roddguy1
Well-known member
I keep seeing this question being asked and it makes me wonder..... how many guys out there are ruining good bodies because they think they can be sandblasted or don't know there are other methods available? I've been in the trade doing professional restorations now for 25 years. I'm going to say this loud and clear and I hope everyone hears it.
( I'm not yelling ) "YOU CAN'T SANDBLAST BODY PANELS......PERIOD"
The heat generated from the sand hitting the steel surface will warp the sheetmetal body panels beyond resonable repair. You can however sandblast such areas as door jambs, rockers and floor boards because they have bends and shapes pressed into them that help the metal to hold it's shape.
There is a media called "GREEN LIGHTNING" on the market that has been made to replace silica sand. *(which is illegal in Canada now) It comes in two grits. Fine and course. I have found that the the Fine grit is less likely to cause warping because it cuts so fast that there is lest heat. I use it in a vacuum blaster to clean out scale rust in the middlle of a panel, but you must keep moving to prevent heat from building up. I still would not use it in a pot blaster to do a general sandblasting of a body.
Soda blasting or another media such as walnut shell, or plastic media is the only way to blast paint and body filler off a body, but it will not take rust. I use the previous method of the vac blaster and Fine Grit Green Lightening to take off any rust that may be left on the body panels.
It has been mentioned on other forums that soda blasting causes problems with the primer and paint.
The only reason guys will have any trouble with soda blasting interfering in the prep and paint is if they don't do there prep work properly to clean it up and preping the body. Soda Blasting tends to polish the metal surfaces which then need to be mechanicaly (sanding) or chemicaly etched (acid etch) so the new primer will bond to the metal serface. Bottom line here is prep work is tedious, long, hard work. There are no short cuts if you want a good product. That's why good body work costs good money......
pay cheap = get cheap.
However, a job met with patients and the proper technics will yeild a great final product every time.
( I'm not yelling ) "YOU CAN'T SANDBLAST BODY PANELS......PERIOD"
The heat generated from the sand hitting the steel surface will warp the sheetmetal body panels beyond resonable repair. You can however sandblast such areas as door jambs, rockers and floor boards because they have bends and shapes pressed into them that help the metal to hold it's shape.
There is a media called "GREEN LIGHTNING" on the market that has been made to replace silica sand. *(which is illegal in Canada now) It comes in two grits. Fine and course. I have found that the the Fine grit is less likely to cause warping because it cuts so fast that there is lest heat. I use it in a vacuum blaster to clean out scale rust in the middlle of a panel, but you must keep moving to prevent heat from building up. I still would not use it in a pot blaster to do a general sandblasting of a body.
Soda blasting or another media such as walnut shell, or plastic media is the only way to blast paint and body filler off a body, but it will not take rust. I use the previous method of the vac blaster and Fine Grit Green Lightening to take off any rust that may be left on the body panels.
It has been mentioned on other forums that soda blasting causes problems with the primer and paint.
The only reason guys will have any trouble with soda blasting interfering in the prep and paint is if they don't do there prep work properly to clean it up and preping the body. Soda Blasting tends to polish the metal surfaces which then need to be mechanicaly (sanding) or chemicaly etched (acid etch) so the new primer will bond to the metal serface. Bottom line here is prep work is tedious, long, hard work. There are no short cuts if you want a good product. That's why good body work costs good money......
pay cheap = get cheap.
However, a job met with patients and the proper technics will yeild a great final product every time.
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