soda blasting equiptment

[FrankWest107]

I am thinking of purchasing the HaRBOR Freight Soda Blasting device for use on car parts, etc.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of equiptment?

[Restorer32]

What advantage do you hope to gain over using sand or glass beads?

[sambarn]

I bought one and love it. It's a bit of a mess and beware - that stuff will kill every bit of grass it contacts but it's effective -slow compared to glass beads but way softer. Does no damage to surfaces while stripping them. There are fancier units but this one has served me well. I actually got paint off of cast aluminum and left the polished surface of the aluminum shiny. It's NOT for cleaning frames, blocks, rear ends, etc. If you're cleaning non machined surface cast iron -go with sand or glass but if you have to remove finish from something delicate - these are great. Start with low pressure and build up until you're happy. Be patient - it is slower.

Edited June 18, 2015 by sambarn (see edit history)

[FrankWest107]

What advantage do you hope to gain over using sand or glass beads?

JUST THOUGHT UIT WAS LESS DAMAGING? BUT MAYBE i SHOULD US SAND.....

[39BuickEight]

I've used the Harbor Freight 5 gallon sandblaster for years.  No complaints at all.  We use Black Beauty fine grit abrasive.

 

The little thing here:

 

Edited June 18, 2015 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[R Walling]

'39 Buick Team Member, I like your "4 post" lift.

[auburnseeker]

Beware of one thing.  Be sure whatever blaster you use.  If you use Soda,  you need to thoroughly wash the part with water to get rid of all the salt residue in the soda.  There are traces of salt in it.  If not no matter what primer or topcoats you use it will rust from underneath.  (don't ask me how I learned this)

[old car fan]

small parts ok ,a car no way.been there and hate it

[DavidMc]

A friend had a complete body soda blasted some years ago, it had some aluminum panels and he was concerned about damage.  In that respect it was excellent, no damage.  

However he left the main wiring loom and a few electrical items on the body when it was soda blasted and after the restoration was finished the car was plagued with electrical problems due to corrosion in terminals etc.  I would not use soda on anything with seams, crevices, double panels and certainly no where near electrical parts.  I also question what happens when the finished job is washed with water, the steel will begin to corrode immediately requiring further treatment.  Use with caution.

[auburnseeker]

If you dry it immediately with heat (woodstove works great for small parts) or forced / compressed air it doesn't seem to rust after washing.  Soda works great for blasting carburetors or other pot metal type parts that are dirty. You can also blast plastic with it.  I have yet to do a steering wheel but I think it will work great to strip one of those.  I did a radio delete plate that had been painted and it did a great job.  The thing to remember is if you use it in a cabinet with other media and switch out your media,  you still need to wash other jobs afterwords as you get cross contamination from the soda remnants you don't get out of the cabinet.  That's how I learned.  I wasn't blasting with soda but had some minor amount left in my cabinet.  It ruined the woodgraining job on all my interior moldings,  wheels and some underhood components.  I won't tell you how many hours of labor that cost me.

[JACK M]

I had a 21 ft. aluminum boat soda blasted a few years ago by a portable business.

Came out pretty good.

Its for sale now as I have recently completed another boat.

Edited June 19, 2015 by JACK M (see edit history)