sand blasting question
 

so i've been wanting to sand blast my frame for a while now, which blaster will perform or be more efficient one with a pick up line or a pressurized one? figured if i did it my self ill save some cash.. or does anyone in colorado knw of a gd shop that will b relatibly cheap? any input will help thnx

Re: sand blasting question
 

ooooh and also which media is better?

Re: sand blasting question
 

I had my frame, and all the other big metal parts sand blasted by a pro shop.
Tried doing it home style, and it just was an exercise in frustration only to not get what I was looking for.

No idea what options you have in your area, but in my case I stripped everything off the chassis. Kept the chassis as a roller for mobility, and all the other parts I wanted done I disassembled and put wire loops on everything. (Did that to save the shop time on my stuff, just to help shave man hours off my bill).

Got all my stuff back, and couldn't have been more happier with the results.
IIRC the cost wasn't prohibitive at all, as a matter of fact it was the best money I probably spent on my project.

Re: sand blasting question
 

You might give Palamino Indst. a shout in Cheyenne they do sand blasting and all that good stuff.I tried to blast my last truck to save some $$ but what a mess and you have to have a decent size compressor.I even tried to contain my sand and reuse but stopped after the cab and went to a DA sander.

Re: sand blasting question
 

nice ill have to do some home wrk did u take pix of frame after blasted?

Re: sand blasting question
 

At the time I did that part of my burb, digital cameras and cell phone cameras were a, kinda scarce.. :lol:

Did manage to take pics of the frame after paint, I think they are in my profile album somewhere?

Re: sand blasting question
 

A pressurized system is far superior to a syphon tube set-up

As far as local places I have used both these places, neither are "cheap", both do a professional job though:

Coblaco
11905 E. 124th Avenue
Henderson, CO 80640
ph. (303) 659-1958

or

Premium Powder Coating
10765 Turner Blvd.
Longmont, CO 80504
ph. (303) 776-7560

I haven't used these guys but they are close to you too:

Paragon Powder Coating
14286 Mead St
Longmont, CO 80504
Phone:(970) 535-0466

Re: sand blasting question
 

I had a little outfit in Pueblo sandblast my bed and hood. A-Affordable Sandblasting 719-546-1418. They did a good job only cost me 200 bones. Not sure if Pueblo or Cheyenne is closer. Good luck

Re: sand blasting question
 

No pics but I did finish it the frame,rear end with a wire wheel on the small grinder

Re: sand blasting question
 

nice thanx everyone ill make some calls bt am leaning more to doeng it my self, bt we'll see for the right price maybe ill have a shop do it. so which media is prefered? and what do i use after blasting it jst paint.?

Re: sand blasting question
 

My local media blasting place wanted $800.00 do do my rolling frame. I ended up buying a nice strong pressure washer. I sprayed some Purple Power on the frame and pressured washed it real good then went over it with a hand grinder with various disc's. It came out real good....

Re: sand blasting question
 

Not to steal the thread on storys but when me and my bro in law use to go mudding we'd come back to the shop and pressure wash his jeep afterwards and we used a family members pressure washer and i warned him it was very powerful and to be careful but he didnt listen and put the straight shot nozzel on it and accedently hit his tire cover and it ripped the leather and the best part was at a glance it looked like the nazi symbol:lol: and after i saw that i warned him again to be careful but obviously didnt listen and ended up removing some paint from the jeep around the wheel wells... But it got it clean:lol:. Pressure washers are nice specially to clean up the grease but id invest in a heated one if you can because that works the best.

Re: sand blasting question
 

I sprayed my foot with my tennis shoe on and it left a big red mark on the top of my foot. It went through the shoe and made a whilp on my foot, it hurt like hell... The paint was coming off my frame real easy with the pressure washer....

Re: sand blasting question
 

Ya ive hit my hand a few times with our lesser pressure one but never with the bigger one, i learned the eaiser way of the too:lol:

Re: sand blasting question
 

I use Nickel Slag as the abrasive media. I also wear a respirator, a full face shield and goggles, good heavy jacket and leather welding gloves. Don't use sand as the abrasive media unless you have a Type CE abrasive-blasting respirator (SAR). And now you are saying "what the heck is that"?................

Here is another thread with a lot of data about this very same topic: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...blasting+frame

Re: sand blasting question
 

i've blasted with sand over 40years using common sence as precaution and never had a minute of prblems due to using sand// no need for a space suit if you think about what you're doin

Re: sand blasting question
 

I had all the body parts media blasted on my panel, saved me a bunch of money when I took it to my body guy.

I did like a few others did for the frame though. Went to a dollar store and picked up a bunch of cans of oven cleaner. Sprayed the frame down and let it soak in real good. Then an hour or so with the pressure washer. Worked super good and then I brush painted it with black hammerite paint. Turned out great.

Re: sand blasting question
 

I have seen you post this in a number of threads, throwing out the term "common sense"?

