Anybody have/use a pressurized media blaster?

BK911 · BK911's Garage

My car is almost completely dismantled and instead of taking it for blasting, I am thinking of doing one piece at a time. Wheel wells, interior, and then exterior. Would this do the job? What type of media should I use? Glass beads?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202

Thanks,
BK

jmshepard · 11-03-2008, 05:06 PM

check this out.
How to strip paint from a car in 2.5 hours

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Yea, I saw that. Unfortunately I have to do it in my garage. My driveway is a pretty nice hill. Yes, the only #$@% hill in FL is my driveway!

jmshepard · 11-03-2008, 05:16 PM

Rent a camping spot at Disney World!

TimT · 11-03-2008, 05:17 PM

It will take quite a bit of time with that, plus you need a compressor that can feed the blast pot. Then you have to clean and dispose of all the spent media...

Better use of $1500 is taking the tub to someone else and having them blast it..

I prefer dipping however.. to each there own

clean

mcuozzo · mcuozzo's Garage

I would try using baking soda first. It will take the paint right off and won't harm the glass or rubber trim.

If there are parts that have something deeper than surface rust or an undercoating for that matter you might have to use something more aggressive. I use coal slag but it removes a bit of metal and actually etches it. For my purpose - powdercoating, that's preferred. Don't know how your painter would feel about it.

Plus baking soda is water soluble, so you can just rinse it out of the car and your garage. It will be messy though. Powder will get everywhere. Make sure you wear a good respirator\mask.

Does HF make a bigger unit? You don't want to spend your time refilling that thing every 10 minutes.

Try a pool store for the baking soda (sodium bicarb) that's the cheapest I got it. Might be cheaper down in FL. Also Sam's club sometimes has 12lb boxes for $4. Works out slightly cheaper than the pool store near me.

Good luck and be sure to post your process\progress!

Shaun @ Tru6 · 11-03-2008, 06:57 PM

Project 73 911 R/RS -- Week 2

Project 73 911 R/RS -- Week 3

Project 73 911 R/RS -- Week 5

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Holy $hit Shaun, you are INSANE!! I think I am going to head down the same path though. The only thing stopping me from dipping or blasting the entire thing is the electricals. For some reason I am too scared to remove the wiring harness.

fuelie600 · 11-04-2008, 05:50 AM

BK,

I have the same type of blaster. I used it to strip all of the body panels on my 1953 MG. There are several things to consider before doing this. As mentioned, a big compressor is a must (at least 220Volt, 5+HP, 50+ gallon tank). You will need a very high volume of air from a pump that is rated for continuous duty. You will need lots of blasting media. I used play sand, which is a big NO NO unless you have a fresh air supply system - (I did.) I would recommend enough to fill the tank 2-3x. You will need spare nozzles, because the inside of the nozzle will erode during use. You will need some way to contain the media or it will end up in every square inch of your garage. I built a blasting booth/paint booth to work in.

The picture was taken before I mounted box fans and filters to dissipate the dust. Blasting makes tons of dust. At one point during my blasting, the wind pulled the door open on my booth. I was facing the other direction and didn't know it. The dust blowing out of the opening was circulated all over the inside of my garage. It got on everything! I still find it 3-4 years later.

You will need to stop and refill the media each time the tank empties. I used a broom, shovel and dust pan to scoop up the media from the floor and pour it back in the tank. You will need a blasting hood, respirator (or better yet a fresh air system/mask) and heavy clothing for your protection. Inhaling dust from blasting with sand will cause silicosis - very bad! You will get basting media everywhere (like in your ears!).

For the exterior, you will need to work with lower pressures and be care not to warp your body panels. On my MG the steel is thicker than a Porsche, so it was less of a concern.

Bottom line, the blaster works well, but a pro will save you a lot of trouble.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

sand blasting is a lot like setting off a volcano (St. Helens type) inside your house

rfuerst911sc · 11-04-2008, 12:36 PM

Hey Brian when you start blasting let me know so when I see that mushroom cloud in the distance I won't worry

I tried doing some blasting outside with a small blaster and WOW what a friggen mess ! Good luck.

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by BK911

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202

I have one of those blasters. Don't waste your money or time. I ended up modifying it with the proper professional-grade parts (hose, nozzle, wheels, valves), which ended up costing more than if I'd just sucked it up and bought the goo done to start with. You can sorta see it in this pic

Shaun @ Tru6 · 11-05-2008, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BK911

Holy $hit Shaun, you are INSANE!! I think I am going to head down the same path though. The only thing stopping me from dipping or blasting the entire thing is the electricals. For some reason I am too scared to remove the wiring harness.

You get the added advantage of great shoulders. the girls love it. it's also incredibly satisfying.

I STRONGLY recommend this thing for floors, inner and outer, even with the naysayers on the thread. The Steinel heat gun I used on that old 73 didn't come close. Works great on gas tanks too (just be sure to rinse with water first!) Like taking icing off a cake.

Ultimate in Floor Soundproofing Removal