I purchased a sandblaster from lowes the other day and am considering sand blasting my car, i have heard several stories about this and not sure which way to go.. should i use the blaster just on the parts or should i go ahead and do the whole car, people tell me that it wont do anything to the metal while a another side tells me it will scrath dent etc. so if i do decide to do it is there any special type sand i should use?

Don't sand blast the whole car, you will warp the panels. I just did my car and used a stripping chemical. If I did it over again I would use a DA sander to remove the paint and then use a sandblaster only in nooks and crannys that a sander cannot get well. The stripping chemical "Aircraft Stripper" was expensive, and now I am worried that after I paint it, I will have problems with paint coming up if I missed any of the stripper when I cleaned the car. Not to mention it added a lor of extra clean-up work.

Good luck-
Nick

Forgot to mention- if you are doing everything (suspension, etc) sandblasting worked great for hard parts like a-arms, etc. I used a black magnezium blasting particle that really took everything off better than the sand I started with, but it is more abrasive.

Nick

I did a combination of both stripping and sandblasting. The blaster I used I got from Harbor Freight and doesn't generate enough heat to warp panels.

I stripped everything the best I could and then blasted everywhere. I just used playsand from Lowe's (make sure it's dry and you screen it)which took it to bare metal nicely.

Blasting everywhere may not be for you depending on what kinda work you're planning. Mine is off the frame with everything removed from the body so making a mess wasn't a big deal to me. And it does go everywhere.
Good luck
B~

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Brian
"If things ain't going right, go back to sleep. Dreams will get ya there."
66 SS396 frame off WIP (http://home.mindspring.com/~btlinder)

I purchased Aircraft striper and started with that but i had so many coats of paint and couple of primer and areas of bondo that it just would not take all the junk off the car. so i got the sandblaster from lowes because i plan on doing the frame, a-arms and all the rest. my friends father says that i could spray the fenders and it would take the crap right off but if its gonna warp the metal i dont want to do it. What do i need to clean the metal on the areas i have used aircraft striper on?

If you want to blast your car go ahead but be warned you will royally F*** it up. If you want I can send you pics of a guys 67 GTO that he blasted not just the little parts but the entire thing. Not only can you now wash your clothes on the quarters but you can throw a cat through the gap inbetween the deck lid and the trunk because the sand warped the deck lid.


The people that are telling you that it wont touch the metal have no clue and shouldnt be allowed to touch cars. Any type of sand will warp that metal, because of the high speed it hits the metal and that causes friction which in turn cause warppage. I dont care how far back you stand or how low you turn down the air pressure or what type of sand used it WILL WRAP METAL.

Dont even think about putting a blaster to a car's sheet metal. I would only blast the floors, and very carefully blast the jams, nothing else PERIOD.

If you want to clean the metal after stripping use some hot water and soap to remove the stripper. After that blow dry it and da sand it with 80 grit then followed up with 180. You need to sand the metal before any paint can be applied, plus it will remove any bits that are still remaining

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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

Whats the deal with Walnut shell, and bead and plastic bead blasting? will it hurt the body?

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1969 Chevelle Malibu
307 Powerglide 10 bolt
2nd owner
All original with 2 inches of documentation.

It's amazing, after all this time she still runs.

AIM Screen Name = YenkoChevelle69. Gimme a yell anytime.

Sand can't warp the panels if the pressure is 120 pounds and coming from a home owner sand blaster. It doesn't get hot enough. I am stripping my 68 now.I use paint remover (several coats) then clean it up with 180 grit sand paper,scotch bright pads,then sand blasting in hard to reach spots....Bill

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B.Rose
68-SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1968chevelle.jpg)
71-SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1971ss454.jpg)
ACES #04039

Bill is right as it sounds like he did something similar to me.

Sevt is right for an industrial blaster but wrong for a little 135psi home unit from Lowes, Harbor Freight...I haven't encountered any problems. My 66 1/4s and doors stayed straight as an arrow. My 64 impala panels came out the same way. So as far as continuing to touch cars...I will!
B~

To clarify the warpage from sandblasting, Im a manufacturing engineer and deal with sandblasted parts daily, yes you can warp panels with a home sandblaster. We sand blast parts with as little as 35 psi and get warpage, what happens is when you blast the surface of the metal it alters the molecular structure of the metal on the surface which cause stress, the stress has to go somewhere which ends up as warpage. I had a professional sandblaster do my car and it came out great, BUT if you dont know what your doing that can spell disaster. I have a friend that did a car at home and it came out fine but be warned its very hard to tell what the metal will want to do.

A home unit will warp any piece of metal just like a bigger unit will. Iam telling you any type of sand and any amount of pressure will warp it, I have pics to prove it. The car am referring to was blasted with a small blaster bought from harbor feight and used a small 6hp compressor. That car now is serevely F***ed up. You put it to quarters a hood or whatever you are gonna be doing more body work to that car then what was needed.

