I'm getting ready to start a new project (non-vette) and I'm thinking about picking up a media blaster for the frame and body panels to make it easier to see what I'm getting myself into. I see several at Harbor Freight ranging from the inexpensive to the the convenient but don't really know what to look for. Who all has their own blasting setup and what do you recommend?

 

For a big job you need a big compressor to keep the psi up for sustained blasting. I have rented a unit in the past for big jobs, but will never do that again. It makes a mess and you better be prepared with a blasting booth and recycle some of that sand. Also, a rotisserie will come in handy for the frame. Yes, I did all this stuff, that's why I recommend sending the work to someone who does it professionally. Or, if you can find a place that rents you time using their facility, that would be nice. Someone here posted using such a facility not too long ago. Small items can be blasted using a small compressor, but frames need HD equipment. If you are doing doors and hoods on a steel car, you need to be careful not to warp them. I once bought an old Chevy where the previous owner ruined the hood by blasting too aggressively. He warped the hood beyond repair. Good luck with your project!

 

thinking about the same thing but just want to do valve covers and small stuff like that. Am watching your post with interest.

 

Take an old small block Chevy, rig it to run on 4 or 6 cylinders, and let the others operate as an air compressor. Then you might have enough air flow.

A dual stage compressor is what you want, if you buy one. Most home compressors are single stage and usually lucky to flow 4-5 cfm at 90 psi. You want about double that, or you will blast for 3 minutes, wait for 10.

You need a small room to blast in so you can contain the material. You will need some protective headgear and breathing apparatus.

Unfortunately, taking it somewhere isn't an option always, as some places blasting has become very expensive due to EPA rules. So either get a big compressor, or expect very slow results.

 

I took mine to a local sandblasting facility where you rent the time, they supply air hood, huge sandhopper and a 200hp compressor. cost me about $250. to blast all my frame,wheels,suspension parts brackets etc. charged was $95. per hour. They also have smaller blast cabinets for small items.
When I got home there was no mess to clean up and I saved my 5hp compressor all the stress

Look in Yellow pages under "Sandblasting" for a do it yourself facility

 

My dad has an industrial-grade 80gal. compressor, and I wouldn't even think about trying to blast a frame with it.

 

I used Harbor Freights cabinet type blaster and it worked great. I just used it for smaller parts up to and including A-arms. (They barely fit). Obviously this type would do you no good for the frame. As a previous poster stated, unless you have an enclosure to blast in, you're in for one HUGE mess. If you have neighbors they will be REALLY ticked. Any blaster you use, make darn sure you wear a respirator. Serious potential for health issues here. Even with the cabinet type I had dust everywhere inwhich case the wife gets seriously TICKED. I used one serious compressor to run mine and had no issues but you really need to maintain good CFM constantly

 

I used a Home Depot $13.00 siphon feed blaster and a Craftsman 30-gal compressor to sandblast my frame and some other parts. Progress is VERY slow with this setup but I just kept on going and the compressor never quit on me. Some moisture came through once in a while and clogged up the nozzle but you just deal with it. If you want to get the job done fast this isn't the way to go, but if you are cheap (or frugal as we say in New England) you can get the compressor for $300.00 and use it for all of your other air tool tasks.



Rick B.

 

All comments are valid. My son and I just did our frame with a commercial trailer mounted compressor and a 10 gallon pressurized blaster. Its messy but if you are planning on blasting a complete body and chassis/ suspension parts, it could be a cost saver. The pressurized unit gives 30% to 40% more blasting power than the suction unit. Pictures are of the chassis before and after blasting and finally with grey primer applied. We used aluminum oxide as a medium for blasting with a tarp spread for reclaiming. It is incredibly more effective than sand and can be recycled several times over. You might consider using soda blasting for the body panels as it will operate at a lower pressure and will not generate excess heat that may warp the panels. Also, if you buy a blaster , you will need to address some form of condensation eliminator as when air is compressed, moisture accumulates causing clogging of the blasting media. You can purchase filters, silica filled to remove moisture and I have heard of guys running their air feed hose through a bucket of ice to reduce heating of the compressed air. Do a search for any of these points. If you are a hands on guy , its not a big deal and it can save you some money.

 

Everything mentioned will work. It depends on what you have more of - time or money.

 

I looked everywhere here and nobody wanted to touch it. So I went to Princess Auto and bought a sandblasting pot with a lot of sand. It was a PITA and messy. It took two days because the small compressor released a lot of moisture and clogged the tank and lines but my son was there to shake it lose. With the right compressor and moisture trap I would have been done in a few hours but ....I made due. Farm it out for sure.

 

good looking job you did there "Jomor".

 

Thanks ghoastrider1!

 

The large frame blasting also requires a scuba breathing hood. Tiny grains of sand trapped in your lungs are there to stay, so farm out the big stuff unless you are going to go in business doing the big stuff. Your health should be the number one consideration in sandblasting anytime. Lung problems could make hiring it done look like a bargain.

 

Real simple solution for that - don't use any silica products for blasting.

 

I don't believe any type of media in your lungs would be all that great for your health.

 

I also am trying to figure out what kind of tank to get someday, so 'll too

 

I have to toss in another for pressure blasters. I bought a small one from HF when I was blasting suspension parts - it made the work far easier and faster.

My moisture separator/pressure regulator is a custom blend: I picked up one of HF's blue filter/regulator units on a deep discount sale. The regulator was a piece of crap, so I spent $40 at Home Depot and bought a much better unit. I also replaced the ball valves with much better units from Home Depot's plumbing department. In the end, I got the same functionality as a $120 unit for about $65.

No, but silica sand causes silicosis, which rips your lungs apart and can't be repaired. I always wear a dust mask and hood when doing open-air blasting. If I'm going to be working for any length of time, I use a military surplus gas mask under the hood.

 

I picked up a project in the spring and my plan is to do all the parts blasting at home with a unit about the size of that display at TP tools (see link below). The frame, as others suggest, I'll farm out to a restoration shop that does this for a living.

I have a large blasting cabinet that is red, probably the same size as that shown below. It's great! I've got a dual cycle compressor with 60 gas tank and 6.5 hp motor. I've done a bunch of light stuff and its like spraying paint but in reverse. It just takes up quite a bit of space.

TP Tools

 

I do all my own blasting on metal, but I had a local blasting shop do the media blasting on my '80. I'm glad I did. Plastic media blasting is the way to go!