New soda blaster!

Picked up an Eastwood soda blaster. Was looking at Harbor Freight but dunno about Chinese stuff. Anyway, does anyone have an estimate in pounds of soda to do the undercarriage of and econo. I know you don't know the condition under there but there's no rubberized undercoating or a ton of crap to knock off or flaking rust. I'm running out soon to pick up 100 lbs just in case and compressor is 8cfm at 90.

Here's a pic.

I think Dan got one of those, maybe he can help

Hmmmmm. Where to start on this one?

First I have a Dual Blaster and I can't begin to say how much I love this thing. It allows me to soda blast and remove paint without taping over anything. You can blast right across chrome and glass with no damage. It actually polished the chrome and glass and cleans rubber. And soda being a natural fertilizer you can just hose it away making clean up a breeze!!

Stu, I would traditionally recommend sand, glass bead or walnut for your under carnage. You can soda blast it but man your looking at some time being the blaster will only cut a 1"- 1 1/2" a pass and the soda media is about $40 a 50lb. bag and it will take 5 or 6 bags to do your under carriage. And remember: Soda is a polishing agent and will not remove rust or undercoating and will only spread grease around.

If your going to do this then I "Highly" recommend you use: Rust Remover Bicarb Soda w/ 20% 36 grit Aluminum Oxide. You can order it from Eastwood. At about $60 a 50 lb. bag. Anything else and you will waste your time and money....... AND FRUSTRATION!!!!

You can also order online from Northern tool if you have a store close by and pick it up at the store saving you shipping (50lb bags don't ship cheap!)

Hope this helps.
Dan

Thanks Dan

This is a dual type of blaster so I can use something gritty too. Thanks for the heads upand sa ing me some time. I ll find places to use that

Thanks again. I am typing on a tiny tiny phone so I basically cannot see what im typing

You should really look into a pressure washer (cheap, slow) to a full on steam cleaner (bucks, great!) first.
After it's really degreased, you will realize that laying under it with even 2 feet of space is a miserable job. Finding a way to get it safely up in the air enough for good vision and access is going to pay off!
I'm going to be doing mine on a rotisserie, but that's not for everyone.
I have a few spots of rust, I'm sure you do too. You will have to reblast these areas with sand or other media that cuts through, OR treat with the normal wire brush, POR-15, etc. The other media is not as friendly as soda, so you will have to figure out how to deal with this. Sand blasting without a respirator will cause silicosis!

before you use that blaster you might want to consider sending it out and having it done .Unless you plan on doing a lot of blasting again you should be able to get it done for you reasonable priced and save you a lot of work and trouble And oh ya sell that blaster and get your money back

I got this blaster to use on my 32' boat hull. That bottom paint is a bitch to remove and this will do it. The marina wants 3500 to strip the boat and repaint it so this will work fine for that but I was thinking that it would do the undercarraige to but no big deal. I'll probably use it to strip the paint off the van though. I know it leaves a residue that needs to be cleaned off good.

Stu,
They are perfect for stripping boats as you know they will remove the paint and gel without damaging the sub-structure...Works great for stripping boat motor lower units too. Also work fantastic on anything aluminum to include Mag-Wheels, Diff covers and even my Trush side pipes! And if your into etching glass? (w/ 20% 36 grit Aluminum Oxide) This thing is your friend!!

Dan

Dan

You've been a great help and saved me some frustration it sounds. If I need it in soome places underneath, ill try the aluminum oxide mix. Ill use it on my concrete and deck to remove years and years of staining.

Cheers Bud

I bought the dual blaster from eatwood last june. Tried to use soda for the van project and realized the soda was going to be way to expensive. If im not mistaken eastwood imports these blasters from China and some of the parts are exact duplicates of the Harbor freight models. I started using sand ( almost white in color, not construction sand) purchased from Home depot at about $8.00 per 100 pounds. It works well if your using the large 5.0mm orifice . The blaster is maintenance intensive. The abrasive hose wears quickly ( about 2 or 3 inches in front of the bottom valve) it bursts a hole at the worst times. The orifices wear quickly when using sand, about 3 or 4 bags and the orifice is worn out. The inline water filter is almost useless when using the blaster for along time. Ive replaced mine with a dual filter system, about 200.00 bucks.
You must have a really good respirator and facemask with tearstrips that can go on over the clear facemask. Also you have to cover or tape over any place on he van where you do not want sand to go. It will get into everything and it a SOB to get out. Hind sight being what it is I could have had the entire van done by a mobile sodablasting comany for about 600.00 bucks. But we live and learn!! Good luck on your project.

BadBadger is right sorry for alate reply.I use a harbor Freight sand blaster with medium 30 grit sand from lowes.It works for
my needs blasting the undercarriages and bumpers, and anything that needs cleaning from rust and hard grease.I also use
steel blasting cabinet from harbor.Best investment I made. I also invested in a force air system for my full face resiperator.

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I got done blasting my boat. Overall worked well. Better than paying someone 3k to remove it and repaint. The motor is out of my van now and will have it towed back to my house next week and I'll start on it there.

Badger you're right about the mobile blasters 600 but I doubled checked for my own sanity and none will come to my area or have moved out. I'll use about 3-4 hundend in soda to do the van, but I'm way ahead on the boat.

Thanks for the input.

StuNami good to hear that .You right on. I paid $1,200.00 for my 61 pickup
to be media blasted outside. inside . underneath. I can now save aton of
money by doing it myself.I cover the car port with plastic to keep the
material from blowing away so I can recycle it again.