Soda blasting?

Paul 69 Mach I · 03-26-2005, 08:22 AM

I considering painting my car myself. I have not done it before & plan to use my son's 70 Cutlass as my test victim. No question it needs paint and has some body work issues.

I have found a Soda blaster @ www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting.html It is a portable one for about $250.00. I understand soda blasting is safe for chrome, glass etc. I want to soda blast it because it is safe and is something I can do in the driveway.

So now for my question, has anyone used a blaster like this? Are the smaller ones really capable of taking on a whole car? Pro's/Con's/Thought's & opinions?

Gearhead999 · 03-26-2005, 08:37 AM

Question??? Have you check to see how much it cost to have the car soda/media blasted professionally??

Besides the intial outlay for the equipment, the soda/media, your time and clean up....well I'd be checking prices. Also, would be hard to believe that a $250 blaster will give you the results a professional would.

I've got nothing against doing it yourself...but don't want to see you waste your time. Do they rent those blaster?? Maybe a larger one.

Good luck, have fun.

Orange97GTVert · 03-26-2005, 02:45 PM

You are also looking at a LOT of work, blasting takes forever to do, it is a slow process. The results are great, though. I agree with Gearhead999, I would check out professional blasting. They can do the car in a day because they have heavy duty equipment to do it with and also you don't have the cleanup afterward. It takes a lot of soda to blast a car that big, it's gotta go somewhere.

The other consideration is your compressor, it takes a pretty hefty compressor to power a blaster, a lot of smaller ones can't provide that much constant pressure. The one I have now can, but the smaller one I used to use couldn't.

Gearhead999 · 03-26-2005, 04:56 PM

That's a point I forgot to mention. The compressor, it needs lots of volumn, in addition to pressure to run a blaster.

hunting4bear · 03-27-2005, 01:28 PM

we regularly use different grits and materials to remove oxides and rust from metals at work and although some say " oh bicarbonite of soda i hear its wont hurt glass etc... " ANY media propelled with compressed air it will abraid chrome and glass just the soda is not as rapid and as would say black beauty, but is not as harsh overall as other media and is concidered envirometally safe. persoanlly i had same thoughts of doing my own 66 mustang but have after weighing cost time and still having to mask off or remove items i dont want blasted i am going to let a pro shop do mine when ready. I do have a small spot blaster to work little areas i want to check ahead of time for the character or strength of an area to see if i will need to replace it. and dont forget after yo grit blast depending what they use you wil have to re chalk and seal any factory sealed seams or joints due to fact some medias will totoally chew away the stuff the factory used to seal with. SO for the time energy and mess unless you have a pro garage where u have a booth to do it in or no neighbors where they can bitch and complain if you do it out doors go for it. and another thing to remember it makes a BIG mess and the paint removed can be classified as hazardous waste with the laws some states / or cities have in affect now. we have 55 gallon barrells of waste blast media at work and at $400 a barrell disposal fee just cause it has some paint particles in it so it can get a bit expensive.

Gearhead999 · 03-27-2005, 01:42 PM

Just read in a Cruiser magazine here in Flordia. A company is advertising the average car at $450 to have it media blasted. Heck, that's not a bad deal when you said that the small blaster was $250. And that is just the start of spending money on the equipment, clean up and labor to do it yourself.

rwhite65 · 03-27-2005, 04:55 PM

had my 65 media blasted professionally. I think it costs around $500-$600. Was well worth the money, and did not remove any of the original filler from the factory.
Ryan

Paul 69 Mach I · 04-06-2005, 05:34 PM

Thanks for the responses everyone. Professional cost around here is $500.00
It is just one of those things I am wondering if I can do it. Besides my son's car makes a good victim for my mistakes. It has small areas of bondo I'd like to explore before having a shop work on it.

As far as the Equip, I have the compressor & well the rest is a tax write off for me so I do not mind buying it. Heck I'll donate it later & take another tax write off!!!
I'll have to check on rental.

03-26-2005, 08:22 AM	#1
Paul 69 Mach I Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 27	Soda blasting? I considering painting my car myself. I have not done it before & plan to use my son's 70 Cutlass as my test victim. No question it needs paint and has some body work issues. I have found a Soda blaster @ www.ace-sandblasting.com/soda-blasting.html It is a portable one for about $250.00. I understand soda blasting is safe for chrome, glass etc. I want to soda blast it because it is safe and is something I can do in the driveway. So now for my question, has anyone used a blaster like this? Are the smaller ones really capable of taking on a whole car? Pro's/Con's/Thought's & opinions?

