I’ve been sanding down my bed using an orbital and 60 grit and it’s just a bear to get through three paint jobs from over the years.

So I reached out to a place to see what they would charge to media blast the two side panels, front panel, and tailgate. Also asked if they would epoxy prime it so I don’t get flash rust.

Quote came back at $2,000 and I can’t decide if he just didn’t want the work or if the price of labor and material has just gotten more nuts than I thought.

what do you guys think?



I’ve now fully removed the bed wood and it would just be this and the tailgate without fenders.

 

sounds a little high to me...he might be bidding high cause he doesn't need the work...check around some more

 

Based on a recent conversation I had with a sandblaster I suspect 40-50% of that quote is covering the cost of the epoxy priming. You were going to remove the paint yourself, how were you intending to handle the priming had you not gone the route of having someone else do it? Using paint stripper might get you through those many paint layers more easily than sanding with an orbital. Have also heard good results coming from surface conditioning tools, if you want to add another tool to your arsenal.

 

I typically prime and paint myself but I didn’t want it sitting around his shop in bare metal and then transporting it back to my place. So I figured a coat of primer on his end would work out better.

I have a surface conditioner and it doesn’t remove paint as well as they advertise and it creates a lot of heat.

I also experimented with some citrus based paint stripper and it took off the top layer but didn’t get into the second. I was looking at the aircraft stripper but I’d have to wait until spring and do that outdoors. Might be the way to go.

 

I do not recommend, when I got my truck the paint was so dried and cracked it looked like alligator hide, not kidding. I spent a lot of time sanding and felt like I was getting nowhere. My mom who restored antique furniture poured a cup full of wood stripper on my fender and it pealed it off to the metal. Surprised the hell out of me when I saw it. Again, do not recommend and not 100% sure they even make what she used anymore or if it is harmful to the metal because it was so strong. But stripping can sure save you a lot of time versus sanding old paint.

 

Again you would have to wait for decent weather but, I highly reccomend wet sand blasting it yourself. Wet sandblasters are inexpensive, do a great job, no heat and clean metal when done. I have made this suggestion to others. I have one and love what it can do.

 

I had a local shop strip my 55 cab, doors, bed, fenders, hood and miscellaneous parts for $2500. They also used the electrical charge process to prime it with PPG epoxy primer. They did an awesome job. Well worth the money. I found problems I did not know I had, but everything was protected after being primed.

 

$1.500.00 here to blast the 34 body another 500 to prime it. yes prices have gone up the roof, try pricing a gallon of primer, paint it self OMG high .the 28 sedan delivery we did, had 2.500 just in blue paint and suede clear coat .

 

I used a water based stripper (I had my doubts!) to remove multiple layers of paint before welding repairs. It is made by Dumond, and you paint it on about 1/8" thick, cover with a paper they sell, and let it sit for about 24 hours. Much of the paint came off when the paper is removed. I bought it online through Amazon, but later found some in a local Sherwin Williams paint store when I needed a little more. It also softened body filler under the paint. I used a test kit they sell to find the stripper that worked best for the paint on my truck before buying the product for use. I had a few photos but site wouldn't or couldn't upload them for some reason.

 

So, what is the deal with the Ryobi box on what looks like a custom made I beam hoist trolley?
Very interesting

 

bit of an optical illusion due to the angle. The ryobi is my garage door opener. There is a trolley on the ibeam from an unknown source and then I have a 100 year old chain hoist attached to the trolley.

 

I know some places don't want to do sheet metal because of the chances of warpage and will over price on a quote to avoid doing it.

I have quite a lot of experience sandblasting and I hate it. It's messy, hot and can be dangerous not to mention damaging to the items being blasted. My experience is with sand and slag, none with the water or nut shell blasting so I can't offer my opinion on that.

I agree, most of the cost is probably the epoxy primer, prices for all paint products have gone nuts. I hang around with some old car guys. One has a connection to a MACCO paint shop and he's had a couple of cars, along with a few friends' cars, painted at his friend's MACCO shop for less than the cost of paint they would buy at a paint store.

 

I had a mobile wet sandblaster blast the Ford script flatbed frame I put on my 55 F350. With something like a bed frame I could have used traditional sandblasting and not worry about warpage. But I could not find a mobile sandblaster. He charged me $400. He also sprayed everything with something to prevent flash rust. I had 72 hours to get paint on it. But it did leave a mess. And I was cleaning out sand from nooks and crannies within the frame.

 

No matter the the way or what you use to blast you will always spend time blowing out the holes and seams. You'll find more once you start applying a top coat of some sort. Soda blasting is worse, it can come out and react with the final paint days after you paint the item.

 

I do all of my own sandblasting. I bought a used Lindsey sandblast pot (now Maaco) many years ago at Hershey. It NEVER plugs like many pots. I use extra fine ground glass.
Picture is my Mercedes !90SL when I did the shell.