Sand Blast

Most large parts are sand blasted with a "pressure-type" sand blaster.  The abrasive blasting crystals that we use are able to cut through grease, grime, old paint, and rust to expose pure, bare metal.  This is the ideal condition for priming and painting.  To protect critical components, we fabricate metal plates and bolt them in place and seal the surfaces with caulk before blasting. We also utilize two smaller cabinet-style blasters. One uses the same abrasive as our large sand blaster. The other contains glass beads. This works well on more sensitive items like brass fittings, carburetor parts, etc. There is always discussion about whether sand blasting will warp sheet metal parts. The last thing we want to do is to create more work for ourselves, thus spending more of our customer’s money on a project. If it’s possible to do it without any warping, we will lightly sand blast sheet metal parts. This adds a light texture to the panels that creates an even stronger bonding surface for primer, thus adding to the longevity of the finished product. If warping is too much of a risk, those parts are sanded down to remove the old finish before body work or priming.