Frame Cleaning & Painting On A Budget

[franken]

Interesting seeing the different solutions rather than a regulator and hose off the side of the tank.
Air is sort of another utility so no sense cheaping out.

I want a Saylor-Beale intercooler retrofit but they don't respond to my email. Wonder why...

The compressor is just the start. Then you need pipe, cooler, regulator, filter, dryer, etc. Then a few hoses and then you get to tools. The tools cost as well. I scoured pawn shops, swap meets, and garbage sales for tools for years before getting a decent (crap) air system.

That said, my craptastic system is 50' of 3/4" pipe and then the regulator, filter and dryer. It's ok but...

[Number 9]

Originally Posted by FarmerSid

I agree 100%! What ever you do, the air has to be cooled before it enters the tank. That's the key! That short line from the compressor head to the tank gets really hot. I should be one for talking but I have the parts to cool the air before it enters the tank but I have yet to do it. Instead of the fan, I'm going to hang the coil off of the cage that covers the pulleys. The fins in the compressor pulley are designed to move air for cooling and that's where I'm going to hang the coil. I will also have a auto drain "T"ed into the line before it enters the tank. That auto drain will be tied into the port where the air exits the tank and out to my shop.

That would work well I'd think. No moisture in tank. Mine always has moisture in the tank because I'm to lazy to do it right..

[Number 9]

Originally Posted by roger55

Here's my '57 3200 frame:

During Blasting with an HF blaster and Black Diamond media:



All blasted and ready to spray:



After the first coat of SPI epoxy primer in gray:





After the second coat of SPI epoxy primer in black:





Just for information, I used 2 1/4 quarts of epoxy (mixed) per coat. So, total thats 4 1/2 quarts and is a little under $100 worth of epoxy. I used about 3 bags of blasting media max and at $8 per bag that's $24. So total, it cost right about $125 for materials to do the frame.

Looks real nice.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by Number 9

That would work well I'd think. No moisture in tank. Mine always has moisture in the tank because I'm to lazy to do it right..

I ran 20 feet of 1/2" galvanized pipe out of the compressor to the water trap, thru the water trap, then to the first hose fitting. It cools the air and allows the moisture to condense so the trap captures it.

[Number 9]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I ran 20 feet of 1/2" galvanized pipe out of the compressor to the water trap, thru the water trap, then to the first hose fitting. It cools the air and allows the moisture to condense so the trap captures it.

That works I have a 1/2 id copper heavy wall pipe about 15 feet to the trap on my bead blast cabinet. I would like to do the coil to trap thing with a fan before the air go's in the tank. Too lazy to do it though.

[1958Warrior]

I cleaned mine with a 4-1/2" knotted wire wheel on a grinder. When I removed the rear most spring frame mounts ,I found a lot of rust and corrosion trapped between them. Decided to remove the front rear frame mounts and cross member . I found even more rust trapped in between a plate on the inside of the frame.54+ rivets in all . I primed and painted with Rustoleum stops rust. Reassembled with grade 8 bolts. Also ,did the cab mounts .

Painting the frame makes it look nice, but rust hides in the nooks and crannies, need to get in there to do some real good.
I think I spent almost as much in bolts as I did paint around $50, not to mention what was spent on beer.

[DransportGarage]

Super job, Number 9!

For some reason there wasn't a lot of grease on my frame, but there was plenty of undercoating. I had built the rotisserie 4 years ago for about $225. I bought an air scraper from HF and went at it:


Years ago I bought a $45 Campbell Hausfeld sand blaster, and that's what I use. The best sand I found was DuPont Starblast. Fairly fine, no silica and cuts like a razor. It took about 18 hours, but my labor is cheap!

After hole filling I shot a coat of Kirker primer and did some body work...and then some more body work...and then some more:


Then finally painted the frame. Most of this was grunt work instead of $$s:

[46deluxe]

cleaned mine with a 4-1/2" knotted wire wheel on a grinder and phosphoric acid from Home Depot $15 then brushed Rust Bullet on everything that was clean. You can scuff and top coat later.

[Number 9]

Don't forget the mask while sand blasting. Silica dust causes lung disease "COPD" Not a fun thing not being able to breathe.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Number 9

Don't forget the mask while sand blasting. Silica dust causes lung disease "COPD" Not a fun thing not being able to breathe.

A P100 mask is really a necessity no matter what media you use.

That said, I prefer not having any free silica around my yard so I don't use sand for blasting.

[Number 9]

I spread and hung a tarp and trapped the sand and used it again. Also wore a large window welding helmet with a towel taped around it. A bee keeper hood would work.

[jrdamien]

Thanks all for the tips. Got the frame today (see my build thread!) and it wasn't that rusted at all. Looks like someone along the line had it cleaned and painted.



Not enough rust to scrape.

Tomorrow: take off the axles, clean, prime.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Looks good. I'd wire wheel it to give the paint enough "tooth" to adhere. Wipe w/acetone & paint. It'll look great. Congrats.

[jrdamien]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Looks good. I'd wire wheel it to give the paint enough "tooth" to adhere. Wipe w/acetone & paint. It'll look great. Congrats.

Yeah I'm still going to use rusty metal primer on everything.

Now do I paint the chassis black or RED?

[46deluxe]

green

[Dan in Pasadena]

For me, frames will always be black or silver. I'd love to use hammered silver on a frame, but that may just be my weirdness!

Body color; to me, should only be body color on a full blown showboat. Then it looks awesome if the frame is PUUUURFECT, otherwise it looks terrible - again just my $.02