February 15th, 2010 by bbergman

You have many options for stripping paint from a car, including sandblasting, which is a messy, abrasive process that warps metal, roughs up the car surface and scratches useable panels. You have to be careful to make sure you don’t get sand in certain areas of the car, especially where there is moisture that can lead to rust.

The prep time for a sandblasting job compared to sodablasting is significantly longer because you have to cover or remove every part you don’t want stripped. With soda, you can have direct contact on mirrors, rubber, glass and chrome without worrying about permanently changing or damaging the surface.

With sand, you have to disassemble every part and component of the car that you don’t want to blast because the sand will alter, damage and rough up the surface. The time you spend prepping, covering and removing parts to protect them could be spent on something else when you choose sodablasting.

While the actual cost of sandblasting might be cheaper, you need to think about what your time is worth and if you would be better off doing other tasks (and making money) while someone else blasts the car and strips it in one shot. Even paying someone to prep that car before sandblasting is generally not a feasible solution either because of the high cost of labor and over-head involved.

The after-blast mess is no walk in the park either. It’s a physical process that can take a lot of your time away from other projects or cost you in labor to have someone else do the task for you. Sand is a hard material that doesn’t wash away easily like soda (sodium bicarbonate) does.

Next: acid-dipping vs. sodablasting.

February 9th, 2010 by bbergman

You have many choices when it comes to stripping paint from a car. In fact, there are no shortages of how you can actually get the job done. That means there are many factors and a lot of facts you should consider before you make your decision.

You want to think about the basics of your project: what are you stripping paint from, what is your deadline and how much are you willing or able to spend?

Are you removing paint and other contaminants from an old classic car that you are restoring or a commuter that suffered damage in an accident or collision? If you are working on an auto restoration project, you probably want to consider more carefully how you remove old paints, body fillers and rust.

How quickly do you need the job done? If your car project has a quick turn-around, be prepared to pay more and have fewer choices.

Whether it is your hobby car or a reliable auto used for commute, cost is a primary factor in the decision-making process. Everyone is concerned about budgets and so naturally, the price of removing paint determines the entire outcome of the project.

This week, we will explore the different options you have (soda blasting, sand blasting, acid dipping and stripping by hand with a power sander), compare the different choices and look at why soda blasting is your best solution – for performance, cost and time.