to blast my frame or not to blast

[gutterman01]

WOULD YOU ADVISE ME TO SAND BLAST MY FRAME OR USE POR-15 AND WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE WITH POR-15?

[jay-dawg]

I was in the predicament you are in. I sanded my frame myself (used a wire wheel too) and it took alot of work. It looks better than slathering the por 15 on rust. It looks smoother. My suggestion would be to have someone sandblast the frame to get into the nooks and crannies, then take it home and paint it or por 15 it.

Jay

[70Chevy4x4Nut]

I'm at that stage and I have decided to sandblast then POR15 then Topcoat with their chassis coat paint. I have all the paint, just waiting for the right time to take the frame in. They said they would do the frame, both axles, leaf springs, and crossmembers for $125. I feel that is worth it, compared to me having to prep it myself.

[jay-dawg]

yup...time is money.

[COBALT]

I'm sick and tired of wire wheeling rusty steel. Sand blast and powder coat from now on...

[1971 Cheyenne]

Originally posted by 70Chevy4x4Nut
I'm at that stage and I have decided to sandblast then POR15 then Topcoat with their chassis coat paint. I have all the paint, just waiting for the right time to take the frame in. They said they would do the frame, both axles, leaf springs, and crossmembers for $125. I feel that is worth it, compared to me having to prep it myself.

I paid about $230 just to get my frame blasted!!!!! Your getting a steal! Either that or i got ripped off o well, It was worth it to me.

[mikesz]

Originally posted by 70Chevy4x4Nut
I'm at that stage and I have decided to sandblast then POR15 then Topcoat with their chassis coat paint. I have all the paint, just waiting for the right time to take the frame in. They said they would do the frame, both axles, leaf springs, and crossmembers for $125. I feel that is worth it, compared to me having to prep it myself.

That is one hell of a deal. Makes me wonder what kind of job your going to get though. Make sure you cover anything on those axles you done want blasted becouse for $125 I doubt they are going to care.

mike

[benscool1]

How much would it cost to powder coat a frame? Is a powder coat durable? Would it chip? etc. I know where I can rent a sandblaster from a friend, so thats no problem, and either before or after I sandblast I'll probably take a wire wheel to it. If I don't powder coat I might POR-15...

[Senor_paco]

I dunno if I'd go to the expense of powder coating it. I'd use a blaster with a either walnut shell or maybe glass beads to get the loose paint and crud off, but leave the good paint on, then maybe a light coat or two of primrer if yougrand or two you want, lightly sand it, and then shoot it with your color of choice. That's wha I'm gonna do with mine. i do powder coat small parts here at home (pulleys, stufflike that for friends), and the epxense of prep and coating, in my opinion is only for seriuos show cars and the like. I's a grand or two you can use for better things.

[mikesz]

why would you spend more money on glass or walnut to get an inferior finish IMO go to home depot or lowes or whatever you have, get the chepe play sand, dry it, strain it and go. If you want to go through the trouble you can find a place that sells sand by the truck load and get a ton for the price of a few bags.

Having a pressurized canistor blaster is well worth the money if you plan to blast anything large. You can do the entire frame in the time it takes to do a few square feet with a suction blaster. The pressure cansitor blasting actually made me enjoy blasting a little more. It actually felt like I was getting something done.

for the primer I would get something with a rust inhibitor like corless from eastwood. no matter how well I blast something, when I paint it with the green self etching primer rust always breaks out again in a few years.

[loweredd]

My dad bought a el-cheapo sandblaster from Harbor Freight, so I didnt think it was gonna work cery well, but it works excellently!! I go down to the local building supply center and get 100# bags of silica sand. I cant remember the last tiem I bought sand, but I think that they are $4. a bag?? I bought 40 bags last time I was down there on a pallet.

[mocwon]

Sand blast the frame, apply a good self-etching epoxy primer and spray top coat of satin black paint paint wet-on-wet. I used BASF self etching primer and Rustoleum 7777 oil based enamel over it. This has been a tried and true system for some friends of mine that have done the same thing many times with great success. It cost me $50 to get the frame and rear end sand blasted which is a steal. Here are some pictures before and after sandblasing and after painting.:

[mocwon]

another...

[VTKidder]

Cripes....that does look VERY good. Time and very little money well spent IMO.

[REPO1]

Well since we are showing blasted and painted frames here,

Here is a freshly blasted pic,

[REPO1]

And an after pic, still hanging in the paint booth.

[REPO1]

And one of the front cross member!

[loweredd]

nice! Im not a big fan of red, but that still is very clean.


and shiney!

[mutant-jimbo]

i am a sandblaster, and i would advise not to use playground sand. it don't work very good. the silica works great, but dont breathe the dust as it is extremly bad for your lungs. the best choice is coal slag (black beauty) its better for your lungs and works just as good. most likely you should use a medium grade/number 3

[Truck Hippy]

I have had several frames blasted and they were in the $200-$250 range. I have tried it myself with a cheap-o blaster (not a pressure blaster) and it took FOR EVER to get a good clean job. It is worth it thought to get it blasted.

[loweredd]

I use a resporator everytime I blast, so silica is fine for me.....how can coal dust be better for your lungs?

[mutant-jimbo]

silica has what is called "free-silica dust", it is very fine and when it gets into your lungs it sticks to the walls. your lung has millions of little sacks that collect air and transport it to your blood. when the free-silica dust sticks to the lung walls it blocks off and keeps those air sacks from functioning correctly. in time you develope what is known as "delayed lung disease". it is alot like asbestos. i would advise that when you use that stuff use a forced air fresh air blasting hood, preferably made by bullard.
coal slag (black beauty) can be absorbed if inhailed. im not saying to breathe the hell out it, cause nothing in excess is a good idea ('cept for maybe sex)
no matter what you use, use more than a respirator, unless you are just watching from within the dust zone.
i dont want to lose any of my chevy truck brothers down the line

[chevydog66]

How about a Rhino Lining frame job? Or the Line X brand? You know that stuff that they spray in the truck bed. At least you wouldn't have to worry about stone chips! My neighbor wants to have it done to his boat trailer.

[phantom dually]

I say have it blasted and powdered. I did my whole frame for $400. My time is worth a few dollars to me and I couldnt see doing it any other way. Great finish and durability cannot be beat.

[jay-dawg]

gotta be careful with that spray on bedliners. I've seen some turn real ugly after awhile.

jay