how do you guys prep your small parts for painting?

[Jeepster]

Small home media blast booth, wirebrush on a grinder stand,or dont care what it looks like, just slap it on.

Just trying to dress/clean things up. I hate putting dirty parts back on.

 

[eBronc]

Call Mr picky...

The vast majority of parts I'm reusing on my project are extremely rusty, so they get sandblasted, then washed with either dishwashing soap or castrol SuperClean. I hang them from old coat hangers hooked to the garage door frame so they'll dry in the sun, then shoot them with a coat of primer, wait a day or two, then a coat or two of color. The aluminum parts (intake manifold, timing cover, accessory brackets) get an additional coat of clear over that to bring up the gloss and add an extra layer of protection.

Sounds like a lot of work (and it is), but for entire frame up rebuild it's worth it.

 

[Jeepster]

how do you blast? do you have a home booth?

 

[Paperboy]

I have a table top sand blaster booth from Harbor Freight to do the small parts. I think I paid $59.99 a year back.

It looks good, but I haven't really used it yet.

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[eBronc]

I'm cheap...but creative.

how do you blast? do you have a home booth?

Yeah, a small one. It started out as a Harbor Freight benchtop model, but I cut the floor out, bent and welded up a funnel bottom, and added some legs to it. It sits on top of an old roll-around tool cabinet bottom which now holds an old kitchen trash can as the media hopper. Works great, but I have to replace the plexiglass window every few weeks because it gets so hazy from the sand it gets hard to see through.

My limiting factor in how fast I can blast is now my compressor. It's a 5 hp 220v motor and 20 gallon tank, but it won't keep up with the volume of air the sandblaster uses. I've got my eye on that new 2 stage 30 gallon vertical unit from Sears, though...

 

[feitctaj]

At work we have bead blaster that will hold a fender. As long as we are not on the clock and we don't let media fall on the floor, We can use it I just walk it over to the paint room and primer it.
Let it bake till my shift ends and take it home.

 

[LSUpete]

Jeepster,

I always sandblast any metal part that comes off my Bronco, then I coat it with primer and let it sit for a day. I always use three coats of color and three coats of clear. If you want the absolute best clear in an aerosol can, this is it.....

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/...0&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=diamond+clear

I have tried lots of clear coating sprays from the auto parts stores, and they all ended up foggy or would yellow. This stuff from Eastwood is beautiful!

 

[tx1ton]

Table top blaster, prime and paint. I'm usually too impatient to wait long after priming but it still looks much better than orig condition. Table blaster was from Tractor Supply. I too have problems with compressor volume keeping up with the blaster needs...sigh!

 

[Madgyver]

To take care of the air supply CFM I just run two air compressors into one 20gal. tank with 1/2" check valves separating the two. Not the best solution but it gives me more time/air to blast bigger parts.

 

[2badrotties]

Now thats a cabinet. You can climb right up in there with your parts ;D .

I sandblast my parts behind my garage with my speedblaster, etch prime them, and spraycan them. Thats if I do them at all

 

[wildbill]

I got a bead blaster its big enought to put a intake in and was only 60.00 one of those traveling tool shows. I did a few mods to it and its good to go. Took the wifes old dust devel and hooked it to the back of the thing good clamps on the gloves and have had no problems with it good luck.%) %) %) Bill %)

 

[Madgyver]

2bad,
Don't you have a blast cabinet also?

 

[weps]

what are the essentail parts of a cabinent? is it possible to make your own for light duty use? looks as if a basic model could be just a box with a clear top and some holes for the gloves, drain out for the media, and a way to put the hose in...i have one of those external pressure blasters.

 

[Jeepster]

what are the essentail parts of a cabinent? is it possible to make your own for light duty use? looks as if a basic model could be just a box with a clear top and some holes for the gloves, drain out for the media, and a way to put the hose in...i have one of those external pressure blasters.

It could easily be done.....just a box. Yes wood could be used but over time might wear, not to mention messing up the media with wood fiber.

Weps.....what size compresser are you using with the pressure blaster? I read that they are more forgiving for us guys with small compressers.

 

[Madgyver]

Most problems with homebuilt cabinets is that the builder pays no attention to a vacumn attachment. With all that dust blowing around it becomes hard to see the work in a short time. You'll need lighting and a vacumn to make it worthwhile.

 

[supermottl]

I just use a wire brush cuz I'm budge and don't have a blaster. If the parts are nasty, I use POR 15 marine degreaser. Its' a'posed to be biodegradable and whatnot and it werks great. highly recommend

 

[weps]

Weps.....what size compresser are you using with the pressure blaster? I read that they are more forgiving for us guys with small compressers. [/B]

its a 60 gallon. works out ok with the pressure blaster. i haven't used it too much though, due to the mess it makes. a blast cabinet would really be ideal for me and it's something i have been kicking around for awhile, but hasn't been a top prioity. may get on it in a couple months though.

i'm picturing a wood cabinet. maybe with some sheet metal covering the "high wear" areas to avoid the fibers you mentioned. a drain out for the used sand. clear top. probably acrylic at first since i have some scrap large enough to use. but maybe going to a scrap bronco windshield if the acrylic clouds over or doesnt retain visibility. glove holes. and with mad's comment, i'm thiniking a hole could be cut and a shop vac hose inserted for vacuum.