Cleaning a bare frame - Suggestions?

[JesseSimon]

Hey guys, getting ready to start what will basically be a ground up build. Have a '66 LWB that I am swapping over to a '65 Short Stepside frame and bed. Just picked up the 65 stepper and it is COMPLETELY disassembled. So I have a bare frame. just rails and cross members. I want to clean it all up and put a good coat of paint on it before I start building on it. This is a budget build, anyone have an alternative cleaning method to sandblasting that they can suggest or should I bite the bullet and blast it?

[sigshooter]

I saw that truck on craigslist, called once and he wanted 500 bucks long ago. What were you able to get it for?

[JesseSimon]

I gave him 450, bed is nearly perfect. Got a TH350 trans, lots of new repair panels, a set of aluminum wheels (to sell), and some useable roller tires with it among others. I feel pretty good about the purchase.

[JesseSimon]

This guy was asking 850 when we started. How long ago did you see it on C-list? I think this guy bought it a year or so ago

[sigshooter]

Originally Posted by JesseSimon

This guy was asking 850 when we started. How long ago did you see it on C-list? I think this guy bought it a year or so ago

about 4-6 months ago, I called he said it was a project between a grandpa and grandson then the grandpa passed. He owned a moving company or something. It had new rockers and cab supports with it. He finally listed it as parts or whole truck

[JesseSimon]

Yeah thats the dude hahah....

lots of good parts with it

[Slammed50]

Jesse- to make a suggestion for cleaning up your frame I feel there is nothing better than sandblasting. It gives a nice texture for a good epoxy primer and you know for certain there are no rust or other issues to come back in you. I don't know about Arkansas but here I can get a bare frame sand blasted for about $100, which in my book is worth it to me not having to hassle with grinders and wire wheels and knowing it's done for good.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JesseSimon]

If I can find someone that cheap, it would be a no brainer. Guess I need to call around

[Captainfab]

I agree on the sand blasting. That is the absolute best way to strip and clean not only the frame, but the body as well. That is if you can find someone that knows how to blast sheetmetal without warping it. Of course I am spoiled as I have a friend that owns a blasting business, so I just trade him fab work for blasting. I can tell you it sure is nice to get your frame back and it is all clean and white metal. If you do have it blasted, plan on getting some epoxy primer on it right away. High humidity will start it rusting before you know it.

[kieth]

Originally Posted by JesseSimon

If I can find someone that cheap, it would be a no brainer. Guess I need to call around

If you do not mind bringing the frame to Tulsa, I know a guy who will blast the frame, epoxy prime it, and paint it black for $300.00.....
Give me a call and I will hook you up with him. Kieth 918-446-2245



ps I found him after I spent $800.00 on mine blasting it myself , painting it, etc.

[sigshooter]

Originally Posted by kieth

If you do not mind bringing the frame to Tulsa, I know a guy who will blast the frame, epoxy prime it, and paint it black for $300.00.....
Give me a call and I will hook you up with him. Kieth 918-446-2245



ps I found him after I spent $800.00 on mine blasting it myself , painting it, etc.

Is 300. for the frame, crossmember, A arms too or just the bare frame?
You have my attemetion

[SIR]

...If you don't have the access to a sand blaster, Try renting a 3000+ psi pressure washer, get a scrapper and a a " hudson sprayer" use castrol super clean & simple green & water. spray & scrape & SCRAPE. then use your pressure washer.messy but you will like the results....

[jimmydean]

There is a guy near me that does it after hours. It was $100 for the frame. Dropped it off in the morning, it was done when I got off work. It was $200 to have it double powdercoated (I have connections).

[vin63]

Originally Posted by JesseSimon

...I want to clean it all up and put a good coat of paint on it before I start building on it. This is a budget build, anyone have an alternative cleaning method to sandblasting that they can suggest or should I bite the bullet and blast it?

The prices the other members listed for sandblasting and coating is hard to beat. But, since you asked for alternatives, I de-greased, pressure washed my frame, made my repairs and modifications, then took a wire wheel to the stubborn areas. I prepped, primered and painted it myself for about $100 (it took me the better part of 2 months by myself). But, $300 for media blasting and coating as mentioned above, I would opt for that and have back the next or same day.

