soda blasting
- Thread starter Scott
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IT depends... what blasting media are you planning on using? Ablative paint should come off with a simple pressure washer..I'm contemplating blasting ablative bottom paint to lay on a barrier coat. What pressures are needed? I have an 8 gallon, 125 psi compressor - will this do the job?
If you can provide enough cubic feet per minute of 100 to 125 pound per square inch compressed air I can assure you it will work. Depending on the media you choose you will need a good supply of the correct size nozzle/orifice for your gun. They wear out due to the abrasive. I had way less than enough air and was able to do the bottom of my Hunter 33. I used fine mason sand at a couple of bucks per bag. I used less than 10 bags. Sand blaster from Harbor freight. Ablative, while it realy won't come off with a pressure washer (trust me on this) will come off fairly easily by blasting. Just be careful and use some common sense.
If you're going to media blast your boat, I would highly recommend not using sand as the medium, since it is far too agressive and can easily strip the gelcoat. Walnut shell, soda, corn cob, abrasive sponge media all make far more sense...
I can offer anecdotal evidence that you can take meat off with sand blasting. A friend's Beneteau was discovered to have been carelessly sandblasted leaving the bottom see through thin in many places. He had the skills to repair it and did, but .... it cost half a season, a lot of money in materials alone and I'm sure one heck of an aching back.
Tommays - yep, I think I recall once seeing pros doing it with a large compressor, thanks for the response.
Sailingdog - I have already tried pressure washing using 2650 psi washer. It worked well in some areas which were relatively "thin", But the paint is pretty thick forward of the keel and that's what I'm trying to get rid of.
SamLust - What size tank were you using (mine is 8 gal) and what nozzle, sand blaster etc, from Harbor Freight? Common sense has rarely failed me. BTW, spent all my childhood summers in Ship Bottom - and loved it.
Thanks all for your responses.
Scott
Sailingdog - I have already tried pressure washing using 2650 psi washer. It worked well in some areas which were relatively "thin", But the paint is pretty thick forward of the keel and that's what I'm trying to get rid of.
SamLust - What size tank were you using (mine is 8 gal) and what nozzle, sand blaster etc, from Harbor Freight? Common sense has rarely failed me. BTW, spent all my childhood summers in Ship Bottom - and loved it.
Thanks all for your responses.
Scott
Scott;
My Harbor sand blaster was moderate size, don't remember exactly. It stands about 3 feet tall. Nozzle was one of the smaller ones due to the limitations on available air pressure. Yes, you can cut through the gel and the lamination, but like anything else you develop technique. And with limited air it takes a long time to cut through anything.
My Harbor sand blaster was moderate size, don't remember exactly. It stands about 3 feet tall. Nozzle was one of the smaller ones due to the limitations on available air pressure. Yes, you can cut through the gel and the lamination, but like anything else you develop technique. And with limited air it takes a long time to cut through anything.
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