WATER BLASTING: BEST method for DIY Body Prep!

[Sanctifier]

Are you planning a DIY "Bodywork & Paint" project to save scarce $$$$$
That has been my dream for 3 DIY project cars, for a number of years... but many issues keep 'getting in the way'...

Equipment costs: - BIG compressor & Air-lines, Pressure Pot etc....

Environmental issues: The neighbourhood will 'shut me down' VERY quickly if dust, fumes etc. become a problem; so the following are critical: - DIY (temporary) Filtered booth, w/ exhaust fan, ducting etc...

In order to survive 'to tell the tale'; I'll need top-quality safety equipment: -
Supply Air Respirator or at least a GOOD particulate Respirator....

After all of that, you'll end up spending more that you save!
You get the idea ... but now there's a viable, 'green', cheaper alternative... at least for the 'media blasting issue'...

WATER BLASTING: A safer, DIY alternative to sandblasting... and the equipment is 'dirt cheap'!

btw... IMPORTANT... & CHEAP!
Check "Water Blasting" on YouTube, before starting bodywork.
It uses a US $55.00 adapter added to the wand of a gas-powered pressure washer, that siphons (or pressure feeds) media (e.g. recycled glass @ US $10.00/50 lb bag) from a bucket (or pressure pot) to sandblast the shell with NO DAMAGE to the shell... little or no dust... and easy cleanup too!!
Best Results: Strip car first and blast inside & out before bodywork!
................ Use a 3,000-3,500 psi Pressure Blaster if available...
................ Buy the best 'Sand Mixer Head' you can afford...
................ Avoid silica (beach) sand. Recycled glass bottle (US $10 / 50 lb bag) is safer & faster.

Here are links for an even faster, pressure pot upgrade option if available...


It's the cheapest, easiest & most affordable "green" option available to diy tuners so far.

NB. IMHO you should still protect your skin, eyes & lungs when using the blaster. I suggest using a full body suit with hood, face mask & good quality (3M's?) particulate respirator at a minimum... or even better a Supply Air Respirator [I](Rent one if available.)

Link--> North Star Water Blaster.

BTW to stop 'flash rusting' after water blasting, add this to the chemical tank of your pressure washer...
HoldTight © 102 Flash Rust Inhibitor and Salt Remover.
This is what the foreign 'pros' use to solve that problem.

CLEAN-UP: Spread plastic sheeting under the car to catch the water and slurry...
............... Allow water to run-off first... then wrap sheeting and dispose of in garbage bag.
If you want to be extra careful, use a portable tent or car-port (Pricesmart) as well.

My

[X_Factor]

nice!!
did u try it yet?

[dawgscrew]

Nice

[Sanctifier]

nice!!... did u try it yet?

The Evo 6 is finally 'coming back home' from storage next week, for full 'rotisserie restoration'.
Definitely a water blasting candidate for the shell, suspension & drivetrain parts.

BBS Evo 6 RS2 02.jpg (211.2 KiB) Viewed 11828 times

I already have a pressure pot & compressor. Going to buy a Water Blaster kit this week. Hunting for local recycled glass media. If not available, I'll import 50 lb bags from the US when req'd... enough for three project cars.

My

[X_Factor]

nice
hit up this dude a pm, maybe me may sell you the blasting media you need
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=74998

i know he has a wide variety and brings in a decent quantity

[black start]

subscribed

[MG Man]

I'm skeptical about pressure blasting with plain water....exposed metal rusts VERY fast..there's a company offering wet blasting, but they use an anti-corrosive agent in the water, to inhibit corrosion once bare metal is exposed to air, giving you time to proper dry the body shell and prime it

[nigie]

sancti...in your evaluation u concluded that blasting will save u $$$$ as opposed to the other methods of paint removal?

[cinco]

I'm skeptical about pressure blasting with plain water....exposed metal rusts VERY fast..there's a company offering wet blasting, but they use an anti-corrosive agent in the water, to inhibit corrosion once bare metal is exposed to air, giving you time to proper dry the body shell and prime it

Yuh eh see d man tell yuh d chemical to use to stop rust? Yuh twit

[MG Man]

my bad

[Sanctifier]

nice
hit up this dude a pm...
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=74998

Thanks for the heads up. I'll give him a call. It might be difficult for him to beat a 1st cost of US $10.00/50 lb bag.

... an anti-corrosive agent in the water, to inhibit corrosion...

Yup, I agree. I think you may have missed it in my 1st post...

BTW to stop 'flash rusting' after water blasting, add this to the chemical tank of your pressure washer...
HoldTight © 102 Flash Rust Inhibitor and Salt Remover.

That gives you 3 extra days protection to dry & prime etc. IMHO I would also use a 'heat gun' especially in multi-layer or overlapping spot-welded areas. (top strut mounting points, etc.)

EDIT: According to Ninecast Eng. Services, HoldTight 102 gives about a 1-1/2 day 'window' due to higher humidity.

sancti...in your evaluation u concluded that blasting will save u $$$$ as opposed to the other methods of paint removal?

