The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Sandblast or grind?

Just getting a pulse for what you experts have to say on this matter. I am wondering what the benifits and drawbacks are of either sandblasting vs sanding/grinding components like the chassis and cab. Roughly how much have you guys seen people charge for sandblasting large pieces. thanks for the info!

For the chassis I would media blast.

For the cab, or any sheet metal, I would strip it using a 4-1/2" angle grinder and Norton Rapid Strip discs. http://www.nortonconsumer.com/Discs-RapidStrip.aspx

I took my frame to the powder coater. He sandblasted and coated. I gave him $400. This was back in 2006.

In april I had the frame of my new project a 53 GMC sandblasted it cost 200.00. I stripped the cab on my 52 Chevy three years ago myself with pads.On this project I'm taking the cab mounted on the frame to a blasting outfit that does sheetmetal for restore and hotrods projects.The cost is going to be 300.00.The floor is done already top and bottom and painted with Chassis saver,a product much like Por15.I'll do the rest myself with pads.

Pete

I like the sand blasting. some time ago I paid $50 for each front fender to be stripped and coated with a rust preventive.
Had a 37 chassis blasted for $150 about 2 years ago.

About 4 months ago my neighbor got a mobile sandblasting guy come to his house and blasted everything but the chassis as the cab was still on it. He paid $330 for it all.

Then put the por15 on the chassis and start putting it back together

I had my 51 panel media blasted. Much larger amount of metal than a pick up
plus I had him do the frame, suspension, and inside of the cab.....

Cost me $700 (delivered) for everything and well worth it to have clean virgin metal to work with.

I can't imagine me grinding the entire panel truck .... no regrets.

Use something other than sand if you're planning to blast sheet metal. Getting all the ripples out of a large flat panel like a bedside or a door after sandblasting will give you ulcers and make all your kids be born naked. Glass beads or other soft media work a lot better than sand on sheet metal. Sand is OK for heavy metal like a frame rail, rear end housing, etc.
Jerry

My entire Suburban was sand blasted. No ripples no warpage. But be careful who your blaster guy is. He has to know what he is doing to avoid the warpage.


Weeds

I have heard there is a new way of media blasting.It consist of water,glass beads,anti-rust flash chemical mixed in with the water.Supposed to stay cool while blasting and will not flash rust and no warpage.


Tim

....sounds grrrreat Tim. Have you heard what the cost is??
I

I have heard of the Norton rapid strip discs in previous discussions. Why are they so expensive? I saw them on Amazon for over $17. Do they last a long time and is there any others that are just as good?

Alvin,Tony"4-5-6 Chevy" knows of a shop that owns and uses the equipment.He had explained it to me,but I forgot most of what was said.



Tim