Honolulu
Well-Known Member
A report. I've never seen anyone post experience with sandblasting, so I though I'd relate my experience
I went to pick up my kid one evening at "Clay Club" where the kids in the ceramics class get to play with clay after normal school hours. The glass workshop is right next door and does a similar after hours thing. I spotted a sandblast cabinet and the glass/ceramics guy says yeah I can use it.
So I brought out my #2 set of wheels, the spoke type from later coupes, and went to it, really not knowing what I was doing or how it might come out. The wheels were lightly grungy, more than I'd paint over, more than I'd want to chase with my fingertips and some Scotchbrite.
I was set up with 40 psi and olivine sand, which is orange rather than the greenish I expected. Lo and behold, it worked like a champ. Each slow pass with the nozzle about 2 inches from the wheel, produced that fine "cast" look. I could see the old coating getting blown away. The cabinet used 120 volts and ran fairly quietly. Took me about maybe 15 minutes per wheel, I didn't time it.
My only previous experience with anything remotely similar was with my uncle blasting his boat trailer prior to hot dip galvanizing. Two of us shoveled 3 tons of sand into the hopper that day, while the contractor's trailer mounted compressor worked overtime. At the end of the day, all three of us were beat, but the trailer was free of rust and ready for the dip.
Anyway, now have four nicely cleaned wheels - I only did the externally visible surfaces. Time to dig out that can of Krylon, and roust up some clear to follow.
After painting the #2 set and transferring the tires, I'll take in the five coupe wheels. Thinking of a two-pack urethane followed by urethane clear coat when that comes along.
I went to pick up my kid one evening at "Clay Club" where the kids in the ceramics class get to play with clay after normal school hours. The glass workshop is right next door and does a similar after hours thing. I spotted a sandblast cabinet and the glass/ceramics guy says yeah I can use it.
So I brought out my #2 set of wheels, the spoke type from later coupes, and went to it, really not knowing what I was doing or how it might come out. The wheels were lightly grungy, more than I'd paint over, more than I'd want to chase with my fingertips and some Scotchbrite.
I was set up with 40 psi and olivine sand, which is orange rather than the greenish I expected. Lo and behold, it worked like a champ. Each slow pass with the nozzle about 2 inches from the wheel, produced that fine "cast" look. I could see the old coating getting blown away. The cabinet used 120 volts and ran fairly quietly. Took me about maybe 15 minutes per wheel, I didn't time it.
My only previous experience with anything remotely similar was with my uncle blasting his boat trailer prior to hot dip galvanizing. Two of us shoveled 3 tons of sand into the hopper that day, while the contractor's trailer mounted compressor worked overtime. At the end of the day, all three of us were beat, but the trailer was free of rust and ready for the dip.
Anyway, now have four nicely cleaned wheels - I only did the externally visible surfaces. Time to dig out that can of Krylon, and roust up some clear to follow.
After painting the #2 set and transferring the tires, I'll take in the five coupe wheels. Thinking of a two-pack urethane followed by urethane clear coat when that comes along.