Yup, abrasive discs cause too many localized 'hot spots' that stretch sheet metal (especially the Evo's aluminium fenders & bonnet), so that's out!
IMHO a quart of paint stripper is very expensive these days. Stripper for a whole car, inside & out (plus removing undercoating, sealers, paint, muck, rust etc.) is expensive... plus the 'time'... 'mess'... 'chemical fumes'... & 'clean up' Even 3M synthetic stripping pads are pricey IMHO... and I have to consider "future cost." With 3 project cars lined up NOW, it will be $$$$$!... plus whatever else comes after that. (Young son! )
Just too much hassle for me these days... I prefer to play with a new toy instead.

... Yuh eh see d man tell yuh d chemical to use to stop rust? Yuh twit

Easy, cinco... not so harsh. These days I miss things too often, myself.

SUMMARY: At a quick glance, costing seems to be as follows:
_ _ _ _ Blaster = US $55.00 + Recycled Glass = US $10.00/50 lb bag x 6 bags(?)
_ _ _ _ Initial cost = US $115.00
_ _ _ _ + shipping to Miami + eCourier sea freight, customs clearance & delivery = US$150.00(?)
_ _ _ _ Total Cost (US$265 x $6.45) = $1,700.00 TT(?)... and now I own the blast equipment. I already have a pressure pot, compressor, pressure washer & rotisserie; so I only have to buy cheap media & 'HoldTight' for future projects. These extra 'add-ons' may make it too pricey for a '1-off' project... but it's reasonable in my case. We'll see what happens.
Also, most 2nrs will borrow a pressure washer and blast in "syphon feed" mode using a bucket.
It will take longer but the total cost will be less than TT$1,700.00 (+ HoldTight.) Don't know what they will charge for local dustless blasting (inside & out) but since you now own the equipment then IMHO... Can't beat that price!

EDIT: Hi nigie. Local Dustless Blasting (inside & out + primed) = $7k based on model & condition.
With 3 projects to do, I have no choice, it must be "DIY Waterblasting" for me.

My

[Dave]

Saw the 6 getting a low blast wash earlier this week lol. Still looks good

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ Hi Dave. Jeez! Ah can't hide at all! Yup... dust & cobwebs gone now.
Seriously, I got four 'offers' while it was being cleaned... Had to hide it again fast!

Finally coming home on flatbed wrecker later this week for "bare metal" rotisserie restoration...

Waited a long time for the $$$ to do this properly, so... 'Rebuilt'... 'Restored'... or 'NEW' everything... PERIOD!
Project should take about 12-18 months part-time.

Buying a slightly bigger water-blaster head tomorrow. Higher abrasive cfm + higher air pressure = Faster & better results.

[Dave]

I so wanted to stop in but as usual was rushing. Next time for sure

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ Lookin' forward to it, padna.
Maybe we can find a couple 'cold ones' next door too.

[X_Factor]

do u think the blaster head can work with a regular electric 2000 psi washer?

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ Yup but IMHO not as well, so it'll take longer, use more media and sealers & mastic coatings will be more difficult.
Also check the 'duty cycle' of your washer to prevent overheating during the longer working cycles of waterblasting.

The most important factors are (1st) Flow (gpm)... & (2nd) Pressure (psi).
High flow (> 4-8 gpm) + high pressure (> 3,000-5,500 psi) + fine-to-medium (40/70) grit media = Best (smoothest) & fastest results

I want the 5,500 psi, General Pump HD Blaster #DWSDBTK (+ pressure pot) to get the shell as clean as possible...

General Pump HD Blaster DWSDBTK - 5500 psi.jpg (34.34 KiB) Viewed 11487 times

With 3 projects, I'm even thinking of upgrading (renting? ) my 2,800 psi washer to a 4,000 psi unit.
The chart shows the specs for various blasters... (right click image & open tab.)

Their

FYI: To compare; these are some of the issues faced when doing conventional sandblasting...

I also want to check if I can use the "deadman's valve" from the pressure pot (w/ same size orifice) in place of
the 'open tip' supplied, to reduce media wastage. With a longer (30"?) handle it should work okay.

My

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ 5 gal pail of HoldTight 102 on the way... Blaster kit & 2,000 lb. glass media 'buy' next week.
Evo 6 not back home this weekend ... Big cleanup exercise underway ... Early next week for sure.

^ ^ ^ Yup but IMHO not as well, so it'll take longer, use more media and sealers & mastic coatings will be more difficult.

I forgot to mention this... Sometimes rust is a serious problem underneath areas covered by sound deadening pads. Before 'blasting', one option is to use DRY ICE (& Rubbing Alcohol) on sound deadening insulation (on floor-pans) and other areas with a lot of sealer. Here are some examples...

With Rubbing alcohol...


Without Rubbing alcohol (Part 1)...


Without Rubbing alcohol (Part 2)...


Their

[Sanctifier]

Since my E6 will be a 'weekend driver' (and I DON'T want to have to do all this crap again!) I'm compiling a DIY BODY PREPERATION GUIDE for the various stages required. This is NOT the 10 Commandments. Process variation & chemical substitutions are possible (& sometimes necessary) since each project (& prep. surface) presents different challenges...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DIY BODY PREPERATION GUIDE.

