Need to remove old bottom paint and I was told to buy a small blaster and do it myself. Does anyone know anything about these things? What kind, how much does a cheap one cost? Are they any good? What kind of abrasive? Etc.
Sandblasting
- Thread starter Ken Prichard
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Check the archives
If you haven't already. Been discussed lots, and a few weeks ago there was a link to a small do it yourself type outfit. Be careful, sandblasting your own boat could do some serious damage.
If you haven't already. Been discussed lots, and a few weeks ago there was a link to a small do it yourself type outfit. Be careful, sandblasting your own boat could do some serious damage.
Haz-Mat Issues
Most Marinas and all of the adjacent boat owners will likely have a problem with this if you try to go the DIY route. Obviously there would be EPA regs with how to catch and dispose of the residue as well. Spread some blue poly tarps under the boat and try hand scraping with a RedDevil scraper purchased at your local hardware store. It might just be a lot easier and quicker than you realize, if it is ablative or soft paints. However, if it's multiple coats of epoxy or vinyl based paint , that's a whole nuther story. Chemical strippers are supposedly a DIY option; maybe more favorable from the marina's point of view, but still a little more hazardous to your health than quietly hand scraping. Lots of stuff in the Archives!
Most Marinas and all of the adjacent boat owners will likely have a problem with this if you try to go the DIY route. Obviously there would be EPA regs with how to catch and dispose of the residue as well. Spread some blue poly tarps under the boat and try hand scraping with a RedDevil scraper purchased at your local hardware store. It might just be a lot easier and quicker than you realize, if it is ablative or soft paints. However, if it's multiple coats of epoxy or vinyl based paint , that's a whole nuther story. Chemical strippers are supposedly a DIY option; maybe more favorable from the marina's point of view, but still a little more hazardous to your health than quietly hand scraping. Lots of stuff in the Archives!
scraping worked for me
We scraped my C 30 in about 6 hours there where 4 guy scraping most of the time. The beer was flowing .we sanded it with 80 grit paper with two portacable sanders .I still have one side to sand smooth but it should only take a few hours . John
We scraped my C 30 in about 6 hours there where 4 guy scraping most of the time. The beer was flowing .we sanded it with 80 grit paper with two portacable sanders .I still have one side to sand smooth but it should only take a few hours . John
We on the other hand have spent about 30 hours
scraping ours
23 years of paint, and VC tar (epoxy) under that. It is now 85% sanded and ready for wash and new barrier coat. I don't EVER want to have to do this again!
scraping ours
23 years of paint, and VC tar (epoxy) under that. It is now 85% sanded and ready for wash and new barrier coat. I don't EVER want to have to do this again!A professional shipwright friend just
told me about a fairly new product they use on old wood fishboats with lots of paint. Brush it on, wait overnight, and hose it off with all the old paint. I saw teo of the boats he was working on. Maybe 45 foot heavy trollers. The wood was clean of paint and not beat up like after scraping. You need to be in a yard with a catchment system where they wash boat bottoms. I'll get more info if there's interest.
told me about a fairly new product they use on old wood fishboats with lots of paint. Brush it on, wait overnight, and hose it off with all the old paint. I saw teo of the boats he was working on. Maybe 45 foot heavy trollers. The wood was clean of paint and not beat up like after scraping. You need to be in a yard with a catchment system where they wash boat bottoms. I'll get more info if there's interest.
Most small sand blasters.......
Most small sandblast units that the average homeowner would buy, is way too insufficient to do the job. Blasting takes a lot of 'air'. Even what you might call a large air compressor, the largest you will see in Home Depot or the likes, is way too small. Tha suction/vacuum type blasters are pretty much useless, you will need a sandblaster that pressures up. As someone earlier suggested....a lot of scraping, a lot of grinding and a lot of beer. Tony B
Most small sandblast units that the average homeowner would buy, is way too insufficient to do the job. Blasting takes a lot of 'air'. Even what you might call a large air compressor, the largest you will see in Home Depot or the likes, is way too small. Tha suction/vacuum type blasters are pretty much useless, you will need a sandblaster that pressures up. As someone earlier suggested....a lot of scraping, a lot of grinding and a lot of beer. Tony B
Hey Fred
I'm interested! It would be great to get the name of this stuff and the source. Will it work on fibreglass or just wood?
I'm interested! It would be great to get the name of this stuff and the source. Will it work on fibreglass or just wood?
Soda blasting
In my neck of the woods there is a place that will rent a soda blasting system on a trailer . soda blast is safe for fiber glass and is environmentally safe. There is a place in Mississippi and Louisiana if any one is interested I have there number. The brochure I have is a few years old and they may have expanded since then.
In my neck of the woods there is a place that will rent a soda blasting system on a trailer . soda blast is safe for fiber glass and is environmentally safe. There is a place in Mississippi and Louisiana if any one is interested I have there number. The brochure I have is a few years old and they may have expanded since then.
Where are you going to do this?
