Anyone done any media blasting at home?

[ford4wd08]

As I fire back up my project on my B2, I am wondering if I can do any blasting at home to help with prepping for a paint job?

I know there are mobile out fits that do it, but I would like to have the ability to do some small scale media blasting at home....

I think my air compressor will be the limiting factor.

I can think of many uses for it, including the wife's patio furniture, etc.

Any body use any of the blasters from harbor freight?

 

[Dirtman]

Harbor freight blast cabinets border on useless. They leak (sand gets everywhere), and with no filtration you pretty much instantly cant see what your doing, the top panel is plexiglass so guess how long that lasts before its frosted solid white, and the gun clogs constantly.

If your gonna get a blaster from harbor freight, get a bucket blaster. They are dirt cheap. You can't use them indoors but you just throw a tarp down in the corner of the yard, make sure you have on gloves, long sleeve shirt, and a face/dust mask and just blast your parts right on the tarp. When your done, empty the tarp back into the bucket. You will loose media but just use cheap sand.

 

[ford4wd08]

Harbor freight blast cabinets border on useless. They leak (sand gets everywhere), and with no filtration you pretty much instantly cant see what your doing, the top panel is plexiglass so guess how long that lasts before its frosted solid white, and the gun clogs constantly.

If your gonna get a blaster from harbor freight, get a bucket blaster. They are dirt cheap. You can't use them indoors but you just throw a tarp down in the corner of the yard, make sure you have on gloves, long sleeve shirt, and a face/dust mask and just blast your parts right on the tarp. When your done, empty the tarp back into the bucket. You will loose media but just use cheap sand.

I guess I forgot to mention I was thinking of the bucket blasters.

Anything I would want to blast is too large to fit in a cabinet.

Cheap sand, as in play sand like sold at lowes?

 

[Dirtman]

Usually the play sand at lowes is always wet for some reason, if you got it to dry it would probably be fine lol... harbor freight sells bags of cheapo blasting sand. I mean just dont waste your money on glass, carbide or any of the fancy stuff.

 

[Blmpkn]

Coal slag is cheap and works extremely well. 50 lb bags at horrible freight were 10 bucks last time I bought any.

I was advised against using sand sand. Silicosis something or other.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Own a hf cabinet. Upgraded it in a ton of ways. I use it almost daily. Skat blast gun with carbide nozzle pays for itself in a few weeks of use.

Never, and I mean NEVER use silica sand to blast with.

Ever. ****s up your lungs and the metal you're working with. Not worth it. Go look up silicosis. Doesn't take much exposure.

Read up on the differences in cutting and blasting media's. I ****Ed up enough parts to know the difference now.

If you go the soda blast route, don't settle for anything less than an Ace. You cannot use a regular pressure pot for soda, has to be a true soda blaster. HF ones do not work.

Coal slag is safe, doesn't **** sh*t up, and is 7-10 bucks a bag. Cleans up easily as well.

Aluminum oxide, glass, garnet, and coal slag. There's a few others like steel shot out there.

 

[Blmpkn]

And the pressure pots or whatever you want to call them from harbor freight work well. They need a lot of air though.

 

[Dirtman]

The blasting sand I have is calcium carbonate sand (basically crushed sea shells) not silica sand. Works good for me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We use coal slag for our blasting cabinet here at work, it works pretty good.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Coal slag isnt too bad, just has a very low recycle rate (they claim it recycles 1-2 times, but I usually get an hour out of it).

Aluminum oxide is my go-to for everything. Its high cutting rate removes paint and patina quickly.

Nothing is good for moderate to heavy scale, save for a needle scaler or electrolysis tank. Electrolysis rust removal is literally the best thing going. Theres a few photos on my build thread from a month or two ago explaining it.

https://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

Needle scaler is pretty much a necessity for Ford ownership. I have the harbor freight mini. Does well, but a little underpowered.

 

[ford4wd08]

So, don't expose myself to silicosis. Got it.

I am talking about blasting like a hood and roof panel. I can imagine it would take a lot of media and air pressure.....

That might be on that I get outsourced to a local mobile blasting guy.

 

[Blmpkn]

Unless you know what your doing you'd likely warp a big flat panel such as a hood or roof. Blasting creates dust AND heat.

And yeah lots and lots of air. I have a 30 gallon tank and it's not nearly enough. If the actual compressor did 3x the cfm it does now it would be better but still not great.

Look into dustless blasting, might be a guy local enough. Dustless blasting is awesome.

 

[Shran]

I've used electrolysis with mixed results - if you're gonna paint or otherwise refinish the item afterwards, it's awesome. For other things, it's maybe acceptable... I've used it on old rusty guns before, and while they are not rusty afterward, there is a definite change in what the surface looks like. Maybe better to scrub with bronze wool or something for items where original finish matters.

Acid dips are a good tool too... even vinegar or citric acid works good for rust or tarnish removal, especially on brass/bronze/copper.

Dry ice blasting is the new thing for paint removal... virtually no mess and it's easy.

 

[ford4wd08]

I've seen this guy post locally a few times.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/552782158641154

I think he charges like $300 for a whole car... Looks messy, but might well be worth it.

I had it price just the roof and hood one time. I believe it was $200?