2 quick questions about rust

[JoeKan]

My 68 IH Travelall has a lot of surface "light" rust all over, it looks like it has freckles. I'm going to start sanding it off using a DA. I'm wanting to start on the hood and my question is once I sand it down (to bare metal right?) then do I need to apply the epoxy sealer once I've finished or do I sand the entire vehicle and then apply the epoxy?
Thanks for the help.
Also, what kind/type of cleaner should I use on it before I start sanding to get all the dirt and grime off?

[mongocanfly]

If you've got bare metal then you need only epoxy primer...spray a panel at a time if that's how your sanding it..
If you take the whole thing to bare metal in a slow fashion with no primer, it'll start rusting before you get done....
Sandpaper will remove all the dirt and grime...but if you want to wipe it down I'd use wax and degreaser....or dawn water and scotchbrite...

[Stormin08]

epoxy / acid etch paint ALL/ANY BARE metal...

everything else that is securely adhered can be sealed...i would prefer to remove all paint that old and start with the metal.

[JoeKan]

No bare metal yet but I haven't started sanding. So if I have a hood that has some metal and some paint after sanding then do I paint the entire hood with epoxy?

[mongocanfly]

i would....then youll have a consitant color across the whole surface

[JoeKan]

Thanks!!

[skip99]

Take it all to metal if you can, read the tech sheet on your epoxy, some dont lke acid etch, also if your panels are straight you can spray high build primer or even better featherfill or slicksand directly on the epoxy and yo get a chemical bond, again, read the tech sheet, i usually wait a couple hours before putting anything on epoxy

[theastronaut]

I'd sand it all the way to bare metal in all areas, it's not worth risking missing any hidden surface rust. Etching primer is old school and obsolete and not needed with modern epoxy primer. SPI epoxy builds thick enough with three coats that you can skip high build primer on areas that are already straight.

[JoeKan]

Would there be any advantage to sand blasting my SUV instead of sanding it? Take it from bumper to bumper down to bare metal?

[mongocanfly]

sandblasting is the quickest way to get to bare metal,,,

disadvantages...make sure you use a guy that really knows what hes doing or you will wind up with a warped up mess...
everything will need disassembled and taken apart...get ready to have sand everywhere

advantages... saved time and labor and also you will know for sure where all your rust issues are...

[JoeKan]

That sounds good, I found a place in KC that does this. They also do plastic bead blasting to protect the metal from pitting and warping. I'm going to give them a call on Monday. Thanks! I'm still leaning towards spending the money (someday) and getting the back quarter panels free from rust. It's going to cost aLOT but I think that's the direction I'm going in.

[JoeKan]

I talked to a guy at the sand blasting shop and he said they don't do sand blasting on vehicles, (because they will warp) but they use plastic and bead blasting. Around $1200. That's a lot for doing this isn't it or am I being cheap??

[nsb29]

Is that for the exterior or the complete body. if that’s the exterior it’s a lot, if it’s the body that’s fair

[mongocanfly]

They used coal slag on my truck...inside ,out,top,bottom...about 800 or so is what it cost for mine...
You could always get a 2nd quote from another blaster if you know one...

[JoeKan]

Yes, that is just for the exterior. I've found a couple more I'm going to call tomorrow. But this also means that if I blast off the paint, then I'm going have to deal with the rust, which isn't all that bad except for around the rear wheels. The quotes I was getting to fix that was $1500-2000 per side! It wouldn't do much good to get it blasted and primed and not get it painted right?

[mongocanfly]

With blasting it will for sure show you where the rust is..or was....if you do it be sure to get the epoxy primer on it quick....then you can can deal with the rust repair later...

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

They used coal slag on my truck...inside ,out,top,bottom...about 800 or so is what it cost for mine...
You could always get a 2nd quote from another blaster if you know one...

I bought some Kleen Blast. Look um up. Copper Mine Slag, got my cheapo sand blaster running right. That stuff will cut!

Leaves a perfect Mohs Scale finish which is exactly right for epoxy.

[JoeKan]

If I decide to sand it myself, I plan to start with the hood first. So, I'll sand it down to bare metal and then spray epoxy on it. So when do I work on the dents and dings with body filler?

[mongocanfly]

you could start work on them as soon as the epoxy has dried

[JoeKan]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

you could start work on them as soon as the epoxy has dried

Thanks!

[JoeKan]

I'm wondering if anyone has rented a bead blaster or dustless blaster and did the blasting themselves? How did that work out?

[mongocanfly]

I've run one that belonged to a friend of mine....I'm glad to pay someone else to do it...
If you've never blasted a vehicle you could ruin it easily...far better off to pay a pro...

[skip99]

Buy a good compressor, get a. Da sander, some 80 grit and do it yourself.

[JoeKan]

I have an electric palm sander. Would a DA sander work better? I have a compressor.
Can you take a look at the side of my truck. Do you think the top section is ready for primer? Some of it is down to bare metal while other parts of show the original primer.
Thanks!
Joe

[mongocanfly]

As long as theres zero rust you could epoxy prime it....
I assume you referring to this section...