Soda Blasting

[MG Dave]

Hi guys

I'm restoring an MGA coupe which requires lots of welding. Before I can complete the project I'll need to remove existing paint and body filler. I've heard good reports about Soda blasting equipment. Has anyone out there bought one of these machines from Frost Restoration and if so, how successful is it in removing body filler?

 

[brightspark]

buy a pressurised 10 gal blasting pot of e bay get a 14cfm compressor minimum u can use j blast superfine grit to get rid of rust personaly i dont like blasting panels bonets ect as it lets the stress out of the metal if parts have been pressed theres plenty of info in threads on here to look through

 

[rtbcomp]

When blasting panels I use as low a pressure as possible and keep the nozzle at a very low angle, this tends to scratch the paint off without hammering the panel.

 

[brightspark]

lol.try beadblasting a set of feeler gauges they bed round like fingers so i turned em over thinkin they might go back streight but to no avail

 

[joe666]

soda blasting wont remove rust or filler
sand or ally oxide best for a shell

 

[Bigjoe]

I believe walnut sheels or plastic media are also good for low pressure blasting, i know practical classics have a soda blaster which seems to do a good job from what ive read.

 

[BChild]

soda blasting wont remove rust or filler
sand or ally oxide best for a shell

Seemed to do a damn fine job on removing rust in the demonstration I saw at the NEC Classic car show last year......

I'd go along with the filler but tho

 

[Shug]

Not found much better than fibre strip discs for removing paint and filler. Not cheap tho at about a fiver a disc.

 

[MG Dave]

Shug, what's a fibre strip disc?

 

[deandave]

I know this doesnt answer the original question but, just to put my 2p in, I just ordered some Loygrain 'natural' media to see how it performs on pitted rust in body panels. Will let this forum know how I get on. This stuff is made from the barky part of corn cobbs apparently. Claimed good for 'removal of corrosion from automotive parts without dimensional change'. Similar qualities to Walnut shell but one quarter of the price.

 

[Shug]

Shug, what's a fibre strip disc?

One of these:

 

[MG Dave]

Thanks for the photo Shug. I suppose I'm trying to find an easy solution to the age old problem of bodywork restoration. Deandave - what equipment is needed to use the Loygrain natural media?

 

[BChild]

Thanks for the photo Shug. I suppose I'm trying to find an easy solution to the age old problem of bodywork restoration. Deandave - what equipment is needed to use the Loygrain natural media?

A friend of mine went the dipping route - so found and removed all rust and replaced with good metal before chemical dipping process of the whole shell

Guess how much more rust that found

OK it was an Opel but sheesh had to start the replace metal process all over again with a dipped and now fully treated shell

For an "Opel" shell structure I'd cut the outer sills off go with grit blast and then repair/fabricate etc

Panels soda blast

Then I'd the replace the outer sills, be drilling holes and inserting rubber bungs after I'd filled all the cavities up with dynatrol or similar

 

[deandave]

Deandave - what equipment is needed to use the Loygrain natural media?

Just standard blasting equipment i suppose; i'll be using my 2.5hp 25l 9.5cfm compressor. I also have one of those MM spot blasters that re-captures the media if you touch it flush to the surface. Can do more awkward surfaces by simply pointing it at the surface from a short distance but it doesnt focus very well. Was thinking about getting one of these blasters (needs 5cfm and costs £22): http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Hand-Held-Grit-Blaster-22989.htm

Obviously, my solution is only suitable for fixing small areas (maybe 10 seconds til the motor kicks in). I'll use other abrasives first, then finish off any pitted areas with the blaster before priming... oh, and only on body panels; everything else will get the flap disk, rust gel and primer treatment. Bad areas will be replaced with new metal.

 

[Shug]

A friend of mine went the dipping route - so found and removed all rust and replaced with good metal before chemical dipping process of the whole shell

Guess how much more rust that found

OK it was an Opel but sheesh had to start the replace metal process all over again with a dipped and now fully treated shell

That a guy called nick with a manta b by any chance? At SPL?
Not cheap at near 1700 I think for the two dip process.

 

[BChild]

That a guy called nick with a manta b by any chance? At SPL?
Not cheap at near 1700 I think for the two dip process.

Correct - well almost - I know Nick but the car was restored by a good friend Andy who has a workshop local to me

 

[bigbadbugga]

Dipping is not a good idea unless you are going to dip again into a primer coat.

This is because dipping removes everything including all the primer from inside box sections and seam sealers between panels. These are places that can't be re-coated without dipping into the coating like they do in the factory.

many dipped vehicles begin to corrode within a few years of restoration because of this.