Sandblasting vs Not Sandblasting

[wepuckett]

I have noticed a ton of floor or all around metal replacement where they did not blast the entire body. I am wondering

1. What are the advantages disadvantages to blasting vs not

2. What is everyone using if they don't blast ( I have read a ton about POR15)

3. For those that havn't blasted looking back would you that had a ton of metal to replace rather have blasted.

Recomendations concerns opinions.

 

[56f100bbw]

Some sand blast company's can warp sheet metal panels . A outfit in Tucson sand blasted a old MB hood didn't check it out it was aluminum turned it into junk had to buy another hood

 

[doghows72]

I do blasting every day for work at the powder coat shop. Do NOT blast your hood, it will turn it into junk. The rest of a bronco body is strong enough metal and will be fine as long as your blast operator has a clue what they are doing.
If your considering doing the hard top stay away from the roof on that as well. I had a guy that was running one of those dustless blast systems come by and demonstrate it for me, and I watched him ruin a complete Samurai body. Not the machines fault the guy had no idea what he was doing. Point being make sure the operator knows what they are doing so they don't wreck your stuff.

 

[u10072]

If you ask me-- it's foolish to not blast the body if you are going to the frame off level. All the wire wheels, and chemicals never clean like the blasting does. The blasting also reveals the junk repairs that have been done so those can be repaired as well.

 

[hyghlndr]

Blasting is good but you need to get someone who knows what they are doing. The best I heard of locally was a place that did helicopters as their primary business and good with the light weight sheet metal.

 

[hankjr]

I had my body glass blasted by an outfit that specializes in classic cars. Guys wife does the blasting with low pressure. I had no warping including the hood. I was wondering about the hard top as I haven't done anything with that yet. The blasting revealed a ton of thin spots that I never would have found without. Glad I did it before starting the panel replacement

Hank

 

[rjrobin2002]

I have stripped a tub down to bare metal with these in a day and they work great on sheet metal.
http://www.roarksupply.com/product-p/4.5cleanstrip.htm

I have had a tub sand blasted and epoxy primed also and it worked great. It was nice to pay someone else to do it and not get rust and sand all over my shop, but I got some quotes up to $1500 to blast and prime a tub and chasis.
The decision I use is if I am doing a frame off I have it sand blasted and epoxy primed by the blaster to prevent flash rust.
If I am frame on restoring I strip it with abbrasives starting heavy grit and moving up to 220 grit on my DA before epoxy and high build priming.

 

[Unaweep]

The media your using matters as much as the operator.

Do a test before diving in.

J.E.

 

[deltarat]

I had my tub blasted by the body shop that did my paint and no warping but, they knew they would have to fix it if they messed it up. As said it can be done right and it can be totally screwed up. Just be careful who you get to do it and they understand what they are doing.
I wondered if anyone has used the system that uses a pressure washer and media to strip? It seems as the water would keep the metal cool and not warp it.

 

[doghows72]

I had a guy with that system blast a samurai out at my property. I watched him completely destroy the vehicle. Mostly because they had no clue how to blast things. But the water ran through the engine that powered the unit and thus heated it up?? I thought that strange that now you have hot water and blasting?? The other problem with this type of blasting is flash rust as soon as the water evaporates.
The same problem with soda blasting it works great but leaves a residue that needs to be rinsed off or your primer will not adhere properly, again water, flash rust? I have only heard about the soda blast issues no personal experience with it.