Quick paint removal question

[StescoG66]

Has anyone used glass grit for removing paint from the cars panels? If so which is better, fine (0.2-0.5mm) or medium (0.5-1.0mm)? And does it work effectively. Or is soda a better medium for doing the job.

Edited by StescoG66 on Wednesday 10th December 21:24

[StescoG66]

Have ordered a couple of bags of the fine beads and we'll see how it goes. My thoughts are to strip and etch prime the bonnet, tailgate, wings and doors before doing the remainder of the shell. Using a fairly standard home compressor running at about 7 bar. Do you think it is worth putting some paint stripper on first (or indeed some brake fluid)?

[Squiggs]

Sanding is the usual way of removing paint - and even then only the areas that have defects.
Why do you feel need to get all the panels back to metal?
It's going to be very messy/dusty - if your compressor can keep up!

[StescoG66]

It's been re sprayed once before. Plus the doors that I am putting on while solid are a bit of a state. Was going to get it back at least a couple of layers to the original paint. Plus can't be much dustier than sanding it surely.....

[Squiggs]

StescoG66 said:

It's been re sprayed once before. Plus the doors that I am putting on while solid are a bit of a state. Was going to get it back at least a couple of layers to the original paint. Plus can't be much dustier than sanding it surely.....

You've got all the grit to contend with as well as the paint dust - think extreme sand storm and that's blasting!
You'll need properly filtered air-fed breathing equipment googles, gloves, suit, etc, etc - a compressor large enough to feed the breathing equipment and a larger one to blast with - and unless you've got some way of collecting the grit to re-use it you're going to need about a tonne of the stuff.

I've never heard of anyone DIY blasting cars - and I think there are good reasons for that.
I'd have a serious re-think if I were you .....

[paintman]

I'll echo what Squiggs says.
You need a compressor with a big output. Blasters need huge volumes of air at sustained high pressure & the average single phase home compressor simply isn't up to it.
Whilst they give an impressive looking max working pressure figure what they can actually supply as Free Air Delivery is vastly lower. Their air figure is usually given as Displacement & AFAIAC this is a con to make them look much better than they are. The important figure is FAD & this is usually under half the Displacement figure.
I have a 2hp compressor which I use to SMART repair professionally & it will run HVLP gravity feed guns without issue. I tried it with a spot blaster & I'd have done better throwing the medium at the metal! It simply can't deliver the combined necessary volume and pressure.

Old sound paint in good condition makes an excellent base.

Edited by paintman on Sunday 14th December 10:41

[StescoG66]

Thanks for the advice on this one. Tried it and predictably I'd have been as well sticking the stuff up my arse and farting it at the panel........

OK - my compressor has a claimed output of 9.5Cfm. I can hire a petrol powered one which displaces 14Cfm for a weekend - main task to blast away the old underseal - which I bought lead shot for My compressor doesn't even look at this material. Will this hire one be up to the task do you think? Will try to do the panels at the same time too with the fine glass grit. That'll be a messy weekend.

[paintman]

The best answer is to tell the hire company what you intend to do and what the air requirement of the blaster is. Then ask them to hire you a compressor that is capable of that.

[TallPaul]

Be very careful blasting any flat panels, you'll be surprised/disappointed at how quickly they'll stretch and warp...