Prestige593

I have one of my seats dissasembled. The frame is intact, all of the springs are there. The frame & tracks however, are covered in surface rust. I was thinking of having them sandblasted and painted. What are your thoughts and/or ideas?

NHvette

Better off using Phosporic acid solution or a couple days soaking
in vinegar (Acetic acid) to remove the rust. The tracks do not fully
come apart, and I would worry about getting sand trapped in them.
The rest of the seat frame could be blasted without concern.

Twin_Turbo

that's exactly what will happen, you'll regret it forever.

Prestige593

Where can I find this solution? Is it a liquid or a spray?

DZRick

hunt4cleanair

I'm dealing with same situation so appreciate the intel.

noonie

If you have the sandblaster no problem. Have sandblasted tracks many times with no problems. Just have to blow out any sand and operate, then soak in vinegar and phospho and plate or paint before they rust again.
They work smooth as silk.

jnb5101

i've used some stuff called rust remover from the rust doctor (on the web) for parts i didn't want to blast. it really works well, and doesn't damage plastic or rubber. threw an inopperative headlight lockout switch and bracket in this stuff for two days, and it cleaned the contacts in the switch so it works ok now.

Tom454

Me too. Sandblasting works fine.

Just be **** about cleaning 'em off when done.

Never regretted it or had any problems doing it this way.

I have also found a lot of broken welds this way.

Wire wheel them after blasting as best you can, clean with lacquer thinner, prime & paint. Install your new covers & grease the channels.

seventysixvette

Just finished glassbeading mine last week. Only problem is you still can't get the old set up grease and grunge out. I went to Ace hardware and bought a lond narrow plastic pan and a gallon of extra strength lacquer thinner. I put about 3" of the thinner in the pan then one by one set the tracks in and worked 'em back and forth. You wouldn't believe the black and grey grease, dirt and general grime that broke loose. They felt so loose and easy to work afterwords I was kinda suprised. A little white lithium grease applied with a gun through a needle grease adaptor and I was ready for some matte black paint.
John

Tom454

As a side note... I remove the old grease before I media blast. The media sticks to it and makes even a worse mess. Lacquer thinner is my favorite as well.

Prestige593

Thanks for all of the help so far. My tracks move, but not too smooth. As far as the tracks when they are done and cleaned... How do I paint them? I would think that if I sprayed paint all over them they would just bind up and stick.

Ill look into getting a sandblaster if I can get away without spending a fortune. I don't really need one, but then again, I don't "really" need 80% of the tools in my garage....

Here are pics of the drivers seat:

63mako

I bought my sandblaster for $20 at farm and fleet. Just a tube you stick in the media and a gun that the tube and AC hook to. Works pretty good!

72LS1Vette

They're even less expensive at Home Depot. I bought a siphon feed blaster for $14.00 and a couple of bags of Play Sand for a few $ each. You wouldn't need more than 1 bag of sand for the seat frames. One thing that you need to buy in addition is a GOOD respirator mask. Sand contains Silica and breathing the dust can cause a condition called Silicosis that can be life-threatening. Do your blasting outside and position yourself upwind of the spray and you will probably be OK.

If you only have light rust on most of the frames, wirebrushing them and painting with something like Rust Encapsulator or Rust Bullet will do fine. These coatings actually adhere better to rusted surfaces.



Rick B.

Prestige593

I have a small "pancake" style compressor. The type that is good for using a braid / finishing nailer. Will this be enough power / air to sandblast with? I can't see buying another compressor just for this job. I have also been thinking about the Electroysis method if I could just find the Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda".

Tom454

Not likely. You need a lot of CFM to sandblast. Pressure is less important than CFM.

rainierfarm

I blasted mine they where like new a few things needed to be done. the upolster that recoverd them for me did a fair job but i had to buy some parts he lost.&&^&&%&%&% any way need to call him today because one of the seats where the stiching runs in the center of the seat back frount on head rest is off to one side which inturn pulls the leather out of shape on the back of the seat, when you put the seat back cover on the fabric on the edge of the leather sticks up and it's seen.&*&^*^**^*^& mad mad mad..........1972 coupe

homers3

make sure the frame at the rear of the seat bottom is sound....cracks form there and allow the frame to sag. While you have them apart would be an idea time to beef up the area. There is a plate you can purchase, or you can make your own.

SIXFOOTER

Sand blasting a few small parts for surface rust is to much of a PITA and I have a blast cabinet already setup. For that stuff I ude Phosphoric Etcher from Home Depot, paint the stuff on with a brush, walk away a little while, paint it again, walk away. Rinse and paint.
Sand Blast will work nice, but like I said, for small jibs its to much

hunt4cleanair

I picked a gallon of this up from Home Depot yesterday and tried it out...interesting stuff. I did about three applications and it removed the rust pretty well. After rinsing, left it out in the sun to thoroughly dry...which heated it up to the extent it was too hot to handle. It was dry.