Ken: I do not think I would even consider using "sand blasting" unless you know what you are really doing. It is feasible that you can do more damage than the money that you could ever save. These small sandblasters are going to take you a lot of time too. The best bet for a do-it-yourself-er is the Peel Away products. They are safe and environmentally friendly. It may take a couple of applications, but you are not going to damage anything (including yourself). I don't know where you are planning on doing this job, but remember the time you may be layed up in a yard is also going to cost you too. If you do it at home you need to haul away the remnants which may constitute hazardous waste.
Ken: I do not think I would even consider using "sand blasting" unless you know what you are really doing. It is feasible that you can do more damage than the money that you could ever save. These small sandblasters are going to take you a lot of time too. The best bet for a do-it-yourself-er is the Peel Away products. They are safe and environmentally friendly. It may take a couple of applications, but you are not going to damage anything (including yourself). I don't know where you are planning on doing this job, but remember the time you may be layed up in a yard is also going to cost you too. If you do it at home you need to haul away the remnants which may constitute hazardous waste.
Environmentally safe?
Keep in mind that soda or supposedly environmentally safe products are no safer than sand. Its not the blasting media or the chemicals that are questioned as much as its the 'stuff' you are removing that is the problem. Just a thought (and i dont have many) Tony B
Keep in mind that soda or supposedly environmentally safe products are no safer than sand. Its not the blasting media or the chemicals that are questioned as much as its the 'stuff' you are removing that is the problem. Just a thought (and i dont have many) Tony B
Thanks
I guess I'm trying to find an easy way of doing this where there is no easy way. I don't think I'll go with the small blaster. I definitly don't know what I'm doing with one of those things so Steve is probably right, I would do more harm than good. I'll see what Fred comes up with and also look into Peel Aways products but will likely end up sanding, which is what I had planned to do all along. The area I'll be using is contained so there won't be any enviremental issues. However - if someone can suggest some magic, supereasy process.......
I guess I'm trying to find an easy way of doing this where there is no easy way. I don't think I'll go with the small blaster. I definitly don't know what I'm doing with one of those things so Steve is probably right, I would do more harm than good. I'll see what Fred comes up with and also look into Peel Aways products but will likely end up sanding, which is what I had planned to do all along. The area I'll be using is contained so there won't be any enviremental issues. However - if someone can suggest some magic, supereasy process.......
another product.
Ken: I was just going thru some Practical Sailor issues and they have a new recommendation on strippers. It is called "Franmar Soy Strip". You may want to check out this stuff too. It appears to work quickly too.
Ken: I was just going thru some Practical Sailor issues and they have a new recommendation on strippers. It is called "Franmar Soy Strip". You may want to check out this stuff too. It appears to work quickly too.
Been there.
Ken, I stripped the hull on my Oday 28 last year using Peel Away. Worked pretty good but there was still a LOT of exercise scraping (real thick ablative). I'm not sure what was under it, some kind of epoxy probably, but the Peel Away didn't work on it. I used a Porter Cable 7424 to sand off the remaining ablative and the epoxy(?). Ran the hose from the sander to a 5 gallon bucket of water, and the hose from a shop vac into the bucket, in such a way that the dust went thru the water b4 hitting the vac. Worked real well, didn't bother the boats next to me, but still needed respirator and goggles. Got down to gelcoat and then used Interprotect 2000 for barrier and VC-17. Nasty nasty nasty but it does look good and smooth now.
Ken, I stripped the hull on my Oday 28 last year using Peel Away. Worked pretty good but there was still a LOT of exercise scraping (real thick ablative). I'm not sure what was under it, some kind of epoxy probably, but the Peel Away didn't work on it. I used a Porter Cable 7424 to sand off the remaining ablative and the epoxy(?). Ran the hose from the sander to a 5 gallon bucket of water, and the hose from a shop vac into the bucket, in such a way that the dust went thru the water b4 hitting the vac. Worked real well, didn't bother the boats next to me, but still needed respirator and goggles. Got down to gelcoat and then used Interprotect 2000 for barrier and VC-17. Nasty nasty nasty but it does look good and smooth now.
Soda Blast
I second the soda blast recommendation. However, these compressors are quite large, and buying one would be out of the question. Last time I did this, the compressor was powered by a fairly good sized diesel, and was on a trailer. But they work very well, and are much gentler on the boat than sand.I rented one and the cost was approx. 400 bucks, counting the soda. But the labor and time consumed weren't much. Took less than half a day to do a very good job on a 28. Also, soon as it rains, you have instant clean up.
I second the soda blast recommendation. However, these compressors are quite large, and buying one would be out of the question. Last time I did this, the compressor was powered by a fairly good sized diesel, and was on a trailer. But they work very well, and are much gentler on the boat than sand.I rented one and the cost was approx. 400 bucks, counting the soda. But the labor and time consumed weren't much. Took less than half a day to do a very good job on a 28. Also, soon as it rains, you have instant clean up.
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