sand blasting question?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 680
Likes: 3
From: charlotte N.C
sand blasting question?
I have stripped the whole car down to the chassis so now it is time to same blast. Now I am using two compressors linked together equaling 35 gallons because buying a new one isn't in my budget. When I use my sand blaster, it continuously gets clogged either at the top or bottom of the hose and some times in the bit. Let’s just say I worked for an hour the other day and only got an area 1 foot wide by 3 inches tall. Is there any trick, techniques, or advise you guys have to help me with this restoration step.
Thanks,
Kevin
Thanks,
Kevin
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Tank size has little to do with it. You need psi and cfm.
Depending on the nozzle size and grit used, it could be as much as 20cfm@ 90 psi.
Try the smallest nozzle you can.
Also sounds like you may have moisture in the media. Use good filters or moisture traps.
Depending on the nozzle size and grit used, it could be as much as 20cfm@ 90 psi.
Try the smallest nozzle you can.
Also sounds like you may have moisture in the media. Use good filters or moisture traps.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 12
From: wichita kansas
i've restored many cars......my tip to you is this: pay someone to blast the frame and larger pieces. i have a blasting cabinet and a pot i use outdoors for medium size pieces, but when it comes to frames, a-arms etc. i have a guy with a commerial blasting unit come over and do it. it only costs a couple hundred bucks or less, and he is done in a fraction of the time that it would take me, the quality of the blasting is much better, not to mention tons of sand that i would have to go through!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 1
From: Westminster Maryland
Razman is right. A real unit uses 100+ cfm, and can do a car frame in a hour or so. The time, aggravation, and the mess is not worth the buck fifty you could pay someone to do it. Be ready with your primer- sandblasted metal will start rusting instantly.
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Yep. I paid someone $80 to blast the frame on my '29 dodge, Good job too.
Of course the other place nearby wanted $250! So shop around...
Oh and I HOPE you are doing the frame and NOT the body.
If you do the body you will end up with swiss cheese and will never ever fill the millions of pin holes
Of course the other place nearby wanted $250! So shop around...
Oh and I HOPE you are doing the frame and NOT the body.
If you do the body you will end up with swiss cheese and will never ever fill the millions of pin holes
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
I have stripped the whole car down to the chassis so now it is time to same blast. Now I am using two compressors linked together equaling 35 gallons because buying a new one isn't in my budget. When I use my sand blaster, it continuously gets clogged either at the top or bottom of the hose and some times in the bit. Let’s just say I worked for an hour the other day and only got an area 1 foot wide by 3 inches tall. Is there any trick, techniques, or advise you guys have to help me with this restoration step.
Thanks,
Kevin
Thanks,
Kevin
Rick B.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 15
From: Calgary Alberta
Send your frame and large parts out to someone to be done. This is coming from someone who sandblasted every part on his own personal car (I even did the frame myself). I had a pressure sand blaster with a 60 gallon compressor and 11 cfm pump at the time. It just isn't worth it. It probably cost me just as much to do it myself than if I would have paid a company to do it (you need to shop around).
Last edited by stinger12; Jan 17, 2009 at 10:35 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 487
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
Your media is too wet.
You can clear a clog like that by creating back pressure in the system. If you are using a gravity feed pot, ball up a shop towel and hold it over the nozzle opening then pull the trigger for a couple of seconds. This will force air back down the sand supply line which will blow out the clog. If you have a pressurized pot, there should be a lever you switch to create the back pressure for clearing clogs.
Always wear gloves and a respirator while sand blasting. Avoid paper dust masks. They don’t really work that well.
You can clear a clog like that by creating back pressure in the system. If you are using a gravity feed pot, ball up a shop towel and hold it over the nozzle opening then pull the trigger for a couple of seconds. This will force air back down the sand supply line which will blow out the clog. If you have a pressurized pot, there should be a lever you switch to create the back pressure for clearing clogs.
Always wear gloves and a respirator while sand blasting. Avoid paper dust masks. They don’t really work that well.