Whats the best media to use for light rust/paint removal from steel? Examples...hood brackets , door hinges, suspension parts.. I am looking to get a media cabinet and have lots of parts to clean. Thanks

The key is you need a big compressor, then the harbour freight unit is OK, but the gun head sucks and you'll need a vacuum system.

If it's just one job find out if you have a good powder coater/sand blast outfit in your area. Often grave marker companies do good sandblasting work if you want to paint it yourself.

I like glass. It's sold in various grits and gives up a lot of it's energy as it breaks up on the piece, so if you take care, it'll leave a much smoother finish. But there are pieces that have so much two-part paint on them that it takes more of the media to get them down to clean metal.

Makes for less surface prep for primer/paint but it is more expensive than sand. If you want to reuse it, there are Norton Carborundum products as well, but cleaning them between shoots is a pain. Of course they're even more expensive and the grit is super-sharp, so the surface is even rougher than sand.

Pick your poison, you'll probably use more than one type especially if you do any soft metals. Then a softer medium is required or stick to chemicals.

Thanks Guys. This will keep me busy while I wait on more parts and more money

Black beauty...
It takes rust away.
Glass does not..unless you want to sandblast for a week.

Don't use harsh abrasives, like black beauty, on thin sheet metal like fenders, it may warp them.

Rich