Sandblaster- Maybe I need to be talked out of it!
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Sandblaster- Maybe I need to be talked out of it!
So now I have 2 frames that I want to refinish and both will need sandblasting. Yea,I could take it to a commercial outfit or for $50 Harbor Freight has a small 20# pressurized unit.So can I do as good of a job? Maybe kinda fun to do it myself!
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I think there is a lot to be said for having a sand blaster. But frames are big and you probably don't want to consign the space for a cabinet that size. Blasting in the outdoors on that scale, not sure I want to do that either. I certainly wouldn't do it with some of the more toxic media.
On the other hand, if you take it out, unless you prime immediately after the blasting, you won't have the activated surface to bond to, so home blasting would be better.
On the other hand, if you take it out, unless you prime immediately after the blasting, you won't have the activated surface to bond to, so home blasting would be better.
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i used one of those once. I wasn't particularly impressed. You still want to use something other than sand as a media. Sand is too abrasive
#4
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If you're able to use baking soda instead of sand, it will be really hard to screw up. Soda blasting is gently on the metal. I had an aluminum frame refinished once, and the blaster I took it too used soda. He first blasted an empty coke can with it to show me and I was impressed. No damage to the can at all.
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The blasting box is the less costly aspect of sand blasting. The compressor and dust collector will triple the actual cost. Do your math.
I suggest chemical stripping first followed by shoe shinning with emery cloth and only blasting as the last step and on the not fully stripped surface only. In fact this blasting step is best dn jut before the repaint is started. I let my painter do this last step. Andy.
I suggest chemical stripping first followed by shoe shinning with emery cloth and only blasting as the last step and on the not fully stripped surface only. In fact this blasting step is best dn jut before the repaint is started. I let my painter do this last step. Andy.
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I'll second the chemical strip. Use sandblasting carefully and judiciously, if you get access to a cabinet or take the H.F. route.
Here's two frames I chemically stripped before painting: Gunnar & Cannondale link
The Gunnar was sandblasted to removed corrosion and clean up tight corners. And with the nice tubing, blasting as sparingly as possible.
Here's a few other frames: hack-projects link
- from these I learned sandblasting without stripping first is not a good use of time. You can slop on the stripper and let it sit. Clean it up. Repeat.
The reddish Peugeot in the photos got quite a bit of blasting, but it corroded pretty quickly as it's a VERY low carbon steel. Funny bit of the story: I got done blasting, and was happy with the consistent finish, and was about to move to powder coating. I did the standard, shop recommended TSP wash to clean it up. I did a pre-heat to dry it out. Took it out of the pre-heat and it had a light corrosion EVERYWHERE! Back to the sandblast cabinet. Wiped it down after with a mild kind of solvent (from Duplicolor) used for degreasing before painting. No photos yet, but of all my hack-jobs, it's the one I'm least happy with.
my two cents and worth at least half.
Here's two frames I chemically stripped before painting: Gunnar & Cannondale link
The Gunnar was sandblasted to removed corrosion and clean up tight corners. And with the nice tubing, blasting as sparingly as possible.
Here's a few other frames: hack-projects link
- from these I learned sandblasting without stripping first is not a good use of time. You can slop on the stripper and let it sit. Clean it up. Repeat.
The reddish Peugeot in the photos got quite a bit of blasting, but it corroded pretty quickly as it's a VERY low carbon steel. Funny bit of the story: I got done blasting, and was happy with the consistent finish, and was about to move to powder coating. I did the standard, shop recommended TSP wash to clean it up. I did a pre-heat to dry it out. Took it out of the pre-heat and it had a light corrosion EVERYWHERE! Back to the sandblast cabinet. Wiped it down after with a mild kind of solvent (from Duplicolor) used for degreasing before painting. No photos yet, but of all my hack-jobs, it's the one I'm least happy with.
my two cents and worth at least half.
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Made a trip to Harbor Freight today and for $50 I walked out with a pressurized unit. Stop by Tractor Supply and picked up a bag of Very Fine abrasive. So tomorrow I may give this a try and set up outdoors.
#8
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Tom - for a lot of reasons, I won't ever put a frame tube anywhere near sand media blasting. Have seen too much damage from them. Fairly easy to find a shop in most areas with ability to do the cleaning task using soda blasting or similar media such as walnut shells. These guys can easily remove the top coat off of a car without damaging the primer...and they almost always are geared up to handle large items (like cars) so a bike would not be a problem.
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