Ive seen this happen to more then just one car but all of the cars that I know that have been sand blasted. There is a big diff in bead blasting and sand. First off bead or plastic isnt as course as sand and doesnt have the heat build up. Plus plastic is shot out at a much lesser pressure with about twice the volume of beads. And like what MOE mentioned plastic willnt alter the metal like sand will...Eric


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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

Eric, you are usually so cool and collected, it is nice to see the passion. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Guys, BELIEVE ERIC, home sand blasters CAN and WILL warp panels. If you have been lucky and skilled enough to sand blast sheet metal without warping, it does NOT mean everyone can.

Bill, what I want you to do is go out in the dark tonight and sandblast a piece of metal. Besure you are in the dark, what you will see is sparks when the sand hits the metal. Sparks=HEAT.

As Eric has said, I have seen it too. Cars RUINED by sandblasting.

The difference between a large commercial sandblaster and a little home unit is like the difference between a large rose bud tip on a torch and a little propane torch. BOTH will warp metal, one just does it easier.


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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

AND, don't ever sand blast something that is not totally disassimbled or covered and taped up. Sand will get EVERYWHERE! I am not kidding, you can sand blast a little spot in the trunk and the next time you stick the key in your door you will feel the sand in the lock! It gets EVERYWHERE.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Sorry Martin and guys for coming off so harsh but I just hate to see another car ruined by sandblasting. Seeing that GTO would bring tears to anyone eyes. That car was as straight as an amonish elder before and now you could damn near use it as a wash board!



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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

I've had much success with soda blasting. It doesn't warp the panels and is much easier to clean up(nobeads or sand to keep coming out of cracks and seams). It does not remove rust, however and will need to be sanded with a DA and cleaned before priming. It will, however easily remove all old bondo,a real plus.
Gordon VM
Restoration Motorsports

Guess I got lucky.

guess im lucky too, ive sandblasted with 30 grit the whole left side of the car then cleaned it with some dex30 i think its called something martinsr recommended then resanded it with a 160 grit sand paper then put 2 coats of primer on. i was using a little dewall sander little bigger than the size of a large hand

I said that I use paint remover and scotch brite pads and plast hard to reach areas like parts of the door jams, inside gutters. around tail lights ect. I don't use sand in the middle of the panels unless there is small rust spots which must be delt with. I've done three cars this way in the last few years with no problems with warpage. You can also use plastic beads which don't get as hot ,but if your going to do the whole car, I would have it done at a shop that specializes in it. I had my 71 Chevelle bead blasted two years ago and it came out great...Bill

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B.Rose
68-SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1968chevelle.jpg)
71-SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1971ss454.jpg)
ACES #04039

So where can i get the plastic beads or crushed walnut something that wont make as much heat and bend the metal?

You can get plastic beads thru Eastwood (1-800-345-1178) but they are expensive.You would want to find a way to collect the used material and use it over and over again..I found it cost less to have it done at a shop that specializes in plastic bead plasting .Of coarse you would need a shop in your area.I would price it both ways...Bill

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B.Rose
68-SS396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1968chevelle.jpg)
71-SS454 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/71SSBB/1971ss454.jpg)
ACES #04039

I have sandblasted under the car with good success. But had to dress up covered from head to tow, hepa mask, goggles and plenty of cross ventilation. Used regular screened sand and a blaster from Sears. It's a nasty, nasty job. But nothing beats the surface that has been sandblasted. I also use the box that the compressor came in as a blasting box for smaller items. It has windows, vent holes and contains the material very well. After which, when I am done, I can just fold it away for easy storage.

Here in hicago, the city blasts graffitti with baking soda off walls and stuff. One day after doing a job, a bag broke, and I guess the city worker was too lazy to reclaim it off the ground. I scooped up about 10 pounds worth and shall use it perhaps in a 50/50 mix with sand the next time. Summertime project.

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Joe G.
ChicagoChevelle68
Any car past 1972 is just simply transportation, really!

We used to use a guy for media blasting that would do the whole car,top and bottom plus the jambs for $500.Sound like to much to spend?Chemical stripper is about $25 a gallon you will probably use five gallons.Add in the cost of the sandpaper and other materials you would use plus the mess,fumes,and time.Still sound like to much?

All the info is a good help thanks guys, i think i might just use the blaster when i get the fender and other parts off the front and just spray the frame and under the car rather then just do the metal, only big reason for maybe doing the metal was there is about 5 layers of paint all over the car, i have used Aircraft stripper some but it only effected the tope layer whoever did the previous body work didnt know a dog from a cat... i have 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of paint and where there is a mild dent that a dent puller could have fixed easy i had to grind out about 20 pounds of bondo http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif i think ill sand as much off as i can and if certain spots wont get off i might try to get some of that media sand and go from there.