Sand Blasting

[Lyndy]

I am preparing to paint my Outdrive/Intermediate Casing and various smaller parts. Am considering using a "Mini" Sandblaster that uses Propellent.

Are there better ways to do this?

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Sand Blasting

Your gonna be there a looooooooooooong time with a small blaster. Your also gonna end up with sand imbedded in places it shouldn't be.

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Thanks Reel Poor for the comments. In the process I will be disassembling the major components. The Exhaust Housing, Exhaust Cover, and the Lower Gear Case would be done by hand. I would be taping up the orifices and machined surfaces of the Upper Gear Case and the Intermediate Casing and Sand Blasting the hard to get to areas. Does this make a difference or am I just looking for trouble? Is there a more appropriate way to do this?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Sand Blasting

Lyndy, you may want to consider soft abrasives. People blast with all kinds of abrasives. Softer ones are walnut shells, baking soda and plastic beads.

A full siize sandblaster is less than $30, it needs a compressor however.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Sand Blasting

Sand Blasting is meant for parts,not assemblies.That means apart,not taping off areas.Even walnut shells will mess up those seals behind your ball gears.If you intend to disassemble the components in your pictures,and then sandblast and rebuild ...... go for it.

Don't blast that shift wire harness.If you puncture the insulation,it will migrate water and corrode the internal wires .

DHP

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Thank You all for the warnings and suggestions for Sand Blasting. Anyone out there done what I am trying to do and were successfull with some other method?

 

[mkast]

Re: Sand Blasting

Disassemble, use glass bead.

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Disassemble, use glass bead.

That includes removing the guts to everything or mask the Upper Gearcase and Intermediate Casing REALLY well. Just trying to make sure I understand what you are recommending.

Lyn

 

[Bondo]

Re: Sand Blasting

When "Masking" for Sandblasting,.. The Only Acceptable Mask is Rubber Sheeting,......

Masking Tape will Disappear is Seconds.....

Rather than Stripping that poor ole girl down to Bare Metal,......
I'd just Scratch Off the Loose Stuff,... Scuff it up abit with Sandpaper,.....
And Paint it with Rattlecans of Rustolium...........

It'll last a year or 2,+ ya can Shoot it again...

As Stated,.....
Sandblasting without a Total Tear-Down is going to cause Soo many Problems that the Look Good Paint Job,....
Won't Matter......

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Bondo, You and Rustoleum! LoL. Rustoleum is in my list of Possibilities. I had already decided to use it on the Propeller. The Prop looks worse than the SternDrive. Just for Reference Purposes, 3M produces a Vinyl Tape made for SandBlast Masking.

Since Sand Blasting seems not to be a very popular way to do this, There have been two solutions recommended on this website for wash down. One is Vinegar or Amonnia and Water Solutions. Both use the word "Mild Solution". Has anyone come up with a Ratio that qualifies as a "Mild Solution" that is effective?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Sand Blasting

Thank You all for the warnings and suggestions for Sand Blasting. Anyone out there done what I am trying to do ......?

Yep! Just tape, tape, tape. I can't say much for your blasting device however. Nor your spray paint device. You need more volume. You got's to lay it on. That thing will just dust on the paint.

All the other advice is accurate to the extent that you absolutely do not want to get the blasting media on shafts, seals, etc. Stuff paper and tape off any orifices, then have a air nozzle to blow everything off before you remove tape etc.

I blast things all the time that you theoretically should not do. Have not run into trouble yet.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Sand Blasting

Bondo, You and Rustoleum! LoL. Rustoleum is in my list of Possibilities. I had already decided to use it on the Propeller. The Prop looks worse than the SternDrive. Just for Reference Purposes, 3M produces a Vinyl Tape made for SandBlast Masking.

Since Sand Blasting seems not to be a very popular way to do this, There have been two solutions recommended on this website for wash down. One is Vinegar or Amonnia and Water Solutions. Both use the word "Mild Solution". Has anyone come up with a Ratio that qualifies as a "Mild Solution" that is effective?

Vinegar and amonnia are no substitute for getting to a bare, stable surface. They are to be used to modify the molecular surface of bare aluminum so that your zinc chromate primer will stay put on the surface. IMHO, use full strength white vinegar to wash down any fresh, bare aluminum. Use amonnia, in houshold cleaning strength to wash down after you do the vinegar bath. Let dry thoroughly then go to town with the zinc Chromate. I used a catalytic automotive primer over the zinc chromate, then overcoated the primer with catalyzed automotive acrylic enamel. I used a 30$ Harbor Freight HVLP touch up gun to spray all coats. I got it on sale sale.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46719

I think that rustoleum is for sissies. It's what people in the business use 'cause they can't take the time to do it right.

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

I can't say much for your blasting device however.

There is a lack of Electricty where I am going to work on the Itermediate Casing. Hence the Mini-Blaster. I have the SternDrive at home where Electricity is in abundance. So if I am going to go with the Sandblasting procedure, I was going to use the Mini Blaster on the Intermediate Casing and a more substantial blaster at home.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Sand Blasting

I can't say much for your blasting device however.

There is a lack of Electricty where I am going to work on the Itermediate Casing. Hence the Mini-Blaster. I have the SternDrive at home where Electricity is in abundance. So if I am going to go with the Sandblasting procedure, I was going to use the Mini Blaster on the Intermediate Casing and a more substantial blaster at home.

You can try it, but in the end, it's what works and I think you will be wasting your time.

 

[wncrjb]

Re: Sand Blasting

I've done a fair amount of sand blasting on many different things and the one thing I could ALWAYS count on is........no matter how good you take pre-cautions, and no matter how good you tape things up, the sand still gets EVERYWHERE.

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Ok, so it may be safer to do this by hand. Regarding the parts, is there a solution I can use to clean the corrosion off of them?

 

[Sorrento 25]

Re: Sand Blasting

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alumprepaint.php

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Hi Sorrento 25,

Thanks for the link. Have you used this stuff? I noticed on related Items that Alodine was recommended after Allumiprep.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Sand Blasting

Hi Sorrento 25,

Thanks for the link. Have you used this stuff? I noticed on related Items that Alodine was recommended after Allumiprep.

Lindy, that stuff is not going to clean off the heavy, crusty corrosion per your end cap sample. It also will not clean of any loose and flakey paint. It is more suited to get lightly oxidized, bare aluminum down to the shiney stuff. The Alodine does the same thing to the bare shiney aluminum that the vinegar does in regards to prepping it for priming.

 

[Lyndy]

Re: Sand Blasting

Thank You Booyal! If I am going to do this by hand, I know I will be doing some scraping. The vast amount of the corrosion is bubbling under the Black paint. I have scraped off the paint where corrosion is evident which comes off VERY easy leaving bare aluminum.

That bare aluminum still needs to be treated prior to Priming and Painting, doesn't it?

Where the corrosion is not apparent under the Black Paint, I intend to ruff it up ,prime it and paint it.

Am I heading in the right direction here with doing it by hand?