Sand blaster

[opsirc]

I have a old boat trailer that is in dire need of cleaning up, more rust than paint. Also my boat which spent a couple of summer in the water all summer long has a bad built up of alge. Did not want to spend a great deal on a bigger sand blaster, so was thinking of the cheap siphon ones. But not sure how well they work? For what little I would use it thought it might be fine. Any one use one of these?

thanks

O

[Dave]

For as little as you'd use one (I don't know the cost), you may be $$ ahead if you just brought it somewhere to have it sand blasted.

[cyberamish]

I ahve a small, cheap siphon style blaster that I bought for blasting gun barrels prior to tefloning them. It works real well for that but it would take forever to do a trailer with it.....I tried earlier this yr on a duck boat trailer. I gave up after 45 minutes only yielded a cleaned area less than 6" x 4". I ended up using a belt sander to do the job.

[CASTnBLAST]

That would work fine as long as you have enough air pressure to drive the sand.Try Diamond Grit if it's pretty rusty it cuts alot faster then follow up with a 2 part catalyzed epoxy primer and top coat within 24 hours so you don't have to sand the primer.I'd recommend an acrylic enamel for a trailer and don't neglect to use the hardener.

[river-rat4]

opsirc-

You could get a syphon type but it takes a long time, makes a mess, leave silica sand all over which is bad for the lakes (which it will eventually run into), breathing the dust is very bad and just a regular mask will not protect your lungs, you can easily burn up a compressor that is not large enough for sand blasting and most home/consumer models are WAY to small to even attempt the task.

Check the specs on the air consumption of the Sand Blaster and compare to your compressor.

Off topic- Below is more information that anyone has asked for, just shows how marketing works.

Take a look at your compressor, rule of thumb is 4 CFM per horsepower. Keep in mind that most air compressors are rated at the Head, not usable (Free air) if looking at the sticker. Or another trick Manufaturers use is telling you the CFM at 40 PSI, and 90 PSI. Well most air tools need 90 PSI to operate. Telling you how it performs at 40 PSI is crazy.

Look at the motors Full Load Amps (FLA) amps, it takes 3.5 to 4 amps per hp. (Example: 16 FLA would mean you have around 4.5 to 5 hp compressor). A lot of compressor Manufacturers put on motors that read "HP- Special". That is an indicator that it is not as large as stated on the sticker.

Example- I have a WindTunnel vaccum cleaner, right in the front it claims "27 Amps".

I run the vaccum on a 15 Amp breaker and the lights don't even dim when turnd on, keeping in mind that I have three other items using current at the sane time, on the same circut.

This is the same "misleading" information that consumer air compressors use.

If you need a lead on a Sand Blasting company, I know of a couple, Email me at the address below.

Feel free to Email me with any comments or questions you may have about compressed air.

Brandt

[email protected]

[Crusty old Swede]

For the trailer I'd suggest the good old fashioned wire cup brush from the hardware store for 5$ Chuck it up in the electric drill and away you go. For the boat, I would recomend a pressure washer, and if you don't have one or a friend with one the do-it-yourself car wash has one that will probably take "lake crust" off.