretty nasty and dull Looking from cleaners. Bracket was bead blasted and painted previously. Looks good now.
The speckled case is the same trans case nothing woukd remove those speckles they were almost like a dye in the case itself

nice work
looking forward to seeing details of your set up