So started work on the keel this evening. I was thinking it would be better to get as much off the keel before sandblasting as possible. Any reason I should not use a grinder to get the surface striped mostly down to metal?
Stripping Keel Before Sandblasting?
- Thread starter HillbillyWanderer
- Start date
Just generally wasting your time and effort plus making a mess... The blaster will get after it in a heart beat and save you a ton of time and frustration.
IMO, it depends on how much junk is on your keel and how cost-conscious (stingy) you are. If it's a few coats of paint and you have some moderate rust scaling going on, don't bother. Take it straight to the blaster. If you've got numerous failed layers of Bondo, bottom paint of different types, major rust flakes, etc. and you have the time and tools, then you will probably save the blaster some time (= your $). I've read of sandblasting jobs costly over $200. Mine cost me $77 (probably their minimum) after I prepped the keel first. I also wanted to know what was under there before taking it to the blaster, and I had the time and tools to do it. If I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same way. Neither way is wrong. Yours doesn't look very bad from the photo but you probably know for sure.
Yea just wasted my time this evening then. Keel seems to be in real good shape. As for the pin, next to no wear! Looks awesome! Luckily I have my own sandblasting equipment so think I will just go that route. Thought if I ground some of the top layer off might save me some bags. Thanks for input.
my ears are burning!!!!! I did, in fact, pay 240 to have mine blasted. I removed all filler and ground it down in most areas, there were some deep patches of filler left though. supposedly it took 4hrs to blast it all.
my advice? think long and hard about how long you need it to last vs how much $$ you have to spend. I figure I will have $500 into mine once done, just in blasting/epoxy/paint. it should last a VERY long time but realistically, all I needed was 5 years or so... done again, I would do it differently but hey, lesson learned.
I would def remove as much material as possible if you continue down the sandblast route
Have you read Chip Ford's C-22 webpage? Lots of interesting stuff and he has been at it over a decade. Unfortunately for Chip he does not have the heavy tools or equipment to do the bigger jobs on his own and he went to a yard to have this done. If he is reading any of the resto threads here where several of us have done our own he is probably smacking his palm to his forehead! D'Oh!
My basic advice to anyone facing a keel resto job;
1. Don't panic
2. You can do it with just a little help from friends or family.
3. You don't need big tools, you can rent or borrow what you need.
4. Give yourself time, there is no rush.
5. Don't go to a Yard!!!!
My basic advice to anyone facing a keel resto job;
1. Don't panic
2. You can do it with just a little help from friends or family.
3. You don't need big tools, you can rent or borrow what you need.
4. Give yourself time, there is no rush.
5. Don't go to a Yard!!!!