Summary

 – What is body sanding?

 – Technique and precautions for body sanding

 – After sanding, powder coating

 – Body sanding: prices

 

Nowadays, the renovation of an old car is most often carried out by sandblasting the bodywork. This is a much less tedious process than the disc sanding process used in the past. Here is some information to explain this technique to you. 

What is auto body sanding?

 It is a technique for stripping or polishing body parts using a specific device.

 

 Bodysanding is necessary when you want to clean your bodywork that has become porous over time. It is useful to remove traces of corrosion and soiled paint, deoxidize the body or prepare it before repainting it. Sandblasting allows you to renovate any antique and vintage car so that it can regain its original appearance.

 

 Good to know: body sanding can be done on the entire sheet metal of the body but also on any metal part of a vehicle such as rims, chassis, suspensions.

 

 Technique and precautions to take for auto body sanding

 Technique

 The body sanding technique consists of projecting an abrasive at high pressure on the areas to be treated. This form of dry blasting offers increased efficiency. It requires the use of a gun connected to a powerful compressor to ensure a sufficiently large airflow to remove paint and rust.

 

 Please note: small 3HP compressors do not provide sufficient airflow to obtain a satisfactory level of paint stripping.

 

 As for sanding materials, some are more efficient than others. For example, alumina oxide is a mineral used as an abrasive because of its hardness. It is ecological because it is recyclable. It is today the most widespread sanding material.

 

 Precautions to be taken

 A ventilated sanding cabinet is recommended for blasting operations, as this method is extremely messy. On the other hand, personal protection is required, such as gloves, mask, adequate clothing and safety glasses.

 

 Finally, it is imperative to protect the threads of the screws before starting the sandblasting work as there is a risk of damaging this type of material.

 

 Good to know: If the sheet metal is brittle, it is advisable to use a small-grain abrasive, or to use processes other than body blasting in order not to deform the sheet metal.

Powder coating after sandblasting

 After any sandblasting operation, it is advisable to cover the bodywork areas treated by a process called powder coating. It allows for obtaining a shiny aspect while being resistant.

 

 Polyester-based powder coating of different colours is applied by projection on the metal sheet of the bodywork that has been sandblasted.

 

 The powder coating has excellent resistance to UV rays. Also, this process guarantees total effectiveness against corrosion.

 

 Good to know: powder coating is a process that is increasingly used to obtain a perfect finish.

 Body blasting: prices

 The cost of a new blast cabinet is often between $1,000 and $1,500. To minimize expenses, it may be a good idea to purchase a used blast cabinet starting at $200 or to rent one from a professional, or even a private individual, for less than $20 per day.

 

 Good to know: body blasting can be done by a professional. To find out the price of the operation, it is recommended to get an estimate.

 

 That’s it. You are now done repairing a rocker panel, which is not an easy task for any DIY enthusiast. If you wish to find a professional, you can get in touch with The Auto Dentist located in Melbourne.

 

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