We'll put it on the Shaker??? Guy says media blasting is bad

[bull]

I stopped at a body shop that I've been eyeing for some time, mostly because I saw a '70 Charger across the street, and talked to the owner about getting my '68 painted. The first thing he asked me was if I'd had the car media blasted and when I told him that I had (partially anyway) he said they'll have to put it on the shaker to get all the media out of it before they'll work on it. He then pointed to a hoist-looking thing that lifts the car off the ground and shakes all the remaining media out of cars after they drill holes in the low spots, just like a salt shaker. During the process they blow some of it out with air guns too I guess.

Anybody ever heard of this? He said the reason he does it is because left over media material causes a return of rust. I don't know how that happens exactly but he swears to it. He says the only way he'll strip a car from now on is by hand. The guy does lots of classic muscle and seems to have a good reputation but I've never heard anyone say that left over media is bad. In a way it makes sense I guess if you've got that left over hidden stuff grinding away in there between metal parts.

[daytonalo]

Sounds like that owner needs more competent help to prep a car ! Strip a car by hand ? Is this armature hour ?

Larry

[4cruzin]

Maybe if their using sand??  The media blasting I had done was plastic and most of it ended up on the floor and was cleaned up and reused. 

[lilwendal]

Not a shaker... a spinner Never heard of media being corrosive.  Just messy.  First thing I do when it gets on the rotisoiry is rotate at different 90 degree angles and use compressed air  and a leaf blower. Just keep spinning and blowing till nothing else comes out.  Really doesn't take too long.

[bill440rt]

The media itself is not corrosive. However, it will retain moisture if left trapped in hidden areas, which DOES cause corrosion.
That's why it is so important to remove it all.

I've blown my '69 out numerous times. It's STILL coming out in some areas, even though now I'm at the re-assembly phase.

[resq302]

My charger must have had that done to it at one point in its life.  Anytime I open the fresh air vents, especially the pass. side, you should see all the sand I have to clean up from my black carpet.

[hemi-hampton]

Never heard of a Shaker for a car,      I just blow it out with my hand held blower, Really just a Male & Female air fitting screwed together, Get higher pressure that way. I blow for a hour or so until nothing more comes out. Been working good for me? LEON.

[daytonalo]

Now if I can find a women to blow for an hour !!!!!!!!

[six-tee-nine]

I know why you have to get rid of that stuff...


On my previous resto i didn't get rid of all the sand and it really gets stuck everywere....  It resulted in pieces of sand getting in the paint in the engine compartment.
Even after 3 years when i drove over a bump in the road i still saw blasting media dust coming down trough the headliner perforation holes.

So i believe having your car on a rotisserie is the best thing you can so you rotate it and get rid of that nasty stuff....

[Brock Samson]

i had the same experiance with the sand raining down thru those holes,.. did it for years till i got a new headliner....   

[is_it_EVER_done?]

The downside of any type media/sand blasting is that the particles get trapped no matter how well you try to clean them out, and ultimately get painted over. As the other posters can attest to, the media will work it's way out over time due to vibration, thermal expansion/contraction, etc.

This leaves tiny unpainted areas that will allow rust to take hold anywhere the media works lose, and the media that doesn't come lose can absorb moisture which can accelerate rust.

The problem lies in that even manual stripping with a sander can cause the same problems as the removed matterial will work it's way into all the nooks and crannies.

The best method is using a metal stripper (aircraft strip, or Home Depot type metal stripper) to remove the existing finish, then sand as needed. This puts the least amount of crap in the inaccessible areas, and produces a longer lasting finish.

Lastly, unless the media blaster is conscientious, even plastic media can warp panels due to pressure and heat, and I have never heard of a place that will guarantee against warpage.

Just my 2cents and opinion.

[Mike DC]

 
I think the benefits of media-blasting outweigh the problems. 

I got my car blasted, and I really did get most of the stuff out of it afterwards.  Get two people for the job.  Use one guy to blow compressed air into one end of an area, while the other guy has a vacuum source at the far end of the cavity.  If you're willing to put enough work in, the vast majority of the stuff can be removed.

 

[lilwendal]

My method. Once the car is just a shell I chemically strip all exterior panels. Quarters, Roof ,Valances Any area where warpage might occur. Then the shell on a car dolly gets rolled onto the trailer.  Trailer goes to the local sand blasting joint and he hits floors, engine bay, rockers, drip rails, door posts, frame rails. All the heavier metal areas.
I pick up the car paint and rust free.  Now heres my special secret for getting rid of the media.   My trailers an open trailer and once you hit about 110 on the interstate you've gotten rid of most of it.  Once off the interstate concentrate on hitting as many pot holes and speed bumps as possible. Then once at the house off the dolly and on to the rotisorie where the rotating and blowing occurs. Once satisfied you sweep the 10 pounds of sand off the floor. Wipe her down with prep solvent.  Apply metal conditioner then etch primer. All within 6 hours of the blasting to insure no surface rust.
I still don't know about the whole shaker thing.  It seems to me that would only help compact the sand in the lower areas.
Sounds likea good way for a shop to charge money to do nothing to a car but watch it jiggle.
And no thanks to drilling any unneeded holes. I usually have enough welding to do on these things.

[Charger74]

My method. Once the car is just a shell I chemically strip all exterior panels. Quarters, Roof ,Valances Any area where warpage might occur. Then the shell on a car dolly gets rolled onto the trailer.  Trailer goes to the local sand blasting joint and he hits floors, engine bay, rockers, drip rails, door posts, frame rails. All the heavier metal areas.
I pick up the car paint and rust free.  Now heres my special secret for getting rid of the media.   My trailers an open trailer and once you hit about 110 on the interstate you've gotten rid of most of it.  Once off the interstate concentrate on hitting as many pot holes and speed bumps as possible. Then once at the house off the dolly and on to the rotisorie where the rotating and blowing occurs. Once satisfied you sweep the 10 pounds of sand off the floor. Wipe her down with prep solvent.  Apply metal conditioner then etch primer. All within 6 hours of the blasting to insure no surface rust.
I still don't know about the whole shaker thing.  It seems to me that would only help compact the sand in the lower areas.
Sounds likea good way for a shop to charge money to do nothing to a car but watch it jiggle.
And no thanks to drilling any unneeded holes. I usually have enough welding to do on these things.

LOL  at this.  That is one way to get it out.  Hopefully you have it tied down really good......