Soda Blasting...what equipment do I get?

[HelmetHead]

This is really a 2 part question...

I've got an opportunity to get a Soda Blaster and I want to get the right equipment. I don't have a huge budget, but would like to get something that will work well and be portable (without having it mounted on a trailer). Air demands aren't critical as I have an outlet for an Trailer mounted air compressor.

I already have a pressurized pot sand blast rig which holds about 30-40lbs of media but I understand the chances of warping panels with sand/blast grit are high.

Next issue...should I look to dry ice blasting versus soda blasting equipment if the prices are relativly equal?

Do any of you own your own soda blasters and are any of them built better than others.

Thanks in Advance,
Helmethead

[Nitrometano]

I delete accidentally from My Favorites in the internet explorer a link for a web site that have all the instruccion to make a homemade bead, sand o what ever blaster. I also want o have one, because in this town, bead blaster is not comon.

[dimeified]

Just shake up a coke can before you open it

[euro911sc]

Steve W. has one and said it was really expensive to buy and set up correctly. When I had my case and cam carriers done the shop was using it mainly to strip cars in an outdoor setting.

-michael

[HelmetHead]

Thanks for the input. I plan on blasting my entire car...top to bottom for a complete color change. Market pricing in Houston for that service is ~$2500.00 and they don't guarantee anything. I figure the equipment I would need would be close to that and then I'd have it for future projects.

Here's who i'm considering if I dont do this on my own... http://www.stripyourcar.com/

I really don't want to use my sand/media blaster to do the entire car for fear of warping panels...then i'd be skreewed. I'm also not sure on what kind of damage sand blasting would do to the galvanized coating on my 77? I don't think the soda blasting affects galvanizing?

Helmethead

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Why would it be expensive?

I put baking soda in my blast cabinet and it works great while being super gentle.

I'm going to pull the gun and feed tube out of my cabinet and stick it in a bucket to test on my stripped down tub.

[304065]

I ran a startup Soda Blasting company that did industrial decoating and depainting, it operated for about 10 years in Detroit doing with auto plants. We used Church & Dwight ARMEX blast media and special machines-- they were extensively modified sandblasters that included pneumatic media vibrators, internal screens, etc. The trouble with bicarbonate is that it clumps and doesn't like moisture, unlike other media that are more tolerant.

[HelmetHead]

Shaun,
I appreciate you testing this for me.....from what i've gathered the biggest problem is the sodium bicarb gets gummy and doesn't flow well in high humidity do to its solubility....I can fix that with conditioned air supply. Another issue with most typical blast pots is the material bridges at the bottom of the funnel area so they put vibrators on the pots to help with this.... I can see it now...i'm going to the sex shop to get a vibrator for my sand blaster pot

Let me know how your test goes...I'm liking the idea of customizing my blaster and spending money on other things like some Lindsey's or if they get around to it some 11" rota's.

Helmethead

[cgarr]

I use it in both my regular cabinet and my small cheap hand gun, this stuff works great but you do need a very dry air supply which I have. McMaster Carr has it in 50# bags in two grits just for blasting.

[euro911sc]

Here in FL it's $1200 for an exterior and $2k for whole car. I saw some that were just finished and it was pretty cool. I had considered it, but then you need a $2500 paint job to go with it... I just don't have that kind of cabbage... also, the 3 really bad paint jobs on my car protect it from track damage or it is just not noticeable

Best regards,

Michael

[Rich76_911s]

I don't know much about soda blasting but eastwood has some products that might help:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=16320&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C372%2C379%2C382&KickerID=394&KICKER

Let us know how it works out.

Rich

[HelmetHead]

Michael, I agree with you completely for a track car this is way overboard....I'd just leave the underside sepia brown and paint the car with some krylon. At the end of the race it isn't how nice your car looks (well not 100% true) ..its your position on the podium/points.

Rich, Thanks for the link. That unit is almost identical to what i'm considering... For the $1600 plus media ~$500 i'll have to do it myself...which is just fine with me...and then i'll have it for other things like suspension parts, etc, etc, etc.

Thanks again for all the input!
Einar

aka:Helmethead