Sandblasting! Anybody out there done any?

rich53x · Post by **rich53x** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:25 pm

I'm in the process of restoring my 1974 Beetle. I think I'll take it down to bare metal and then POR-15 and paint the whole thing.

I've never used a sandblaster before. Is this the way to go?

How much sand does it take? Where does the sand go to?

I'd appreciate any input from someone's experience. Thanks!

rlarkin · Post by **rlarkin** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:43 pm

Blasting does a good job, but if it is your first time, it might be advised to have a professional do it.
Sand blasting, if not done correctly, creates a LOT of heat that can warp panels. Soda (baking) blasting is better.

As far as where the media goes, well, on the ground.
It can be cleaned, dried and re-used.

BOYGENIUS · Post by **BOYGENIUS** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:19 am

I sand blasted my chassis and it took about 200lbs of sand to get the job done. Sand was everywhere and it was a real hassle because of all of the clean up. If you don't have a big compressor it will loose pressure quickly and it will take even longer to blast the paint off. I'm using chemical paint stripper to remove the paint on my car since the sandblasting made such a mess. I don't know what it costs but have you considered hot tanking your whole body. It is supposed to take off all of the paint and rust and bring the car all the way down to bare metal.

EASY RIDER · Post by **EASY RIDER** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 3:23 am

Check for a local shop that does sandblasting because it may be worth the money to have someone else do the blasting. If you do it there are a few things to think about: huge mess, need a lot of sand, will work a compressor to death, sand goes ALL over. I was blessed with a shop that had the equipment and the sand to use. I blasted everything but the body. Don't know if it did much good but after I sandblasted my parts I took them to another part of the shop and blasted them with glass bead to give them a great finish before painting.

Bert

JC-ATL · Post by **JC-ATL** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 5:44 am

Having done a few cars to bare metal, lemme make a recommendation - don't sandblast it. There are too many pain in the ass factors to make it worthwhile. Start with chemicals, finish with a DA sander. You can wire brush some of the places where the DA won't go. Make sure that where you use chemicals, you wash thoroughly.

The other reason I like to use the sander method is that it puts you up close and personal with every panel on the car, and really shows you where repairs are needed.

john walklett · Post by **john walklett** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 4:09 am

I agree, dont sand blast.

I start with paint stripper and a wire wheel in a grinder. You may have to do this several times to get through different layers of paint.

Wear protective clothed and face visor.. the paint stripper imperegnated paint goes everywhere using the wire wheel and it burns a bit on the skin.

Finish off with an orbital sander and be sure the clean the car with panel wipe to remove all excess stripper, before you etch prime.

John

Bill Richardson · Post by **Bill Richardson** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:07 am

Soda blasting is better for thin metal like body work.

Kafer_Mike · Post by **Kafer_Mike** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 10:57 am

Depending on your budget, you can dip and/or soda blast. Dipping works great to strip large panels like hoods, deck lids, fenders, etc. Pricing is close to that of soda blasting. The benefits are that it removes everything (i.e. surface rust, paint, primer, rust proofing, bondo, etc.) and does not damage the metal. You don't want to do the main body or pan though, as the chemicals with get into and strip the concealed areas like the heater channels and the tunnel. Soda blasting works better on them. Figure around $600 to strip and entire body minus the pan using these methods...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:51 pm

I blasted the the bare pan, beam and rear suspension. tape up holes you don't want sand in and wear safety glasses and shield. Took about two hours clean up wasn't bad rake it into the lawn sweep the drive, and don't park anything nice nearby. I 250# of play sand from toys r us for 5$ a bag ,make sure its dry, and you need a decent air compressor. was it worth it? You bet down to bare metal and ready for por15 in half a day! All for about 25$.

ubercrap · Post by **ubercrap** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:06 pm

http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=70912

LobsterPimp · Post by **LobsterPimp** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 9:05 am

I am doing a resto on a 1973 standard VW Bug (with what I believe is a 1600 cc engine, and IRS).

Started out as a simple break and pan replacement. It has since spiraled out of control, and I've got everything off the pan (transmission is next to come off). I've been looking for sandblasting services, and may have found one.

The big question is the surface prep of the bare metal. I've read many posts, and some have diffrent opinions. For the most part I've read that POR-15 is the stuff to use. And most people point me in the direction of thier "floor pan & trunk kit". POR-15 says "one quart will do 96 square feet" and two coats are reccomended. So Iguess my real question is weather or not the "floor pan & trunk kit" will be enough to cover the entire pan of my VW (front end, rear end, pans, frame) all top and bottem.

Just to make things more confusing.....I'm a commercial fisherman, and I used to work on a steel boat. We used a special epoxy primer and paint when we did rust repair (Devo). And used OSPHO to kill the rust.

Was wondering if there was anyone who has had experiances with both types of surface prep (POR-15 vs OSPHO and Epoxy Paint).

I'm also going to try and clean up the tunnel a bit, useing what a poster recommended. (long bug sprayer with muratic acid, then ospho)

Any and all help would be great. I'm getting close to doing this. Just need to remove the tranny and rear suspension, and get the call from the headstone carver.

LobsterPimp · Post by **LobsterPimp** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 9:11 am

duplicate

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 10:03 am

We've done different methods.....

Overall --- seems as if a few VERY good quality industrial "Twisted" or "Knotted" brushes are the most economical. You can pick up very good quality angle grinders at a pawn shop for $25-50... for an additional $100 you'll have various options for removing the paint.

I've tried chemcial stripping --- seems as if it takes a ton of the material -- the VOCs aren't anything fun to be inhaling (even with a VERY good respirator)

You'll need good goggles and a pro-quality respirator... and some gloves for any process you use.

T.

JC-ATL · Post by **JC-ATL** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 10:57 am

LobsterPimp wrote:The big question is the surface prep of the bare metal. I've read many posts, and some have diffrent opinions. For the most part I've read that POR-15 is the stuff to use. And most people point me in the direction of thier "floor pan & trunk kit". POR-15 says "one quart will do 96 square feet" and two coats are reccomended. So Iguess my real question is weather or not the "floor pan & trunk kit" will be enough to cover the entire pan of my VW (front end, rear end, pans, frame) all top and bottem

Don't know how much is in the floor pan and trunk kit, but a quart will do pans and tunnel, top and bottom, two coats, no problem. Make sure that if you go the POR-15 route, you buy a gallon of the Metal Ready and use it before coating with POR-15.

Good luck!

Single 60 · Post by **Single 60** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 4:54 pm

I'm also going to try and clean up the tunnel a bit, useing what a poster recommended. (long bug sprayer with muratic acid, then ospho

I wouldn't touch that my experience with muratic acid is that it works well if you emerse the part let it work than rinse with fresh water. would be hard to do that with a tunnel. The stuff is nasty!

ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Sandblasting! Anybody out there done any?

Sandblasting! Anybody out there done any?

Check out this thread for hazards