The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Chemically Dipping...Bake and Pickle

I was planning on getting a bake and pickle done on all of my body parts but am now unsure after talking to an autobody guy. He was saying that these chemicals get into all the joints and "leak" out and ruin the paint. Also it clean paint out of areas that can not be repainted and those areas rust. He suggested getting my body soda blasted.

What are the opinions/facts from you experienced guys...

Blasting is a good way to go. I used some chemical treatment on my truck but applied it by hand and made sure it was thoroughly washed off when done. I think I would agree that dipping might not be the best way to go.

46,
I looked long and hard into soda blasting. It is extremely cost effective, even done on site, but there is another consideration. I did some research into neutralizing after blasting, the link is here "After Soda Blasting". Only one guy told me about the fact that I would need to neutralize the sheetmetal for painting, and he did not do it from a liability standpoint because of paint adhesion, but he did recommend the Holdtight 102 product. Then I ran into an issue - my painter called his supplier and the Dupont dealer will not guarantee the paint over a sodablasted body. This ended my pursuit of soda blasting, now I am looking for someone to sand, walnut shell, etc. blast the truck, quotes are 2-3 times that of soda blasting. I am sure there are Cinderella Stories of soda blasting - it is just buyer be ware. Hope this helps.
Mike

The big paint companies wont touch a soda blasted car for good reason! I hear far more horror stories with soda then with any other method of paint removal.

Dipping is fine IF they neutralize the chemicals afterwards.

As for not painting areas, GM didn't dip these trucks when new most of the metal is bare anyways.

There are methods and tools of spraying products in hard to reach areas and closed off areas.

If its the slick smooth finish your looking for with the soda blasting then use Plastic.
I visited a local body shop that does some soda blasting and he was sure to tell me that soda will only take paint off......will not touch any kind of rust.
That being sad I have had some experience with the PLASTIC blasting but it is not cheap. Going rate here at the only place I know that does it is $85 and hour plus the plastic. I can tell you first hand experience that it will not take ANY rust off, only paint.
But, if it will do a slick job and you will not have to worry about it leaching out like the soda.
I actually have a 5 gal bucket of the plastic in my shop. I plan to use it in my blasting cabinet but the problem is everything I have has rust on it!!
Just my thoughts. I hope this helps in some way/ideas.

Edit: the plastic looks like ground up tailight lens and bumpers!!!

So what you are trying to say is that I maybe in the same boat whether I decide to dip my body parts or soda blast them. I seem to get conflicting reports from one person to another. I obviously do not plan on driving my trck in the rain once it is on the road but I still do not want to take any chances of needing another paint job 5-10 years down the road.

I am not an expert by any means, but if you have all the parts off the truck - ie. fenders, hood, box, etc., can these not be treated with either soda blast or dipping, and put in a neutralizing solution effectively ?. That would leave only cab to bead blast ?

..conflicting reports are because some have had the problem and some have not. If its done correctly and everything is apart then I can see where it would work good. But, if your luck is like mine then I'd be the one that has something to leach out around the belt line and make a mess!

As most folks always say, let you pocketbook or your concious be your guide. Either way its a little coslty.

The exclusive driver for me to move away from soda balsting and neutralizing was that no one would take responsibility for the end product, the blaster(s) would not neutralize the parts because this is where the liability for adhesion rested, and the paint supply house said they would not guarantee product.
It seems "Buyer Beware" is especially applicable in this situation.
Mike

All my parts, even the hood, were blasted with sand. Just find someone who knows how to do it properly or you will have a warped panel due to heat buildup. Also, sand roughs up the surface so a good sanding with 60-80 grit before epoxy is a good idea.