Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
General => Hobbies and Interests => Topic started by: JupiterBandit on March 12, 2014, 04:29:18 PM
-
I just broke down and bought my own Media Blaster.
It Blasts:
Baking Soda
Walnut
Glass
Sand
and a few other things
I got tired of trying to get estimates to blast my Trans Am and when I did get an estimate it was $1,200-$1,500
So 4 bags per car at $25.00 + $80 in fuel. comes out to $125.00 material X Waste = $200 - $300 and 4hrs labor This is much more affordable.
Now the funny part. The media Blaster is about $9k the compressor is $20k, not having to trailer my car and be ripped off, Priceless!!!!!
I have 2 Trans Ams and 1 Mustang to do so I figure I'll recoup some right there. After I've done my cars then I may do friends and neighbors, who knows.
Any one here who blasts that may have tips, I'd love to hear them.
I bought a Problast CRS machine and a Ingersol 185CFM
-
wow! nice equipment!
-
my brother has a shop, but he farms out the media blasting.
-
Wow dude... you don't screw around!
Does the equipment mnfr offer any guidlines?
Sorry, but I don't know anything about it except that you now have more than enough power to royally screw up a car... which I'm sure you realize.
OTOH - other people, most likely some of whom are not a smart as you, do it with success.... so learn the tricks an go for it. Try it on a junk car first to learn how without overheating / warpage. Once you master blasting, you could probably get enough side work to pay for the equipment... but dude! Ya shoulda gone for the wet soda blaster.
Hope it goes great!
-
Thanks.
Go big or go home right?
It has wet sodablasting nozel. I'm going to practice on the donor car I bought. I don't want to mess anything up. I'm also going to watch as many youtube videos as possible plus the manufacturer has a whole instruction book and videos too.
This will be a lot of fun. I hope
-
I was in the same boat trying to get estimates to media blast my '77 TA. I ended up buying a 60 gallon 5 HP upright compressor and am well on my way to taking care of the job myself. While speaking with a reputable media blasting shop north of Seattle the owner told me when he inspects a vehicle prior to blasting he will gently press down on the various panels with two fingers. If the panel has any flex, he does not blast it. I used this theory while stripping my TA - I used chemical stripper on the roof and quarters, and media blasted the more stout areas. So far so good, I've not had any issues.
Good luck with your new set up!
-
That's some good advice. Do you know what media the guy used? Or what you're using?
I heard crushed glass was perfect for thin sheet metal but a bit more abrasive than soda and leaves the surface prepped for primer unlike soda.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
-
I thought I'd update this thread.
Here's some free info that I've accumulated.
From everything I've read or heard from the Pros, Do not use Baking Soda to blast a car! They said it leaves a film that is not always rinsed off thoroughly enough and can cause the new paint to peel. Also if you get soda in the nooks and crannies it is like salt and will cause it to rust out. So Soda is off my list for the car. It also leaves the metal too smooth.
So I've settled on Crushed Glass. I'm going to use a fine grade as I may not need medium grade. It's about $12.50 per 50lbs. It etches the metal great, everyone loves the stuff and you can use low pressure around 60psi.
The new thing is, it's not necessarily the heat that warps the panels but the pressure you are hitting the panel with. You blast it at 100psi and you will warp the panel, drop it down to 60psi and it shouldn't warp.
Now there is a new Dustless Blasting system. It uses Water with Crushed Glass. This sounds ideal as it keeps the heat down and you can shoot it with 60psi. Problem is the pot is like $15k to start, and you're spraying water all over the place and making the ground muddy.
So I am hoping to use my set up soon and I will update you all to let you know what worked best. I am told a regular blaster like mine will do just as good as a dustless blaster. We shall see
-
great info... looking forward to seeing the results.
-
If you use baking soda, I dont see why you couldnt wipe it off with some paint thinner. As far as the pressure warping the panels.. The pressure is creating more heat but as long as you don't focus on one area it should be fine. Let us know how your experience goes.
-
Just took it out for its first test run.
It started blowing media but after 10 seconds it stopped feeding media then Id let off the dead man and then pressed on it again and it would start feeding. I adjusted the valve for more media and then it worked fine.
I love this thing. It's like a gigantic eraser. blast radius is like 4" diameter. It just blast everything gone.
I have to play with different pressures. I think it's a little too aggressive even with the fine glass media.
As for wiping down soda with Thinner, it won't neutralize the baking soda. You almost have to wash it with vinegar and then use prep all. But that won't guarantee you got it all and you won't know until after the paint dries and it starts peeling.
I'll post some pics of the hood I practiced on. I regret now not making a quick video. I may do more this week.
-
That's cool stuff Jupiter
~Trans ams rule....others drool~
-
Thanks,
I can't wait to get my TA's blasted and into primer. I can say this is so much nicer then a 60 gallon compressor and a little 50lbs pot blaster.
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca3rf4Mjggg
Came out great
-
that turned out great! if you wanna just mail that blaster to my house that would be nice!
-
Wish I could but I got 3 more sub frames to go and 4 cars to blast. But then I'm going to sell this off if I don't do something stupid like buy another car to restore.
I think after I get out of the weeds on these restorations I'm going to stick to buying finished projects lol
-
So just to recap on the blasting. I know I said it was cheaper to go this route. 4 bags at $12 = $48.00
Then someone pointed out the $15k in machinery to do it. lol
I'll recoup the $15k when I go to sell it when all is finished.
Each car should cost me about $400 in material and that beats paying $1,600 per car for sure.
So I'll save $1,200 X 4 = $4,800.00 plus whatever else I find to blast
-
hell i could have used the blaster on tons of things. it may have been expensive equipment but what if you go in like 4 or 5 cars? then you save time and money. and i love saving time. as for me....i have wire brushes. i dont even have power tools. everything ive done to my car i did by hand
-
That is respectable hard work right there.
I'm just too damn lazy. I started blasting my undercarriage with a harbor freight blaster and it took me 4 hours and I only did the underside of the trunk floor. It was hot and messy and I had to keep waiting for the compressor to build back up. I tried a wire brush but the muck was too thick.
I highly recommend the industrial blaster. ;D
I think you can rent these things too. That's always a thought. $150 for the compressor and $100 for the blaster for the weekend. That could be an idea
-
if i had money i would buy one! with all of the wire brushes i have ever bought i ccould have probably bought one lol
-
if i had money i would buy one! with all of the wire brushes i have ever bought i ccould have probably bought one lol
Try renting one maybe
-
i will when time comes to rip the subframe off and do the body. i gotta get the engine back together so i can get it back to ohio!
-
If you do go the blasting route when the time comes feel free to hit me up. I'll give you whatever tips I got. I first thought it was just point and shoot and then I learned it was much more.
-
isnt that all it is? just point and shoot ;D
-
I had a test panel. An old hood for a 67 mustang. I had it at 100psi, blasted it and then noticed I could see all of the substrate through the skin. It is now permanently screwed. So I had to do a lot of tests with how much nozzle pressure vs pot pressure and how much media to feed. It ended up being it's own science. But now I got most of it figured out
-
Hows that blaster working out for you?
-
Hows that blaster working out for you?
So far so good. It's nice to be able to blast large sections in minutes instead of hours. I still have to learn it's limits but that will come with experience.