like the title says what grit sand should i use. I recently got a truck that has a tube frame and it looks like it sat outside in the rain for a few years i have a sand blast pot and am planning on using it... unless there are any other cheeper/better options?
Depends how rusty it is .Id use 00 .Zero is to course .My compressor won't handle that grit. And yes I have a big compressor. My favorite is 000 Which is real fine .Buy a bag of each .Use 00 first. That's my opinion.Ive heard guys use playsand but I think that's a wise tale. Never worked for me and my pressure pot.Triple zero is the finest
What is avalible where I live fine,medium and course sand. I try to use the finest sand and make sure you keep it dry,,,play sand is usually damp and will clog easy. Unless you have a big compressor you will use a lot of air in a hurry. And make sure you use a resporiator,,,silica will kill your lungs. HRP
I use white silica sand from the hardware store. Cheap, dry, and sharp. Recycle-able if you make a back splash from a tarp and lay one down in the driveway to do the work on, and my little 5 hp. compressor doesn't suffer too much. I do have let it catch up now and then, but, blasting is hard, sweaty, dirty work, I'm getting old and need to catch up and cool down about the same time the compressor does... Oh, yeah, and wear a good respirator under the blasting hood. Silica sand will kill you. Slowly, not quickly like Isocyanates, but slowly and surely.
Media selection and blast pressure is just as important. But realistically, a frame is a big heavy object with no risk of warping. So the more agressive the blast, the deeper the rust removal, which also leaves a nice "tooth" for the primer to get a mechanical bond. I like the black beauty crushed slag myself. Plus it's black so once the blasted-away grass grows back you can't tell But as a guy who's melted stuff for a living, lemme tell ya, it's NO SAFER than silica. Slag is a byproduct made entirely of nasty impurities, so wear a respirator cause you could be inhaling a wide range of nasties. If you blast over a plastic sheet, reusing media is super easy, pick up a corner of the sheet and make a pile of sand.
Whatever grit size you use, don't over do it on the pressure if you want to recycle the sand. Higher pressure converts the sand to dust in one application.
Most around here refer to "sugar" sand for body and other uses. The heavier grits do the job but leave a surface that's rough even where there are no pits from rust. The Back beauty is great stuff too. Use a serious and expensive breather mask and replace the filters by the book or you'll be whispering to your grandchildren while gasping for each breath for the rest of your lif.
has anyone used soda blasting ... can it be sprayed through sand blast pot or is it something totally different???
I like black beauty, they stock it at some of the farm stores around here. Now if I can only figure out how to keep a blaster running more than a few minutes. threw my old one away.
I use black beauty also. Medium or fine. I prefer fine. I recycle mine several times before there's just dust. I have my regulator set at 90 lbs. I can't say that's a perfect setting, it's just what I use.
I’m cheap. I go to the lumber yard and buy a bag of kiln dried? sand for 6 bucks. I forget the exact number, but something like 60 or 80 mesh? This is for my cabinet.
Cheaper yet, I used to buy white play sand or the tan general purpose sand. Then before using it I would spread it out on scrap of sheet metal, plywood, or whatever and put it in the sun to dry. The general use stuff, especially need to be strained through window screen before use.
I have been using various grits of recycled glass from Princess Auto. It seems to cut just as good and remains dustless as long as Black Beauty or similar. I reuse it until it becomes too fine and saturated with blasting residue then spread it on the lawn. I built my pressure pot sandblaster from a 60lb propane tank about 45 years ago, have perfected the air delivery system (the most important aspect) and use an old 12' X 12' steel gazebo with a fresh air filtered system. I never used glass in my blast cabinet. That is reserved for finer more delicate clean-ups using ceramic beads, crushed walnut shells and jewelers rouge.
TSC coal slag, fine mesh. It used to be $6 per bag....now it's $11! I run it through my Texas Blaster. I've done many frames and lots of sheet metal. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-diamond-fine-blasting-abrasives?cm_vc=-10005 I filter it with window screen (have since made the hole in the bucket bigger). When blasting smaller parts (my cheap HF blast cabinet fell apart), I use the city supplied yard waste garbage can. Built a wooden frame and layed an old BBQ grate on top. Now I can blast without a mess. 95% of the blast media falls to the bottom of the can.
I use the coal slag from Tractor Supply. Yes, you probably need some plastic drop cloths to catch it so you can reuse it over and over. The biggest issue is clogging. Moisture will cause clogging but so will abrasive size. Use a good water separator and long hose if possible. I use the finest abrasive size rather than hope the next larger size will work............because if its just a little too big you will be fighting it all day unclogging. Be sure to use a piece of screen to sift it.
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