Homemade soda blaster

Speaking of soda blasting, I've been looking for the right way to strip the Alfa that I'm doing for Chel and have been considering soda blasting as an alternative to plastic media, paint stripper, and sanding. I have read about some concerns with soda blasting that are little more than opinion and random reports from unverified sources but apparently the soda leaves a film that must be washed off before priming. Apparently the film will prevent the primer and subsequent coats of paint from adhering. One of the solutions that I heard of was essentially hosing the entire car off with a high pressure washer, something that seems like a very bad idea with bare metal. Plastic media is problematic as well. I have two friends that have had their cars plastic media blasted and the stuff rained down out of every nook and cranny for months after reassembly. Not exactly a desirable outcome for a newly restored interior. Paint stripper is an environmental and health disaster, and using a sander can put a lot of heat in to the body panels, which is not an optimal solution for keeping everything straight. What's the common wisdom regarding the best way to take a body to bare metal prior to paint?
 
corsachili said:
Speaking of soda blasting, I've been looking for the right way to strip the Alfa that I'm doing for Chel and have been considering soda blasting as an alternative to plastic media, paint stripper, and sanding. I have read about some concerns with soda blasting that are little more than opinion and random reports from unverified sources but apparently the soda leaves a film that must be washed off before priming. Apparently the film will prevent the primer and subsequent coats of paint from adhering. One of the solutions that I heard of was essentially hosing the entire car off with a high pressure washer, something that seems like a very bad idea with bare metal. Plastic media is problematic as well. I have two friends that have had their cars plastic media blasted and the stuff rained down out of every nook and cranny for months after reassembly. Not exactly a desirable outcome for a newly restored interior. Paint stripper is an environmental and health disaster, and using a sander can put a lot of heat in to the body panels, which is not an optimal solution for keeping everything straight. What's the common wisdom regarding the best way to take a body to bare metal prior to paint?
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Well I think you just about nixed everything available... :)
Soda blasting works great and yes it does leave a film of soda (which actually inhibits re-rusting), you can actually use white vinegar to wipe it off. The thing you have to be aware of with ANY blasting is that you are releasing paint particulates in the air which are hazardous to your lungs and the environment. If you are doing a large item like a car it really needs to be done by a pro in a controlled environment. Small areas or items shouldn't be a problem if done outside (with a respirator and other safety gear). Paint stripper is probably one of the safest way to remove paint, and hardly an environmental and health disaster if proper precautions are taken. Of course the paint that is removed should be properly stored, labeled and taken to a hazardous waste disposal site.
 
I don't know if you've used aircraft stripper in the past, but I didn't think it was so bad environmentally. I stripped my coupe on the grass in the yard, and it didn't kill it. I suppose as the stripper dries, the gasses enter the atmosphere, and its production probably isn't great for the planet, but just driving the car does so much damage anyway... The end product of my work was one stripped coupe, an empty gallon can of stripper, a box worth of broken razor blades and a trash bag full of dry paint and primer strips.

I've heard similar complaints about plastic media, as well as the strong possibility of overheating and warping panels if you don't know what you're doing. Soda blasting a whole car sounds really tedious.
 
corsachili said:
Plastic media is problematic as well. I have two friends that have had their cars plastic media blasted and the stuff rained down out of every nook and cranny for months after reassembly. Not exactly a desirable outcome for a newly restored interior.
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In talking with other auto enthusiasts, I have found the "media versus chemical" debate to be sort of a religious issue - people divide into different camps, and feel strongly about their position. I myself am a firm beliver in media blasting.

As others have written, every method of paint/rust stripping has SOME downside. I have had a couple of cars media blasted, and while I have experienced the "stuff raining down for months" phenomenon, I don't consider it to be that big a deal - this is what vacuum cleaners were invented for.

Sure, you can park on your front lawn and use aircraft stripper to take the paint off the car's exterior. But, if you are completely restoring a shell, and need to remove rust from the floors & under carriage, paint from the doorjambs & underhood, ... as well as the exterior paint, I don't see an alternative to using a professional blasting shop. If the shop is good (and that is an "if") they know where to use plastic media, where to use sand, how to avoid warpage, etc. If the price is a little dust on my carpets afterwards, I'm OK with that.
 
blaster

Great little device for small parts, intakes, brackets, carbs, valve covers etc.. Wouldn't want it for large item, better to dip if you can.

I expect I will be doing my S14 ITB's with one this week as my gang is in the Canmore & area, skiing.

Will also be trying out the Maytag Dishwasher!

Also of interest is Dry Ice as a media, all that is left is the stuff you just took off.

k
 
Re Dry Ice Blasting

Of course there is all that CO2 released but nothing compared to what comes out of a 35 year old twin carb CS.

Other wise, perfect.

Enjoy YYC.
 
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