soda blasting

[plym_46]

The problem with any abrasive blasting process is friction turing into heat.  To much heat can warp large panels especially with a inexperienced operator.  The harsher the abrasive, the more likely the warping is.  I have found a secondary place to take small parts where they are done quiclky and inexpensively.  Modern cemetary memorials are generally abrasive blasted to etch the designs and images on to the stone.  I have found a shop that will do my smalls along with their other work for very reasonable prices.  check around.

Also for other little jobs you can rig your air blow gun with a piece of clear tubing from the hardware store, combined with a box of bakig soda to fashion your own soda blastig air brush type tool.

[John Hendricks]

The last car I had done was a 53 MGTD and that was for the whole car iin pieces.  There is a residue with the soda and my friend who does the painting wipes it down with something - modern paint chemistry is a black art - I gave up trying to understand.  He has the space suit so I let him go at it.  There is nothing wrong with sand blasting.  And the only residue is dust.  If u can coordinate it, U can take the pieces directly from the blaster to the painter and they will be be primed in a day.  Surface rust isn't a problem, but I live in the great basin desert.

[jcmiller]

Is that $150 for the whole car or per hour?  If for the whole thing, that's a great deal.  I was quoted $175/hr for soda blasting and a rough estimate of $1,000 for the whole car.  I've not done it yet, but one issue the blaster told me about is the problem of residue.  He said on his own cars he immediately pressure washes all the residue, blows off the water, puts it in a room with a heater and a bunch of fans, and then applies an etching primer as soon as dry and then a coat of epoxy primer.  Another person I trust said he thinks pressure washing bare metal is a bad idea and thinks the best method after soda blasting is air blasting, wiping with a tack cloth, and then applying epoxy primer.

[John Hendricks]

I understand it is not as good for removing rust and bad sheet metal.  The fellow locally that does does soda blasting also does sand, so he can switch if he needs to.  When he does the sand he doesn't turn the air pressure up real high so the metal doesn't warp. I usually take the body and all the bits - fenders etc- and he charges somewhere around $150.  The one advantage with sand is that the metal has a bit of tooth for the primer paint to stick to.  Look inthe yellow pages for "sand blasting"  and call and ask.

[mvair]

I had the body and other sheet metal soda blasted when I was at that point on my '41. It is entirely different equipment than other media blasting. I had to go to someone who had the equipment. I don't think it is feasible to do it at home, but I cannot say for sure. I only know that people who do sandblasiting can't do soda blasting unless they have the speical equipment.

A photo of my car after soda blasting is attached. The result was amazing. The surface was just as smooth as a new piece of metal and the paint was removed. The different color metal at the point the roof meets the trunk area was where the seam was filled with lead.

Mark

[CHS]

Has anyone had any experiance soda blasting paint off of their car? I read it is the safest way to get paint off, without warping, and etching the metal. Does it have to be done at a body shop, or can  it be done at home?
Any comments are appriciated. Thank You in advance for your advice.
Chuck