03-26-2005, 08:37 AM	#2
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: Soda blasting? Question??? Have you check to see how much it cost to have the car soda/media blasted professionally?? Besides the intial outlay for the equipment, the soda/media, your time and clean up....well I'd be checking prices. Also, would be hard to believe that a $250 blaster will give you the results a professional would. I've got nothing against doing it yourself...but don't want to see you waste your time. Do they rent those blaster?? Maybe a larger one. Good luck, have fun. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

03-26-2005, 02:45 PM	#3
Orange97GTVert Mustang Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Tyler, TX Posts: 568	Re: Soda blasting? You are also looking at a LOT of work, blasting takes forever to do, it is a slow process. The results are great, though. I agree with Gearhead999, I would check out professional blasting. They can do the car in a day because they have heavy duty equipment to do it with and also you don't have the cleanup afterward. It takes a lot of soda to blast a car that big, it's gotta go somewhere. The other consideration is your compressor, it takes a pretty hefty compressor to power a blaster, a lot of smaller ones can't provide that much constant pressure. The one I have now can, but the smaller one I used to use couldn't. __________________ Harold Phillips www.mustangsofeasttexas.org 1997 Mustang GT Convertible, 4.6L Auto, Autumn Orange w/Saddle Tan Top & Leather Interior, Styling Bar, 17 X 9 Polished Cobra R's on Nitto NT 555's, Ford Racing Bullitt Suspension package, Mac CAI, Steeda UDP's, Flowmaster 40 Series Catback, SCT X-Calibrator II, Zaino Shine, 7 time Show Winner, driven daily

03-26-2005, 04:56 PM	#4
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: Soda blasting? That's a point I forgot to mention. The compressor, it needs lots of volumn, in addition to pressure to run a blaster. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

03-27-2005, 01:28 PM	#5
hunting4bear Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: north clarendon vt Posts: 25	Re: Soda blasting? we regularly use different grits and materials to remove oxides and rust from metals at work and although some say " oh bicarbonite of soda i hear its wont hurt glass etc... " ANY media propelled with compressed air it will abraid chrome and glass just the soda is not as rapid and as would say black beauty, but is not as harsh overall as other media and is concidered envirometally safe. persoanlly i had same thoughts of doing my own 66 mustang but have after weighing cost time and still having to mask off or remove items i dont want blasted i am going to let a pro shop do mine when ready. I do have a small spot blaster to work little areas i want to check ahead of time for the character or strength of an area to see if i will need to replace it. and dont forget after yo grit blast depending what they use you wil have to re chalk and seal any factory sealed seams or joints due to fact some medias will totoally chew away the stuff the factory used to seal with. SO for the time energy and mess unless you have a pro garage where u have a booth to do it in or no neighbors where they can bitch and complain if you do it out doors go for it. and another thing to remember it makes a BIG mess and the paint removed can be classified as hazardous waste with the laws some states / or cities have in affect now. we have 55 gallon barrells of waste blast media at work and at $400 a barrell disposal fee just cause it has some paint particles in it so it can get a bit expensive.

03-27-2005, 01:42 PM	#6
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: Soda blasting? Just read in a Cruiser magazine here in Flordia. A company is advertising the average car at $450 to have it media blasted. Heck, that's not a bad deal when you said that the small blaster was $250. And that is just the start of spending money on the equipment, clean up and labor to do it yourself. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

03-27-2005, 04:55 PM	#7
rwhite65 Ride Hard Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Wyoming IL Posts: 1,094	Re: Soda blasting? had my 65 media blasted professionally. I think it costs around $500-$600. Was well worth the money, and did not remove any of the original filler from the factory. Ryan __________________ 65 Fastback 91 roller 306, H/C/I AOD-Bauman, PI Stallion, 4.10's and traction loc 04 Grand Cherokee Freedom Edition 79 Ford F-250 4x4 - Restored

04-06-2005, 05:34 PM	#8
Paul 69 Mach I Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 27	Re: Soda blasting? Thanks for the responses everyone. Professional cost around here is $500.00 It is just one of those things I am wondering if I can do it. Besides my son's car makes a good victim for my mistakes. It has small areas of bondo I'd like to explore before having a shop work on it. As far as the Equip, I have the compressor & well the rest is a tax write off for me so I do not mind buying it. Heck I'll donate it later & take another tax write off!!! I'll have to check on rental.

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