Help me with sandblasting and painting setup

[green.bubbly]

I have a project that I will start on in about a year. I will be refurbishing my dad's old farmall tractor. More on that story this weekend.


I am currently still building my house and I should be at a point where I can take on a major project in about one year. I will need to do a lot of sand blasting, both small parts and larger frame assemblies. I will also like to paint it myself though I have no experience in automotive painting.

I want to spend the next year getting the things I will need such as an engine lift, good jack stands, etc. What will be the things I would need to do the sand blasting and painting. I know I need a decent compressor and paint gun but what would be a general setup? Do I need little things such as a moisture dryer for the compressor, what would I need to sand blast larger parts outside in the yard? I want to be prepared to work when the time comes and not waste time getting things.

Any input would appreciated.

Just throw out what ever I might need to I can make a list of things to start getting.

 

[Jvvmusme]

Get the biggest compressor you can afford.
Get the most expensive mosture trap you can afford.
You will need an engine stand

 

[BillK]

gb,
As much as I love buying new tools, I would say that if the tractor is the main thing that you are going to have to blast and then will hardly ever use the blaster ..... don't waste your money. Check around your area and see if there is someone that does blasting and see what they charge. In my area its pretty inexpensive all things considered. Blasting outside is one of the nastiest, messiest things you will ever do. BTDT I bet you end up saving money in the long run by not having to buy the blaster and a giant compressor to go with it.

Now if you have a bunch of other things you may want to blast in the future, it might be worth it, but I would still take a good hard look at all of the costs. Larger compressor, more electricity, blasting media, nozzles for the blaster, not to mention your time. If nothing else, borrow a typical home type blaster from someone and see how long it really takes to do this stuff

I am only saying all this because I bought a blaster years ago that I thought I was going to do a car frame with. Forget it Biggest mistake I ever made. Sold it and took it to a local firm that does blasting and never looked back.

Just my opinion,

 

[ZRX61]

For small stuff you'd want a cabinet set up like a TP960 from www.tptools.com For bigger stuff I'd get one of those *total loss* pressure pot looking deals like this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/110-lb-pressurized-abrasive-blaster-69724.html

That's not an endorsement of the HF version though, link used to provide pic/description only. I'm not sure how well that one works, or doesn't work.

 

[Garage Dog]

GB,

I agree that if this is your only restoration project that requires sandblasting just have it done professionally - the tools and equipment can get expensive.

If you have other projects in mind, here are some things I use:

1. Blasting Cabinet with Vacuum/Dust Collector - Having a blasting cabinet allows you to recycle the media which is a major expense and a quality dust collector vented outside makes it a much nicer process.

2. Stand alone Sand Blaster for outside work - I prefer the pressurized pot version vs. the siphon fed units. I have set-up a larger rectangle with plywood and a tarp draped inside to catch the abrasive media. Just sweep it up off the tarp and sift it through a screen back into a 5 gal bucket. You should really have a good respirator or better yet an air supply for fresh air. A lot of the blast media is nasty stuff when fractured, especially silica sand. While we are on media, the cheap media I have used is worthless unless you pre-screen and run a very large nozzle which takes even more air.

3. Large Air Compressor - I have a 5hp 2 stage 80 gallon tank with an after-cooler, water separator filter and then an air dryer. I would recommend larger compressor, but mine does the job. The problem with a smaller compressor is they run continuously and get rather hot when blasting - all that hot air holds moisture and then condenses as the air goes through your air hose and blast unit - now you have moisture in your media and it will want to plug everything up. The after cooler helps cool the air before entering the tank and leaving more of the moisture in your tank where it can be drain, not in the line or your media.

The same is true for painting with automotive paints - moisture and oil are you enemy in compressed air - compressors that run hot produce both unless you live in the desert. So a larger compressor will help having your paint turn out nice as well.

