"a6016" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hope this is the right forum for this question. I'm doing a lot of
metal work on a veh. restoration. Some metal needs to be sand or bead
blasted to remove rust. I have a lot of land and can safely use a
sandblasting unit and I've seen some advertised for sale and some on
eBay. For a one-time deal like this are the "hobby" models worth the
investment? Just wondering if they work well enough for a small
project like I have? TIA for any insight.
Vic
Redlands, CA.


Be careful about sand blasting sheet metal. The blasting action tends to
change contours from stress relief. Panels such as doors can be totally
destroyed.

Small units aren't much good for large surfaces. A cabinet doesn't
function well on less than an honest 5 horse compressor, so use that as a
guide. If you have only a small compressor, you're likely to be very
unhappy with the capabilities of a blasting system. For auto sized parts
I'd think you'd need at least a 10 horse compressor, or lots of patience.
Remember, most auto parts won't fit in a cabinet, so you have to do them out
of doors, or build some kind of enclosure. That could mean you'd be inside
with the blasting media, which would require separate breathing apparatus.

I'd suggest you do some research and decide what sizes you need to blast and
plan accordingly. Blasting is a great way to go, but requires proper
equipment for satisfactory results.

Harold