#1) SOUND DEADENING REMOVAL: See post above.*

#2) ELECTROLYSIS: To 'derust' inside chassis rails and between floorpan seams & pinchwelds.

NB: Electrolysis is a lot of work... ▶ 1 ▶ Rust Bullet 'Metal Blast' is a viable alternative for smaller repairs.

#3) WATERBLAST (see above) and spray with HoldTight 102...

Here's a RECOMMENDED BLAST MEDIA CHART ... (Media-heavy page, so right click & 'Tab' on image.)

#4) RUSTPROOF: before the paint-job: ('Stages ▶ 1 - 5' req'd.)...
▶ 1 ▶ Rust Bullet 'Metal Blast'
▶ 2 ▶ Rust Bullet Automotive
▶ 3 ▶ 3M Body Schutz (or similar) Rubberized Undercoating (outer floorpan)...
(From past experience with a dump-truck, I prefer 'rubberized' undercoats to 'mastic' alternatives.)


▶ 4 ▶ Rust Bullet 'White Shell'
▶ 5 ▶ FoamSeal or Terrocore: Fill chassis rails, rocker panels & 'A' & 'B' pillars with auto urethane foam...
NB: Follow OEM repair guidelines if available, to avoid compromising chassis safety ("crumple zones")

▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ Some types can INCREASE chassis stiffness by up to 300% = Better handling & "Turn-In" (Faster response.)
▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ Improved sound insulation = Quieter Ride.
▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ LESS RUST: No spaces for dirt & moisture = Less corrossion.


#5) BODY PREPERATION, PRIME & PAINT... (Tedious & boring!)
This is a VERY detailed topic and will be covered in a seperate thread.
Try to find Car Craft - Dec. 2014 "Paint & Body Special". It's the best I ever read about DIY Custom bodywork & painting.
Meanwhile these links can help 'fill in the blanks'...
Link--> Hot Rod mag - Paint & Body.

#6A) SOUND-DEADENING: After painting, replace sound insulation with "Lizard Skin" etc. ("spray-on"--> inner floorpan).


#6B) Use "Dynamat", "Hushmat", "Fatmat" etc. ("stick-on"--> vertical & 'compound' panels)...


Yup, the rotisserie is going to get a lot of exercise... and save a lot of time too

My

[Mercenary]

superb. thanks for the detailed info. man

[X_Factor]

http://www.amazon.com/Reckhorn-Self-adh ... +dampening

was looking at this as a cheaper alternative to dynamat extreme
the reviews looks promising

I used secondskin damplifier pro which is amazing but really heavy

[NR8]

How thick is the dynamat and secondskin generally?

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ Thanks for the kind words Mercenary. Glad you enjoyed it.

Hi Factor. Reckhorn ABX butyl-based Sound Deadener looks interesting. I'll have to check further. Thanks.

How thick is the dynamat and secondskin generally?...

Sorry but I really can't remember. My product info is pretty old. Maybe X-Factor can help?

EDIT: Added clips & amendments to yesterday's post.

[X_Factor]

there are both different thickness depending on the "model"
like plain dynamat and dynamat extreme will be different thickness i cant remember but its usually aroud 80mils for the higher priced type

same as second skin damplifier vs damplifier pro both are of different thickness

[NR8]

Cool. Never realized they were that thick. Always thought they were about the same thickness of flashband lol.

Anyway, as always, a thread by Sanctifier never ceases to impress me.

[Ted_v2]

Almost twice a flash band.
Quick question tho.
Sanctifer what mods you have intended for the evo besides the restoration?

[Sanctifier]

^ ^ ^ Good "Ahh Haa.. Gotcha!" question, Ted. After a 24-month 'Resto' (by mid-2018 I hope!); as a rank Solodex novice I'll try to reduce my 'cutazz' by competing in the lowest class that the E6 is allowed to 'run'. I don't know the current 'regs' for 'dex yet but IIRC the E6 RS2 has to be 'stock'. Upgrades are limited but fortunately RS2's have decent OEM parts.

My 'Bibles' are: ▶ The E6 Technical Information Manual... ▶ The E6 Workshop Manual Suppliment...
& ▶ The 'Group N' Homologation Forms to address the following issues:
▶ Chassis Alignment: "3D alignment" of the shell to OEM specs.
... (Click on pix.)

▶ Overall weight... ▶ chassis balance (corner weights if available)... & ▶ suspension...
▶ High rpm gear-change & ▶ clutch adjustment... and a few other issues.

I suspect that 1 or 2 other cars might suffer from "over generous" preparation. IMHO my best chance of winning will come right at the 'start' ... and at the 'end' of the run. I have to try to reduce 'start time' so the focus is on 'chassis balance', reduced 'suspension binding' and 'quicker gear change'. Attention to ▶ OEM ride height and ▶ better 'brake balance' will help during the 'run' too.

▶ ▶ Don't want to 'give away' much more right now. I may have said too much already.
More details in a future 'build' thread... after I learn the 'regs'.

My

Anyway, as always, a thread by Sanctifier never ceases to impress me.

Thanks for the kind words, NR8. Appreciate it.