As a guy posted in a previous thread "Some people smoke cigarettes and don't get cancer, would you recommend smoking?"

The guy that started this post wants to know what to use for blasting media.

Common sense would be:

• Don't suggest use of sand when it has been proven to cause silicosis.
  
• Do use a media, such as Nickel Slag, that does not have the health risks of sand.

The following is fact, not "common sense".

Silicosis Prevention

How can I be exposed to silica dust?
Silica exposure occurs when dust that contains crystalline silica particles is inhaled. Silica exposure most often occurs in people who work in construction, mining, sandblasting, stonecutting, abrasives manufacturing, and in people who work with glass, pottery, and on railroads.


Although there is no cure for silicosis, it can be prevented with occupational safety measures. There has been a marked decrease in the number of silicosis cases since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented regulations that require the use of protective equipment when working with silica dust.

http://www.silicosisfyi.com/

Re: sand blasting question
 

When I built my truck I did all the sandblasting myself and here’s my take on it:

I did the work in my driveway using tarps to catch the sand. It’s a heck of a mess, I’m quite certain that the neighbors loved me, LOL.

I started on small parts using a 50lb Tool Shed pressure blaster and my single stage shop compressor. It did OK on the small stuff but it quickly became apparent that trying to do the big stuff with it would take FOREVER!

To do the big stuff I ended up renting a 200lb pressure blaster and a construction grade tag-along compressor from a local equipment rental center. That setup worked great and I was able to do the frame and the complete body over a long weekend.

I used sand and did recycle (reuse) it. That works ok but if you use sand realize these things:

1. You need to buy sand specifically for sand blasting, construction grade and play sand is too dirty and not sharp enough. In my local area both Pennsy Supply and Budding’s carry sandblasting media.
2. Use a fine grade of sand to achieve a smooth finish that levels out nicely when you spray your epoxy primer.
3. If you recycle the sand; with each use the sand looses some of it’s abrasiveness as the “edges” get knocked off.
4. Because the sand breaks down with each use, the sand and work becomes progressively dustier. Be certain to sift the recycled sand through a fine screen as well to get out larger particles that will clog your blast nozzle.


Be prepared to either epoxy prime immediately or use some type of coating that will prevent flash rust until you are ready to prime. I did the latter using a product I bought from Raybuck that worked great. I don’t remember what it was specifically but I know it was a powder that you mix with water, then use it to scrub the bare metal. It cleans and treats the metal and dries to a white powdery looking finish that you can primer right over, OR, it will kept the metal rust free until you do prime. I didn't prime for months, I stored the treated parts over the winter months in my unheated garage and had absolutely no rust. To prep for epoxy primer I simply mixed up a new batch of the stuff and scrubbed the parts down again with scuff pads immediately prior to priming and it worked great.

Would I do it again? NO. If I lived out in the country and had a corner in that back 40 where i could just leave the mess, MAYBE.

Re: sand blasting question
 

Good advice.

Between working in the Steel Mill, working in a brake reline shop, blasting and painting project motorcycles and vehicles and smoking for 45 years I have a pretty good case of COPD/Emphysema and am on Advair, Spiriva and rescue inhalers. Can't hear very well either (see above plus shooting guns all my life).

Nobody needs that. USE APPROPRIATE PROCTECTIVE GEAR.

Re: sand blasting question
 

You can go small and save money, but you have to be patient. I bought the 40lb pressurized sandblaster from harbor freight, and I have two 20gallon, 2HP compressors.

I would sandblast a little, wait for the compressors to catch up, sandblast a little, repeat. Took me 2 weeks to finish the frame, but I'm in no hurry.

I've blasted the entire frame, the axle, control arms, etc. I've also blasted the underside of the cab, I just have to be patient.

Re: sand blasting question
 

Ditto...

Re: sand blasting question
 

thanx evryone for your imput.... nikel slag it is i found the link on tht thread u posted here lakeroadster thnx and epoxy primer as said by loridr how tht wrk for u? is there other options for the frame after blasting?

Re: sand blasting question
 

What was your set up? Any info on your compresser? Howd you like your blaster?
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Re: sand blasting question
 

I have a Craftsman 60 Gallon 2.9/7hp 175 PSI compressor and a 40# Harbor Freight blaster. Still need to wait on compressor occassionally. Sandblasters are real air hogs.

The blaster works great IF you sift & strain the media (Pay close attention to how big that IF is!). I use a piece of screen door material as the screen and place it over the fill funnel. I also re-use the Nickel Slag Material 3 or 4 times.

Any small foreign objects or media chunks larger than the ball valve openings or nozzle tip opening will clog the blaster.
When that happens (and it will happen) you have to either:

1.0 turn off blaster, remove tip, look for obstruction, reinstall tip. If that doesn't work.
2.0 turn off blaster, purge air from blaster,open valves and lid, blow air backwards via nozzle, if that doesn't work,
3.0 turn off blaster, remove all your personal protective equipment, dump all the media back out and refill.