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Sandblasting

2K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  boghog360 
#1 ·
I'm looking for some place to take my bumpers and rocker guards to have them blasted. I have a Poison Spyder front bumper and rocker guards, and all were powder coated. The coating is crap. Not even a year old and its flaking and rusting all over on all three pieces.:confused: The coating only had a 90 day warranty, so I'm on my own. My plan is to have them Line-x coated after blasting.:thumb:
Here's the problem, I can't find a place that will do the blasting for a good price. I know powder coating is tough, but $150.00 just for the bumper :eek: seems way high to me.
Anybody know which way to steer me? Or, got any ideas?
By the way, I talked to tech support at Poison Spyder and the girl told me she advises people not to get the powder coating because this is what happens when it is exposed to the elements. Now they tell me!:miff:

Thanks, Rick
 
#28 · (Edited)
Ive had sandblasting done by Master Blaster in New Hudson, he is fast and tries to work with you, on the finish time and the time you pick, up so you can get the stuff home and primed and or sealed ASAP.

I have also had two frames Galvanized by V&S of Redford. I had my first frame done after I talked to a friend who I built a trailer for. I told him to take it home and paint it the day it was done, he didnt, he let it rust up bad. He is the one who tuned me into V & S. At that time my CJ-5 frame was below the min weight so it was only 137.00 to get it Galvanized, I took it home, chased all the threaded holes. I had done some research and found a two part Rustoleum epoxy that was made for going over a galvanized coating. The stuff worked great, In my excited rush, I forgot to wipe down the frame of any grease, wax, or any crud. I brushed it on, because I could not wait to get the proper thinner from Graingers the next day, so I could spray it. When it was dry, brush marks could be seen in some places, while other places flowed out like glass. Most of the black epoxy is still on the frame, some stuff has peeled off where I can remember running into a substance on the frame. Its been 8 years and this jeep has been wheeled in some deep mud and most of the epoxy is still on.

After telling friends at work that were doing auto projects, I know that I convinced four of them to go to V. & S. and I knw that at least one told another friend of his. Well about two years later, I go to get my other frame done and the guy quotes me a price of almost 400 dollars! I ask him what happened to the min weight cost. He started to beat around the bush about how much they had to handle the frame and (you know the rest). So I tell him how I know that I sent him x-amount of bizz, listing all my buddies car and truck frames, He gave me a much lower price.
If you can get a bunch of frames, bumpers, skid plates, together and get a weight, say 500-1500# you call them and get a price of galvanizing X-# of steel items, DONT SAY JEEP FRAMES, say, stamped pieces and welded stampings, and you will find that the price is very good.
The things to know about galvanizing anything are, have as little paint on the items as possible, NO CLOSED AIR POCKETS! they will go over the items looking for closed pockets and wont touch those pieces. You will have to try to find bottom areas to put drain holes for the heated air and molten Zinc to flow in and out of, and try to put enough of them that your item wont hold the Zinc in a low area.

Pockets could explode in the Galvanizing tank sending the molten zinc all over the employees.

If you have small pieces, hard wire them to a bigger piece, or all together. I had spring perches and alot of smaller pieces tied to my frame with 3/16" rod twisted at the end, I even put a small tack weld on the tie area to make sure I wouldnt loose the small stuff. The guys at the shop liked that.
They said that they dont fish the tank for small stuff that falls off, BIG tanks, hot above them. Too dangerous for employees.
If I was doing a boxed frame again, I would go with the Galv. again. If you think about what it cost to get the frame sand blasted, and then wonder, if all the rust was removed from the inside, and then wonder if you got paint on all those bare spots on the inside, well for all the work it takes to go to that extent on a vehicle it just makes that much more sense to go galvanizing.

When I got my first frame back I was looking down inside, from one of the stacking holes on top of the rear axle area, the view reminded me of a new city park slide I saw when I was just a little whipper snapper. LOL.
 
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