Blasting Media
Until not too long ago the only material used for removing rust and paint was Sand and so they call the process Sand Blasting but with the extended use of  plastics and fiberglass and aluminum in cars boats and other items it quickly became apparent that sand had limitations.  First prepackaged Play Sand, Quarried or Beach Sand which most people were using had no consistent abrasive rating. You just shot the stuff and hoped for the best but after a while people began using other products for blasting old cars that couldn’t hold up to the regular sand.

Plastic Media is often used on Plastics and Fiberglass and sometimes soft Aluminum.

Glass Bead is used to prep engine parts without causing damage. 

Walnut Shells are a favorite of Classic Car Restorers because it performs the paint and rust removal without eating into the metal.

Aluminum Oxide was long used for coating Sandpaper and is now available by the bucket for blasting.Play or Bagged Sand This is one of the most common products used for sandblasting but it does require some preparation and screening.