I've heard a few recommendations about using soda blasting for cleaning heads and cylinders. I sent the cylinders in for powder coating so I just need to take care of the heads. Every video that I could find on YouTube showed some pretty good results. They also showed sort of a reckless abandon approach like the soda is harmless to working parts. Is that really the case? Should I mask off the springs and guides? Can soda harm machine parts?

 

$120 to Harbor Freight for a soda blaster and 50 lb. bag of baking soda. I only spent about 3 minutes trying it out. The intake is less than 30 seconds. I followed the advice from a few YouTube vids and forums. That is, 70 PSI for maximum effect. It's a single-pass process. It leaves about 1/2" wide path of clean metal.

The room looks like someone threw a box of Arm and Hammer in the air but it's easy cleanup.

 

Looks good, keep us posted on the finished product