Oh! I forgot...One more thing....Achipmunk, you mention those industrial blasters. You're exactly right. Here in Oklahoma, there is a lot of oil & gas equipment and related business. And along with them are also outfits that do the big blasting jobs for that industry. Sometimes if you catch them at the right time, they will put your job in with theirs and do them both at the same time, saving $$$.
You have to be carefull though. Sandblasting creates heat and those big guys can warp the crud out of those ultra straight panels that you spent all summer searching for.
Rezman
