Hi guys, I didn't want to put this in here cause it doesnt technically belong but I certainly want your help/advice/opinion(s) so if you don't mind, I would love to hear from you/see how you vote when it comes to my question of what to do when it comes to buying vs. renting a sandblaster and compressor

here is the link to the thread in the garage/tools section of the board

thanks in advance guys

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ml#post5210501

 

How much is a rental outfit? I'd guess it is about 1/4 the cost of buying, at most. I'd go a step further and say you should contract out the whole thing. Let someone else run the risk of silicosis....

 

I layed it all out in the other thread . . . basically, it would be around 3-400 bucks to rent, and 7-1000 bucks to buy or 1500-2000 to have someone else do it

i would of course always use a respirator and all that

of course, doing this myself would add around another 300 bucks(?) since i would have to buy the mask, respirator, possibly a jump suit and the materials to build a sandblasting room around the truck to keep the dust in (think completely sealed portable garage--i would built a 2x4 box and cover it with heavy duty plastic sheeting)

if i were to buy the better compressor and the better sandblaster plus everything else needed i am looking at around 1300 bucks or so
might as well pay the 1500 to have a shop do it

 

Well, if it was me, I'd buy the Compressor/Blaster and recoup my money doing custom work on the side.

 

And, if you HAVE someone do it, make SURE that it is MEDIA/BEAD blasting NOT SAND.. I was a dope and took the blaster at their word.. they destroyed (heat warped) every panel.. hood, doors, roof, cab back.. so the 'local' guy with the best services wasn't the best.. (and the contract stuck me with the risk and results)

Sam

 

Felix -

Like you, I rent my house and work in the attached garage. I have a compressor like yours. I have owned my truck for four years and have needed the hood, fenders, doors, etc media blasted to bare metal to do the work needed. I stripped the cab and bed myself using a wire brush on an angle grinder.

After seeing what the media blasting process involves, I would not consider doing it myself. It is thew nastiest, dirtiest job imaginable. And it is dangerous. The results are great. It wasn't always convenient or easy to get my parts over to the blaster guy. But when I think of the cleanup alone, I passed on doing it myself.

I think the money paid to have the job done is well spent. That said, I realize that a good setup, doing it outside where cleanup is less of a problem, is a pretty cool thing to have available. If I lived on a decent size lot with an area to do the job, I might consider it. But in my garage? No way!

BTW, if your wife complains about the money, what is she going to say about the cleanup in the house? That stuff gets everywhere.

 

thanks guys, i appreciate the help. oddly enough, i havent gotten a single response in the "correct" location for this question lol

i know i can always count on you guys

thanks for the warning there sdetweil and thanks for relating to my situation Randy

all of it certainly helping me to align a logical decision in my head . . . keep em coming!

 

I use a Harbor Freight 40lb blaster for all my personal work.. fenders, doors, chassis.
I had the replacement hood media blasted.

Play sand with a screen strainer, and a vacuum to pick it back up for re-use.
I do this in my carport (sun cover)..

Sam

 

hi, ill add my thoughts to this.... its a VERY difficult decision for so many reasons..thier are so many pros and cons to it all... first is.. if u pay someone u risk the panels being ruined... also.. it never fails that places get missed..or if ur doing any rot repair ull no doubt find places beihing panels u cut out that should be blasted...
the other part of it is buying the equipment u really need a MONSTER of an air compressor to do the job easily.. YES u can get by w/ an average size compressor..but its slow going..and miserable..always waiting for the air pressure to build back up... none of the small 4-5 hp compressors in my opinion are going to come close to keeping up w/ sandblasting... its all about cfm...keeping up w/ the flow thats needed...
a mnth ago i tee'd 3 compressors together to sandblast my cab...i gave up after an hour...YES i know i had some loss going thru my connections and line lengths ect... but its JUST PLAIN MISERABLE when u dont have enough air flow...
i got spoiled a few yrs ago borrowing a tag along diesel powered compressor...ran it thru my small pressure pot blaster and was in heaven..no clogging...no fade... just pure blasting...
my only other thought on ur post was the vacuum style blaster? i think? thats meant more for just "spot" blasting... i think ull drive urself nuts trying to use that on big areas...
none of this is pointing u in a direction... but i think if u were going to purchase anyt equipment... buy a nice pressure pot style blaster...(something that u can buy the tips locally) and rent a tag along compressor... makes life SO much nicer..
one last thought... u can blow the paint off easily w/ low pressure.. but if u wanna truly get rid of the rust in all the pits and seams ect.. u just dont wanna mess around w/ low flow... i have seen some pieces that people have consinder sandblasted...the paint and primer is off of them...yet the surface was still all pitted w/ rust...to me thats just not good enough... LOTS of AIR ... hope ive helped...

