Sandblasting

Anyone have tips / suggestions / comments on sandblasting a tub for a cj6?

 

Wear a respirator and proper protective equipment. I used to sand blast my tubs with a pressure pot sand blaster and the air pressure set at 85 psi. Don't stand too close to the tub and some in with the abrasive at an angle, not straight on. You want to knock off the paint, but not heat and warp the metal. Don't stay in one place too long as that will warp the metal also, glancing blows.
I put a tarp under my Jeep tub and collected a lot of the used sand, vacuumed it up and re-used it until it no longer had any grit. Sand gets everywhere. Wear a respirator and hood. Silicosis is really bad, you don't want to breath that sand in the air.
It's slow going, but it can leave a nice finish to take the primer and then the paint.
I used to be out in the country, but more people have moved in near me, so I probably wouldn't do it here on my property anymore. Sand and dust everywhere.
I think my blast pot will hold 100 lbs of sand. Other mediums available now other than sand also.
More people here have probably done it more recently, so they may have more specifics on abrasives to use. Been many years since I have done any sand blasting.

Dave

 

Build a rotisserie. I use the fine media from tractor supply. if you wear glasses, use an old pair and put safety glasses over your glasses to protect the lenses. Buy twice as much blast media as you think you need.

 

A fresh air supplied respirator is the only way I would do it again.
I did use an approved respirator with new filters and a hood.

Dave

 

Do NOT use natural sand, it is extremely toxic. Buy a blasting grit. Use a pressurized pot, and an air dryer. You will need big air, but may get by with a large enough reservoir tank.

I tapped my airline to feed under my hood, with a flow control valve. Cooler, keeps the window from fogging, and the air is not full of grit.

Have to wonder if the old paint had any lead content...

 

I posted pictures of the tub on this forum under "CJ6 tub"

I can't use a rotisserrie until I find a way to make the back end more rigid

 

George, as Pete mentioned, you'll need an OMG sized air compressor to keep up with a blaster. Ideally, you should maintain at least the 85 psi that Dave mentioned. If you've never blasted, you don't know the huge VOLUME of air it requires.
Maaaaybe rent a diesel air compressor?

 

Had a 5 hp compressor with a 30 gal tank. It couldn't keep up. Saving that for the wood shop I plan to build.
The Quincy 5 Hp has 23 CFM and it does a good job. It does however empty the 80 gal. tank quickly.

Dave

 

Have not tried to blast my tub yet, but I have a big compressor (capable of 30 cu ft per minute at 125 psi.) with a homemade air cooler/dryer. I have used it to operate my blast cabinet for small parts and I can say it works well but it takes a LOT of volume of air. I also have a blast pot I have not used yet, I am thinking it will need even more volume than the cabinet, hopefully it will keep up. As said do not use regular sand, it is very dangerous. Get yourself a really good respirator at a minimum with a hood and get yourself a media that does not have any silicas in it. As Dave said I don't think I would even try it without an air supplied respirator.

 

I have two 60 gal tanks with one pump. 3.7hp/ 11.7cfm @ 90 psi.

If I buy another equal pump, then I should have 23cfm @ 90psi and 120 gal storage.

I should probably look for a bigger pump.

I wonder if the storage offsets the cfm a little.

 

Definitely - depending on the amount of blasting you want to do without a break. ("Duty Cycle"). I've done a lot on less than 10cfm. In some instances I added an old propane tank for extra reserve storage.

If you add a compressor, or go bigger, remember you will need sufficient electrical capacity in your shop to run them, unless you go with gas/diesel.

 

My compressor was easily my favorite tool purchase of my jeep project. It is going to be a lifetime tool like my table saw and welder

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ingersoll-rand-2340n5-v-230v-1ph-2-stage-compressor-80-gal

@PeteL , I had my blood lead level measured the day after blasting my tub just for kicks, and the level was zero. That is not to say that there is no lead in the paint, but I think it is safe to say that you can avoid increased lead levels with a good respirator.

 

Exactly as Glenn said. I do know that the heat generated on the metal when you blast can warp and ruin a good jeep body. It is not something I have tried to do before. Maybe you could use gentle media like walnut hulls, or maybe turn down the air blast pressure, blast at an angle and so on. I am just not sure. Hopefully someone here has some good advice on how to do this and can explain it to us in more detail.

 

Good. But obviously blood levels are a very "late indicator." Too late, IMHO. Also there is the question of contaminating your shop, the soil, the run-off into your groundwater, etc.

Not saying the paint even does have any lead. But easy to check. Even a home-owner test kit from the hardware store might do.

 

A rotisserie is a must I feel~ I made mine out of two Harbor Freight engine stands, and some thinkin to make it better. I hauled my jeep tub, all the parts to a local blaster and let them handle that part.

 

To save time look your tub over and decide if you are replacing any sheet metal. If doing that there is no need in sandblasting those panels since you will be replacing them

 

The tyvek suit I'm wearing with a supplied air type hood would probably work with blasting, this was mainly for painting, only blasting I do is with my cabinet blaster. However, sand does make a mess.