[FC] Bead blasting aluminum

[Garry Parsley]

Hey guys,
I'm wondering about the wisdom of bead blasting the aluminum engine parts. 
I've heard of it being down, and I've tried it on a scrap oil filter 
adaptor that was laying around. It really cleans good and looks great. What 
are the issues facing this? I assume there's always the chance of not 
getting all the media out, and destroying an engine. Other than that minor 
concern <ggg>.... How would blasting be followed up to minimize that 
possibility? Also, any concerns over blasting the block itself, especially 
the cam surfaces? Could this erode the gasket surfaces? What type media 
would be best? Lots of questions and concerns on this. Thanks,

Garry Parsley