 

Absolutely, LOTS OF AIR.. considered tossing my 60 gal for an 80 gal 2 phase.. for this and sanding..

(texas blaster says 17, 38 or 68 CFM depending on the nozzle size, my compressor is 13cfm!)

Also, the pot blasters need to be refilled (darn it!).. what a pain..

make sure you don't have SO much fun with this.. I should have bought one like this Texas blaster with the big funnel top..

the small top on the Harbor Freight pot is a pain in the rear..

Sam

 

hmm . . . interesting idea that i didnt think about . . . buying a good blaster and renting a VERY good compressor . . . hmmm that diesel tag a long idea is nice . . . see, you guys are getting my mind working now . . . awesome stuff!

 

As far as compressors go, you cant go wrong with a Quincy!! I have 4 of them, and I love them!! My dad's shop runs an old 230 model and it's a 1934 model.(still goin) only rebuilt once. They're more money than them throw away Cambel Hausfield ones, but they last forever. Be warned though, Quincy has gotten into the throw away models too. I think the QR models are the best (They have an oil pump in them and an oil filter) Quincy compressors are simply the best!! I have a QR 325 and it puts out 25 cfm at 100 psi ALL DAY!!! I had a 5120 model Quincy, it had 6" pistons and a 6" stroke! it was a 4 cyl model and it was 3 phase. I couldn't make it work with my phase convertor so I decided to sell it. I really loved it, and hated to see it go. BIGGER IS BETTER when it comes to air compressors. Get the biggest one you can run in your shop. You wont' be sorry.

 

I agree with Sam. I bought a 2 phase 7.5 HP Ingersol Rand a year and a half ago. I have a swap meet (low $-used) super quality pressure pot. I do my own blasting but can and do do it outdoors. My IR compressor stays ahead of my sandblaster. I use a regulator on sheet metal to knock down the pressure but skip the regulator on heavy wall components like the frame. I used to have two older sears belt driven 2hp and 3hp compressors piggy backed on a 80 gallon horizontal tank. The capability was nowhere near what I needed. The idea of renting a large compressor for a day but having your own pressure pot for touch up is a good way to go.

 

thanks truxx and thanks everyone . . . this truly has helped me decide

sadly,(for me cause i wanted to do most of the work on my truck myself and lets face it, who can turn down the "need" to get new tools? lol) I think I have decided on contracting the work out. I will let them worry about everything from silicosis to having an electrician come out and put in a 220 outlet to the cleanup to the noise, the storage etc etc

by the time -I- worry about and get all that done, i will have shelled out more than the quote i originally got to do the job in the first place . . . that, ultimately, and not sleeping on the couch are the deciding factors here


i appreciate you guys' help IMMENSELY! Honestly, you don't know how much it means to me to have you guys here to count on.

I'll let you know how it ends up.

 

a bag of play sand is 50lbs.. I can get 1.5bags into my HF blaster. this gives me about an hour. 1/4 of a frame, inside and out. a door, outer.

I try to filter 4 bags worth (use citty litter plastic containers to hold the sifted sand. one bag fills one container) in advance. Takes about 20 mins to sift 4 bags of sand. and I use my shop vac to pick up the sand from the carport cement floor to cleanup or get ready for another sift cycle.

Sam