jfman

iTrader: (6)

Whats a good sandblaster ? I bought a gravity fed sandblaster from Harbor freight and it sucks...

I need to sand blast my whole car and a nice SB would be nice but I dont know what to look for..

Mike Hall

If you must use sand be sure to wear a good respirator as you do not want to be breathing that silica in. Im not sure what to tell you to do about finding a good blaster. You need a huge air compressor and those cheap blasting pots are hard to get to work well. Get a good deadman valve and try to setup up the media flow to were you just do see media coming from the nozzle then back it down a little. You will have a hard time keeping tips from eating away if you run to much media though it. Good luck with the project.

Mike

jfman

iTrader: (6)

Where can i buy media ?

I used playsand in my cheap gun... maybe if I tried media in my cheap gun I'd get some results...

Mike Hall

Im not real sure where to get media in ATL. Look up blasting media in the phonebook and see what they list. You should get something like chrushed glass if you want someting cheap. Its somewhat like sand but silica free and less abrasive so its harder to warp panels.

Mike

Dope

iTrader: (2)

I'd be interested too.

I have an old toolchest that was my grandfather's (pre WWII). It's in good shape, just has some surface rust and/or really really old and ratty paint.

I want to sand/media blast it and then primer/paint it.

I have a large 7.5HP/60gal air compressor.

I don't want to spend a fortune, as I doubt I will sandblast much more, but at the same time I want it to work correctly.

Dope

chino_man279

iTrader: (7)

I am currently sandblasting the entire underside of my V6 camaro to get it ready for yet another Michigan winter. I am using the pressurized sand blaster from Harbor Freight. It works just fine. I also have a siphon feed unit, but there is no way in hell I would even attempt to blast anything big with it. I usually use the siphon blaster as a pressurized degreaser gun actually...lol. Bucket of water and some simple green degreaser, used with the cheap siphon feed unit works wonders for degreasing.

Anyways back on topic. I am running simple playsand through my blaster. I am drying it in the oven and screening it with a standard household window screen. It is working just fine at removing heavy rust on my car(8 years in Michigan winter). Choose the right tip size and it should work decently for you. Make absolutely certain you use a respirator when using actual sand though!!! If you want some cheap blasting media, harbor freight does sell it. In quantities large enough to do a car though, I would hit up an industrial supply shop.

JPMuscle

Im not an autobody guy but wouldnt a DA sander be a better alternative??


-john

fast377

iTrader: (52)

Having sandblasted a few cars, I can tell you it's not fun. Both the gravity fed and suction ones (from harbor freight or wherever) work fine, but will take you FOREVER to do a whole car. Did I say forever? The past two times I did it, I rented one from a local equipement rental place. You get a 4cyl diesel powered turbine compressor, sand tank, and all the hoses. Costs about $250 for a day. Home depot USED to carry the blasting sand, but the one here no longer does. Only place in town that has it is a place that makes monuments and headstones and stuff. $7 for a 50lb bag.

As mentioned above, a DA would work for the outer body (provided you have a monster compressor to keep up) but not for the multiple contoured underside of the car.

gto69judge

iTrader: (32)

www.eastwood.com specializes in auto restoration tools and sand blasters.

Let me warn you that sand as a media will warp auto panels. Eastwood offers plastic media, walnut shells etc. as alternates. I think Harbor freight and Northern Tool offer it as well.

I bought this deadman valve from them: http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT
and installed it on my pressure blaster from Harbor Freight. It works fine but with the amount of blasting I have done, I wish I had bought a more expensive blaster with a funnel top and better mixing valve. Usually the more expensive blasters include the good deadman valve, mixing valve, and a better hose as well.

Northern Tool has the deadman cheaper at $49.99. You can see it along with a nice blaster in this link:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...6970_7960_7960
When you click on "accessories" you can see the valve and further down their strainer.

Playsand can be used if it has been WASHED and DRIED to reduce the dust but most brands have pebbles mixed in that plug up the nozzle. You MUST screen the sand before putting it into your blaster. Eastwood sells a very nice 11" diameter sifter. Silica sand is pure white and consistant size but is considerably more expensive than play sand. The finest swimming pool filter sand works well and is consistant in size but rather aggressive. It works great for frames and such. If you can locate actual blasting sand, buy many extra bags for the future. I wish I had because the only place I could find it went out of business years ago..

As mentioned previously, you MUST wear the correct respirator when blasting.

AmericanMuscle313

iTrader: (5)

Harbor Freight has media and a sweet return policy!

JPMuscle

So how about a angle grinder with sanding discs on it??


I only mention that becuase its a method ive used in the past with come pretty good success.


-john