The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Do i soda blast or sand blast cab

I have a 1945 cab im working on and i dont have the time to strip it like i did my 42 cab so asking which is a better methoid to use has light surface rust on the inside and outside and pitting and heavy rust over the windshild ???? help

The guy I used to blast my cab started with soda first, then went back over it with more abrasive sand on the rusty parts. I was worried about warpage from the heat that sand builds up in the metal. The blaster said that these old trucks have thick metal that can handle it as long as the operator is aware of the possibility of warpage and is careful.

My suggestion is to use soda over sand except in the really rusty areas. I'm taking my hood over to him this weekend and I am demanding that he uses soda. There are other types of blasting media as well, such as glass, plastic and walnuts. Ask what they use.

Many people have been having issues with the soda. If it is not meticulously cleaned off from every nook and cranny it will eventually destroy the paint. Some paint places are stating not to use certain products on vehicles that have been soda blasted. Read this PDF for one example.

Using soda is easy on the metal but be sure you know the pitfalls too. And if you go with soda blasting, make dang sure you get it incredibly clean afterwards.

Just throwin out some expierience in this one, My local monument place had NP sand blastin my 52 sheetmetal they also commented on its thickness in places like th fenders an doors but put some xtra care into the hood an such, they have expierinced workers that did a supperb job so my body man said ..NO WARPIN at all on any of the panels like the hood wich I was fearful of.

Didn't know that about soda! Then I will tell him to use sand on my hood and BE CAREFUL!

.... Plastic will get nothing off but PAINT. It will not even take off and "oxidized hand print"! I've been that route. Forget the plastic. If you want details PM me!

Be careful of Soda

I go with Radial. I've blasted so much and it gets it all. I did some myself and took some to the monument guy. Any worker who is worth his salt and has any experience at all will not warp a panel.

Common misconception is that sand blasting will warp the panel. Not true. The secret is to find an experienced blaster who knows what he is doing. Every piece of my 49 sub was sand blasted including the hood. NOTHING warped.

Weeds

I always use sand blasting. Never had a problem with it. Have had problems with soda. Never again.

Frank