Sand blasting... Chassis

[Charley]

http://safestrustremover.com/before-after2.asp?B=axel-b&A=axel-a&btext=Complete%20assemblies%20can%20be%20done%20in%20place%20with%20simple%20preparation%20for%20recirculation%20of%20product%20over%20surface%20areas.&atext=No%20disassembly%20required.%20As%20good%20as%20new,%20like%20the%20day%20it%20left%20Ford%20Motor%20Company.without%20turning%20a%20wrench.

[69RSZEE28]

I thought soda blasting wasn't supposed to take down rust.

Little surface rust when its used with water. If its pretty rusty then use sand or something more aggressive than soda. My buddy has a professional blaster and he blasts high end cars! Ferraris, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Corvettes, etc. The soda is so gentle but works great, especially those fiberglass bodies.

[69Z28-RS]

I thought soda blasting wasn't supposed to take down rust.

Little surface rust when its used with water. If its pretty rusty then use sand or something more aggressive than soda. My buddy has a professional blaster and he blasts high end cars! Ferraris, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Corvettes, etc. The soda is so gentle but works great, especially those fiberglass bodies.

Yes, on *fiberglass*, either soda or chemical is preferred to remove paint (but fiberglass doesn't rust)..    Rust on steel is totally different, and I would not use soda solutions..

[Kelley W King]

Just FYI. At my body mans request I had my 77 trans am media blasted for a repaint. Since it was not a body off resto I taped off the dash, removed the interior and bumpers. The engine and drivetrain is fine so I left it in the car. The blasting (did not ask but looks like a plastic sand) did well for paint and rust removal. The media found it,s way into everything, taped off or not. After blowing, vacuuming, and washing many times the stuff is still stuck to wiring, cables, in wire connectors, and to anything that was oily. I had to removed the dash and and clean all wires and connections, ect. It even stuck to the throttle cable which stuck during a wide open burnout. This past weekend after another wash,vacuum and blow, I drove down the road with windows down and it is still coming out of everywhere. Unless I have a shell only or disassembled parts only, it is back to paint stripper for me.

[Sauron327]

Just FYI. At my body mans request I had my 77 trans am media blasted for a repaint. Since it was not a body off resto I taped off the dash, removed the interior and bumpers. The engine and drivetrain is fine so I left it in the car. The blasting (did not ask but looks like a plastic sand) did well for paint and rust removal. The media found it,s way into everything, taped off or not. After blowing, vacuuming, and washing many times the stuff is still stuck to wiring, cables, in wire connectors, and to anything that was oily. I had to removed the dash and and clean all wires and connections, ect. It even stuck to the throttle cable which stuck during a wide open burnout. This past weekend after another wash,vacuum and blow, I drove down the road with windows down and it is still coming out of everywhere. Unless I have a shell only or disassembled parts only, it is back to paint stripper for me.

As to be exected by anyone who has ever blasted a car. Why would a professional bodyman suggest such a thing on an assembled car? I used to to do all my own blasting. I now sub it out. The blaster uses sand as did I. If you don't know what you are doing you will destroy panels. The people who use soda and it's post blasting neutralization can keep using it. Other medias are available that do not require it. Suit up with a fresh air respirator, use a commercial blasting setup and you'll get an education about the first step in the resto procedure. It's the worst job about the process.

[69Z28-RS]

I too do my own sandblasting, using a TIP 100 lbs pressure unit and a large commercial compressor, 3/4" air hose, and pressure set to 85-95 psi, and keep the spot moving, esp on sheet metal.   I've never warped my parts, but I have seen cars 'commercially' blasted by people not accustomed to 'autos', that did warp every panel on the car (it takes more pressure and more concentrated blasting' than I choose to do!   And even on totally stripped down  body hulls and frame components, the sand STILL GETS everywhere.. and takes time to clean out of the nooks and crannies!   I also have a TIP bead blasting cabinet for smaller parts, where I use either glass bead, or walnut shell particles, and I have used the Metal Rescue type of chemicals? which work well on small clean items.

The process and 'Safest Rust Remover' suggested by Charley seems a viable altenative to stripping rust of even larger items, but I suspect it's like the Metal Rescue chemicals we've all used for rust stripping smaller parts.  With an assembled car, as he's proposed, I'd be concerned about it getting into nooks, crevices, etc..  even if it's 'safe'...?   I might try that sometime though, as the photo results sure looked good *S*