[jimmydean]

Call around, or maybe stop in. When I got the first frame for a friend done, we went to the shop and after talking to the guy doing the actual work, we made a deal on the side. Same for the powder, until I got my own oven. Now I just buy a majority of my bulk powder from them.

I can't fit a frame in my oven, so my bigger stuff still goes to them. I know the guys doing the work, so I know quality work will get done.

[Slammed50]

This might sound odd but try looking into a company that makes head stones they have heavy duty sandblasting equipment and can make quick work of the frame. I just talked to a guy this week who had his done at a head stone place for $150. Wormy a shot at least.
Posted via Mobile Device

[mlevario99]

Sorry for hijacking the thread, Slammed50, do you have a name and number where I can take a frame to have it sandblasted. I live in El Paso, I found one company here but they want about 800.00 just to media blasted, so I was thinking Phoenix, but if I can get someone in Albuquerque it be great.

Thanks

[towersddg9]

Sandblast and powder coat, $335 total for just the frame I got as much goo off as I could, the sandblasting time adds up, as far as the crossmember, Aarms, trailing arms and a box of other stuff, bout $300 more, get all the goo build up off and scrape the crud out of the inside of the crossmember before you drop it off, it will save you $

[vin63]

Originally Posted by towersddg9

...I got as much goo off as I could...scrape the crud out of the inside of the crossmember before you drop it off, it will save you $

This is actually really important as many blasting service providers will not work with greasy or oily parts since it contaminates their equipment and media. This is actually what ended up prompting me to do it myself after I pressure washed my frame (which was covered in grease and oil when I got it). It turned out really clean after the pressure wash, and I only had to use a wire wheel brush on a couple of areas, and it was almost ready to prep and paint.

[towersddg9]

Originally Posted by mlevario99

Sorry for hijacking the thread, Slammed50, do you have a name and number where I can take a frame to have it sandblasted. I live in El Paso, I found one company here but they want about 800.00 just to media blasted, so I was thinking Phoenix, but if I can get someone in Albuquerque it be great.

Thanks

Keep searching, media is twice as high if not more than sandblasting, BUT if your stripping the body, fenders cab etc, media is the only way to go.

[Slammed50]

Originally Posted by towersddg9

Keep searching, media is twice as high if not more than sandblasting, BUT if your stripping the body, fenders cab etc, media is the only way to go.

Your right on the money, media is far more expensive but the only way to roll for body parts. Mlevario, I'll send you a pm with the guys info.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JesseSimon]

Thanks for the awesome help, fellas

[kieth]

We used walnut shells to do the body, it worked great, it will not remove heavy bondo you have to go after that with a brush and grinder later, but the walnut shells are reusable, we put tarps down, collected the shells, used a 55 gallon drum and a screen, filtered and reused them 3 times. The walnut shells also leave a oily residue on the sheet metal which keeps it from rusting for 30 days (and it is humid here) One can do the walnut blasting with sand blasting equipment the media just costs about 2.5 times as much as sand. Kieth

[SulphuriousSam]

According to a buddy of mine there's a guy here in Murray County that will come to you, and soda blast your truck for about $200.00 bucks. It came up because we were discussing that it was cheaper and easier for him to do my truck (eventually) than to hassle with it ourselves. And this buddy HAS a blaster already! So I bet if you call around your area you'll find somebody to do it that's reasonable.

[kieth]

Originally Posted by SulphuriousSam

According to a buddy of mine there's a guy here in Murray County that will come to you, and soda blast your truck for about $200.00 bucks. It came up because we were discussing that it was cheaper and easier for him to do my truck (eventually) than to hassle with it ourselves. And this buddy HAS a blaster already! So I bet if you call around your area you'll find somebody to do it that's reasonable.

Soda blasting will not remove rust and the media is salty, you have to neutralize it with vinegar. Sand Blasting a frame is fine and cheaper but u do have to wash the grease off before sand blasting, one could soda blast a body but since it can cause rust and costs more, I decided to use walnut shells on the body parts. JM@Cents Kieth