What is the best way to remove the rust from a frame?
In Industrial Arts I'll building heavy duty saw horses to support the frame. I don't really have access to a sandblaster.

 

You asked what's the best way to remove rust from a frame?

Here's the good news: there's ONE "best way".
Here's the bad news: sandblasting.

You can rent a sandblaster. All the solutions, mixes, potions, etc don't remove rust like a sandblaster, unfortunately. And, unless you take the bed and cab off the frame, you're not dong a thorough job and any rust between those parts will eventually spread like a cancer.

Daryl

 

Nathan

Daryl is correct, blasting is the best way. Ask Swanny about the old wire wheel on a grinder method. He'll give you some input if you somehow missed it last time. A very memorable post for me. A Swanny classic for sure. It is not any fun at all and is just not as thorough as blasting.

 

Take the frame to a commercial blaster, he will have it done in an hour for about the price of a few cases of beer. Or one tank of gas.
It will ride in the bed of a real pickup.

 

The guy I got the truck from said I could use his sandblaster but only with him around and he's a farmer so he won't have to much time free. I should see how much I could have it done for. I'd wire wheel it but to do a good job I would have to remove every rivet which is something I don't want to do.

 

Hi Nathan,

Take a look at the web page listed below and you can see how we did Earl's frame. The blaster is about $40 from Sears. Not the greatest but it will definitely do the job if you stick with it. The only issue is the compressed air source. If you got a BIG compressor or access to one (the farmer?), you can do the frame quite nicely outside over a weekend.

 

I had my '62 frame blasted and epoxy painted for 125$ at a commertial blaster here in TX. He normally does pressure vessles (really big ones ) but he does little jobs on the weekends. I dropped it off all grungy and picked it up all shiny

For the heavy rust like a frame, find a commertial blaster. It took me 5 hours to strip the outside of my cab and dash with a 40lb pressure blaster, 2 compressors, and an old water heater for an air tank. I spent 2 hours on the frame with this setup and got about 2 feet of one frame rail done. (Granted it was almost solid rust) I personally would rather spend the time on less tedious tasks.

Tyson

 

Check with a tool rental place about renting a gas or diesel trailer-mounted compressor. It could be than $30 for a day, and that beast will deliver all the CFM you could dream of. Rent a pressure pot blaster as well and do the frame in an afternoon, then spend the next week cleaning sand out of every orifice in your body.

 

So sandblasting is the way to go. So probally our 6hp air compresser won't cut it unless I want to be there all day.

 

If that 6hp is a Sears ( or other name) oilless it will burn up before you get the job done if you try and do it all at once.
You need 100-125 psi continuous at a minimum of 15-20 cfm. This eliminates the small compressor and 10-20 gallon sand capacity import pressure blasters. IF your time is valuable that is.

If you have any welding to do then use your small compressor to clean localized areas. Once the frame is completely cleaned, get a coat of ZeroRust or primer on it real fast. If it flash rusts ZeroRust can be sprayed right over for permanent protection.

 

Nathan

I used a 6HP 80 gal compressor for mine. It took a helluva lot longer than a day though. Carl and the guys are right. You'll smoke it if you do it non-stop. I used a rental gas powered I/R trailer compressor and pressure pot for a 31 Chevy Sedan well over ten years ago. Did the frame and body in way under a day. It sure wasn't $30 though. More like $150+ as I recall.

 

Dueller I don't know if there are any stucco contractors in your neighborhood but here in San Diego they are common and some will come to your garage for side jobs like sandblasting frames. My buddy down the street has a 53 brand X that got blasted in his driveway for $100. It took about 2hrs and one flip of the frame.

 

My nieghbor/friend I think has an engine hooked up to an air compresser and sits on a trailer. I should ask if I can borrow it.

 

thanks fatfenders.

i remember those days in the garage and not seeing the otherside.
i kind of dont miss those days.
used a 4 inch wire wheel and broke off almost all of the wires.
then i got a small one that had the wires wound up.
use a industrial grade grinder and i was done in no time.
used a resperator that didnt work right.
so i was breathing the rust.
dont taste to good.
it got the job done though.
the only bad thing is you cant get in where the crossmembers come together.
use some sand paper in those areas.
left a reddish coat on everything.
after i got the frame all wired down, i took a bucket of water and wiped the whole thing down.
used a 5 gallon bucket and to had to refill the bucket about every 15 minutes because of the rust in the water.
i gotta go back and do some spots cause i didnt cover it with paint, had a piece of wood across the frame and painting the brake stuff.
but i enjoyed the work.
kept me busy and it was cheaper.
thats my opinion and everyone has different incomes and different likes and especially different tools.
but do what you have the money to do ad what you want.
if you dont do i the way you want then you will kick yourself later because you didnt.

swanny

 

My brother wire brushed the wheels on his 87 Mazda B2200 and didn't turn out to bad.