Media blasting vs. soda blasting

[bigdon-70blazer]

Anyone have any experience for paint removal? Guy with soda blaster can come to my home for same money I would pay the media blaster that I would have to travel 60 miles away with blazer on rotiserrie on trailer. Also heard that you have to wash the bare metal tub with water after soda blasting. Also, some paint manufacturers won't warrenty paint after soda blasting. Any ideas out there?

[72CSTC5]

Have heard the same things about the sodablasting, go with media if you can.

[lks dcvn]

Well - I have experience with media blasting (but not on a Blazer) - if it helps.

I have in my ever evolving fleet of vehicles a 1995 Chevy Impala SS that was purchased in 1998 and was driven a few years in Ohio winters - then it was stored and only driven on dry/sunny days...the car only has 85k miles on it.

Over time - the rust had started on the underside - enough for me to be concerned with doing something about it. I wanted the current rust (surface) blasted off and the underbody to be coated in epoxy to resist future damage).

I looked for years to find a place that I was comfortable allowing to do the work on the car and would stand behind their workmanship (at the right price). It also turned out that they were also able to do the epoxy undercoat as well.

I found a place in Toledo, Ohio that was willing to do it and we discussed the options. He used Aluminum Oxide and Glass Bead to do the work (this allows for maximum 'cut' of the rust/undercoating with less work afterwards for clean up and prepping for additional treatment).

The work they did was awesome and the underside is now gloss black with no chance of rusting any time soon.

The gent that I worked with mentioned that the work to prepare the body/surface of the car after soda blasting (clean up, etc.) is almost as time intensive as the doing the work itself. He also went on to say that unlike glass bead or aluminum oxide - that if you don't get it all out - it can hold moisture and 'cakes' or 'muds' up where it falls instead of blowing out.

Just a thought - I am no expert - just passing on my experience.

Pix-

Before -







after blasting...




Epoxy Complete

[bouncytruck]

How did you get the car up on saw horses?

[Green Monster]

Ouch! Good idea getting that rust repaired right at away. Very nice Impalla SS. One of the nicest looking cars ever made.

[lks dcvn]

The facility that I had the work done at was a huge industrial complex that was changed over to a media blasting site- the walls are mobile as well as the exhaust ventilation - they can do larger tractors, etc. just by moving the walls around.

They actually have a lift that lifts the car up (by the frame (like a mechanic) - yellow arms can be seen in the other pix) - and then they use the 'horses' to keep from blasting the lift.

Once the blasting is complete - the lift the car/remove the 'supports' and then lower the car back down and drive away.

Tom

[72CSTC5]

Your lucky you caught that when you did. Nice job.

[LUV2XCLR8]

I have always been told Media over Soda, but have no experiances to back that up.