Sandblasting $$$ rates??

[BuddyP]

Curious as to what the average cost is to sandblast a car body. For example I have a '68 Camaro body shell completely disassembled.

[texasdvldog]

I paid 1200.00 for my 67 rs/ss shell. that included primer so my car wouldn't rust afterwards! That included both doors, fenders, cowl, SS hood, trunk. Basically all of the car except the sub frame.

[LS1NOVA]

I paid $900 to media blast the Nova shell, 2 doors, radiator support, subframe, and the rear axle.

[BuddyP]

Mmmm, I can get the body dipped for $1200-$1400. But that's just the body. Had planned on doing that then blasting the doors, hood, etc. I'd feel better knowing that everything was cleaned off the body when dipped. That gives me something to think about.

[rocketrod]

$80 an hour

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Local guy (large outfit) wants $600 to media blast my car. I may just sand it down the old fashioned way though, I'm afraid of them warping the panels.

[68protouring454]

ralph , no one sandblasts a whole car only rust.
they media blast with plastic media, there are some soda blasters out there but media is most common and does not even begin to warm the panel, with clean media they can no tape stainlesss trim and it does not mark it, that along with glass
jake

[Ralph LoGrasso]

ralph , no one sandblasts a whole car only rust.
they media blast with plastic media, there are some soda blasters out there but media is most common and does not even begin to warm the panel, with clean media they can no tape stainlesss trim and it does not mark it, that along with glass
jake


Thanks for the info! This is good to know, as it will save me about two days in stripping down the car. I'm not sure why, but I've always had a preconceived notion that media blasting was prone to warping panels. I'm glad to hear I'm wrong though. I think this place does soda blasting as well. Which would be optimal if given the choice, soda or media?

[toxicz28]

Which would be optimal if given the choice, soda or media?
It depends on the "media" that they use. The term media is used to describe whatever they are blasting with. Walnut shells, and poly media will remove paint and some filler, (I had a urethane bumper cover done with poly media) but will not remove rust. I'm not sure if soda will remove rust or not. To remove rust, you need a glass bead, aluminum oxide, or even silcon carbide. The panel warping depends on how high the pressure is, how close to the panel they are blasting, and how long they concentrate on one spot. This is what will cause heat buildup and make the panel warp. Ask the blaster to use a walnut shell/ glass bead (or aluminum oxide) mix. That will take care of it all.

[Duesey]

BuddyP, not sure where your located along the mi/in border but straight up 69 in Marshall theres a guy that solely sandblasts. He does ceramic coating and has a hook up for powdercoating but only blasts with sand. He's reasonable and does a good job. I think a body on blast of my chevelle was 300 give or a take. That was the entire bottom of the frame and underbody. He touched up the rockers and wheel wells but not sheet metal. I wouldn't dip a body either. It causes hot spots in the cracks and crevices and corrosion really starts. It's nearly impossible to completly coat inside all the cavities after a dip. Chemical stripper works well on the exterior panels or even a 40 grit DA but don't use a high speed grinder either. A dull 40grit on a high speed grinder can warp the heck out of a panel with excessive heat.

[Duesey]

BuddyP, I guess nevermind the place in Marshall. After seeing your powdercoated parts I realized you must of the been the guy there when I was dropping off my frame machine for powdercoat. That's a great color!

[Andrew McBride]

I got a 450-500 dollar quote on my mustang. includes the underbody.

[Damn True]

So after one has either blasted or sanded (I sincerely doubt I'll be able to get away with between S.O. and stuffy neihbors sanding this car down in the garage/driveway...too messy.) what do you need to do to the car if it is going to sit a bit before body work can begin? Can you just wipe it down and prime it? Or is there another step?

[Jim Nilsen]

I used POR-stripper from the makers of POR15 and it worked very well and is envirnmentally freindly for the most part. It took the original paint off very easily and it even took off some of the bondo that was in a couple of spots. It dries and can be thrown in your trash. It left the origninal lead primer on the panels and I was able to sand the original primer down a bit and put the DP epoxy primer right over it with no problems. I actually used the lead primer and the sanding process as a way to preblock out the roof and the few other areas that were left to see if they were straight. Since I did new quarters ,door skins and rear panel it was not a very time consuming thing at all to strip it. The interior was the easiest to strip and do since the original lead primer stayed and it all wiped off with blue shop 3M shop towels off of the roll.

It didn't cost all that much and I would use it again. Just make sure you get extra sprayers because they will go bad after 1 to 2 uses, but to be able to spray it on with a simple hand pump sprayer is very convenient.

Jim Nilsen

[Damn True]

Very cool Jim! Thanks for that info. Sounds like it might be a good way to go for me. I have a very straight body with all the original tin. The only rust is a couple of pinholes at the base of the rear window. The car has a cheapo Earl Schieb spray over OE paint.

I think what you suggest might be the right course for this car since it wont need heavy bodywork.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

It depends on the "media" that they use. The term media is used to describe whatever they are blasting with. Walnut shells, and poly media will remove paint and some filler, (I had a urethane bumper cover done with poly media) but will not remove rust. I'm not sure if soda will remove rust or not. To remove rust, you need a glass bead, aluminum oxide, or even silcon carbide. The panel warping depends on how high the pressure is, how close to the panel they are blasting, and how long they concentrate on one spot. This is what will cause heat buildup and make the panel warp. Ask the blaster to use a walnut shell/ glass bead (or aluminum oxide) mix. That will take care of it all.


I somehow missed this post up until now. Thanks for the response, much appreciated. I will ask him to use the walnut / glass bead or alum. oxide mix. Sounds like that is the ticket. My car is extremely solid, so there isn't much rust to be removed (some light surface rust here and there).

[Andrew McBride]

What about baking soda? Thats what I was told to use on the panels like quarters, fenders, hood, roof etc.

I haven't had experience with Baking soda, but heard it is less likely to have a problem of warping the panels.

[Chevelle LT1]

I've used the walnut shells before, and it did a very nice job (on thin metal) with no distortion. For what it's worth, local cost in Phoenix was $1/minute.

[Dayton]

It's going to cost me $600 to Soda blast my 69 Camaro(shell,fenders,doors,trunk,hood) Soda blasting doesn't clean out the window channels, or, remove rust. The window channels will be sandblasted. this will add another @$200
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