4. Bench Grinder - pedestal mounted unit with a wire brush on one side and a scotchbrite wheel on the other side is nice to have as well. My 8" grinder works OK but a Baldor unit that can run a 12" wheel is really nice.

5. Die Grinders with Scotchbrite wheels and sanding discs - it is difficult to sandblast everything so having a die grinder with scotchbrite pads (2" & 3") is nice to strip paint and rust. A 90 degree die grinder will get you into some spots that a straight one will not. I use the Roloc backing system for scotchbrite and sandpaper and think it works well. Having barrel shaped or tapered abrasive that fits on a mandrel for the die grinders helps get you into some tight spots as well.

6. 4-1/2" Angle Grinder - for running abrasive wheels, flap wheels and abrasive discs.

7. DA Sander - when you want to prep the tin for the tractor having a DA sander will be very helpful in feathering edges. There are more body tools but you can look into that.

8. Spray Guns - For priming and painting.

These are some of the things I use to do a proper restoration to my standards and be pleased with the results.

My neighbor would tell you that all you need is a hand wire brush and a rattle can.

Just depends on how nice a job you want and how much time you want to spend...

Good Luck!

 

[green.bubbly]

Thanks for all the feed back and suggestions. I tend to like to own the tools I need but at this point, I do not know if I would have many future projects. The compressor would definitely be a big expense and I honestly do not have much need for a big compressor.

There are a ton of sand blasting companies around here with all the oilfield companies in the area. Finding one would not be a problem so that may be a good option. I might pick up a cheap HF gravity fed unit just to hit some small items that come up.

The painting is what I really want to do mainly just to learn. Figured an old rusty tractor would be a good practice vehicle.

 

[devilsnight]

If your main project is the tractor you probly won't need an engine lift. Old tractor engines aren't mounted in an engine bay like a car. good jack stands are whats really needed.
My father sand blasted his Cat 30 years ago, The engine was "sand blast taped" off, sealed everything to no avail. Ran for about an hour and quit when we were done. There was like gallon bucket of sand in the bottom when we opened the covers up. doh! Sand gets into everything!! something to keep in mind.
Painting takes alot of practice, thats all i can say there. A better quality gun will give better results. Practice and get to know your equipment before you start. Good luck

 

[scouting]

If painting is your main goal, that's definitely doable. Moisture trap isn't even an option, with the cost of paint you're wasting money if you shoot without one. Even though it costs more, buy your prep supplies from the paint supplier, especially tape. If it's feasible, I'd build a take-down booth out of 2x4s and plastic drop cloths. Painting outside *****, but is doable; painting inside your shop will get paint on EVERY exposed surface imaginable. Ask me how I know. As far as guns go, obviously the more you spend the better the quality, but the harbor freight hvlp guns do a remarkably good job in my experience.

My only other comments are that prep is the whole job. I just finished spending the whole weekend painting a motorcycle tank and fender, and I spent maybe 1/2 hour actually shooting paint. The longer you spend cleaning and sanding, the better your results turn out. If you've never painted, consider practicing on some cheap sheet metal, and go through all the prep steps. That way you can get an idea of how it all works, since some paint systems have pretty stringent time-frames from one coat to the next. Plus, you get the opportunity to learn without messing up 'real' parts.

It isn't scary, and if your handy it's a fun skill to learn. Like anything else, it's all about practice and being meticulous. You can fix any mistakes until you shoot clearcoat, but those mistakes just add time to the overall project.

Oh, and you don't want to get into sandblasting if you can avoid it, that is a horribly miserable tool to use unless you have a professional setup. I have used one of those harbor freight blasters on motorcycles, and each time I finish I vow to just pay a pro next time. With the media costs, it almost doesn't make sense to DIY. Soda blasting is in the realm of the DIY'er, but the rest of it is gonna get outsourced from my shop.

 

[green.bubbly]

Awesome advice and suggestions. Thanks again to all. It will be hard to wait until my house is finished to get started on this project.