The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Frame Sandblastin'

I need ideas and recomendations for restoring and removeing rust off a frame.
Is sandblasting the best way to go?
If so, what type of sand do i use?
Thanx
Travis Wood

Use the "search" for "sandblast" in Paint and Body. 40+ hits, lots of good info.
Personally, I'm in the wire wheel and ZeroRust crowd. My little sandblaster was a POS and much slower than the 4-1/2" Dewalt angle grinder with a knot type wire wheel.

[ 01-03-2002: Message edited by: chuckthetruck ]

I sand blasted my first fame last summer.I used silica sand and black blasting media from manards.The blast media worked much better than the sand.

Travis,
I found a guy locally that does sandblasting in his yard (with a BIG blaster) after he gets off work. Did my frame for $100. Ask around, there's lots of people with blasters.

I've decided to sandblast the frame, but I have a few questions.
- Are there any specific kind of sands or other materials that would be recommended, and if so can i reuse the sand?
- What parts should I take off the frame? ie. Suspension parts, brake parts?

Thanx for the advice

Travis

you need to remove everything that is bolted on. Some people go so far as to strip it completely, removing what is riveted on, too. You should be able to buy some fine blasting sand locally. If you want to re-use it you need to keep it dry and screen it.

You don't have to take everything apart right now. You can leave the axles and wheels to help in moving it around. Also when you flip it over you got something to land on. When you get all done you will have to remove axles and springs, and what ever else you left on. The springs will need to be taken apart to clean out the sand and to regrease between the leaves. The brakes and bearings will need replaced. The tie-rods and any other joint will need rebuilt or replaced. The rear axle will need cleaned out and new lube but in. The sand will go and get in everything.

All this will need done anyway if you are rebuilding the truck. If you are just wanting fresh paint, go with the wire brush and paint method.

You will need to wash the sandblasted parts before painting. Check with local paint shops for some type of cleaner. Most types will derust and leave a coating behind for paint to stick better.

Make sure your engines is no where near the sandblaster. I buy sandblast sand from my local ACE Hardware store. Its about $4.75 for a 80# bag. If you reuse the sand you could get buy with 4-5 bags if you blaster works good. If its slow expect to use a lot more sand. Also plan on your compressor running all the time, set up cooling fans and water drains or dryers.

I rented a 200# pot and pull behind compressor from a local rental shop. It was around $100 for the whole two day weekend. I used 8 bags of sand and did the intire truck cab, running boards, hood, grill area, doors, and part of the frame. I blasted the inside, top, and bottom of everything. The frame I had done by a local shop for $100. I just touched up some that they missed. They went out of business before I could get the cab done.

Plan on getting dirty and having sand around for along time. Joe

Travis:
Seems you got more thumbs up for blasting your frame than not, but let me throw out an idea:
If you use Zero Rust as chuckthetruck and others have done here, you do NOT have to blast to a white metal to achieve your desired results. As with any restoration, some guys are purists and don't want to take chances with rust - I ain't goin' to argue! However, for those on a shorter time fuse and/or budget, Zero Rust can be used over less well prepped substrates and still do a very adequate job.
The secret is in getting rid of any loose or powdery rust which entraps air (thus oxygen) and any contaminants that will interfere with good paint adhesion. Many guys have used a metal conditioner, like our Prep-Step, either shot through a power washer or directly by brush or other means and made this work.
Thinned bulk ZR can be shot up into your frame's inner workings, or as one of our user's suggested, using a larger toilet brush to coat those hidden areas.
HTH
WK Irish

Can you paint over Zero Rust after it is applied with any common automotive paint?

Has any one else used the black blasting media?When i sand blasted my frame i got abought 3/4c done and ran out of sand.The lumber yard i got my sand from was closed and i went to manards and bought there bagged blasting media.It comes in a plastic bag with a channel in the side of the bag.Its set up for the suction tube type blaster.It claims that it has more jagged edges than the sand and must cause it hurts a hell of a lot more than sand when you get it in your eye.I found that for the frame it worked substantually better than the sand for abought the same price.It went faster than the sand and and did a much better job.

ZR can be topcoated with just about anything, the only potential problem is with automotive paints that use a considerable amount of acetone as their VOC, which can cause lifting of the ZR due to its aggressive nature.
This can be overcome by simply shooting a light tack coat to "seal" the ZR surface, then come back and shoot your flood coat.
Alternatively, if you like the finish of the ZR, leave it uncovered. OR, if you want some UV protection and perhaps a little more gloss, shoot a couple coats of our Crystal Coat and you've just finished the race!
HTH
WK Irish

I am looking at buying ZeroRust for personal use but I would like to find a Canadian Distributor.

Thanx
travisw7

I'm selling it here on Vancouver Island ... (cant sell you any on this page though ... contact me via email) ... Did I slip that in ok OLY? :confused:

Sure it's ok Fat. Some people can get away with anything here, others just get banned.

Well a few things here to clear up- First, I am the Moderator of the Lounge (no where else on this site).

Two, Fatfenders why don't you have a link posted in the Links so that folks can be sent your direction better.

Third, Tony M I believe that this was "hashed" out to everyones satisfation a while back. If you still have a "problem" with something, please feel free to contact me, email- [email protected] , or contact me via MSN, or call me direct- 541-445-2919, OR stop by any time, be glad to give you directions to my front door.

This is not "MY" forum to moderate- but, Tony M., If you are trying to cause a "stir", I surely won't tolerate it in the Lounge.

Oly, I don't want to cause a stir and have already been called to the Nascar trailer for my punishment by the brass.

I am only responding to your post because I don't want you to think I am a trouble maker. I was already told to refrain from said posts. I posted it because, unless stuff happened that I don't know about, a friend of mine had been banned for identical postings. I did also forget to add the LOL you told me to include.

I will refrain from these posts. Especially as my friend's account has been reinstated. Welcome back M.T.

Its good to be back Tony. Now lets get back to old truck stuff.