[shrubs]

Sand blast, media blast, whatever. Contemplating pressure blasting then painting a frame.
Watched a ton of air blasting videos.
Anyone done this? What CFM compressor works best? Should I use soda powder to blast?
My Husky 20 gal compressor cfm is rather low. Some say use an aux tank.

We all get the above is commonly called sandblasting.

Edit to avoid snarky

 

[tlg]

I would look into a local industrial blasting company. There's lots around. Many companies that do painting and powder coating will do it.
It'll cost ~$100. Far cheaper than buying the equipment you need.

The Husky 20gal compressor is going to take you many hours. It's what... 4 CFM? You really need >10 CFM
Even a small hand held blaster gun is going to take 5-7CFM. That'll empty your compressor in about 30sec.

Volume of the tank (for a small blaster) isn't really as important as the CFM output is. High CFM compressors are expensive. Generally have really big motors and or two stage compressors.

This compressor is only 8Gal. But it'll output 11 CFM all day. And it costs $1200. You can rent these and tool rental places. But it's going to cost you over $100.

Ingersoll Rand 5.5 HP Gas Kohler Wheelbarrow Air Compressor SS3J5.5GK-WB 47623368001

Ingersoll Rand gas engine wheelbarrow air compressors are lightweight with a low-profile design providing maximum maneuverability on the job site. Quiet and portable air source provides convenience and

www.homedepot.com

Anything that's going to output >10 CFM is going to cost $1000+
So unless you need a compressor upgrade... pay $100 to have someone do it for you

 

[shrubs]

@tlg Thanks.

 

[stan01]

What type of frame are you planning to media blast? I've done exactly what you are planning to do. There was a garage in my area that you could rent all the tools & equipment. I convinced some friends to join me & we shared in the costs for blasting booth & paint booth. If the frame is steel, then sand is the way to go. Aluminum or titanium requires something less aggressive such as glass, walnut shell etc. If its carbon, I would not recommend media blasting it yourself. You're better off wet sanding by hand. Watch Etoe on YT for tips. He's a professional painter but shows how you can get pro results doing it yourself.

Knowing what I know now, I don't think its worth it to have a frame blasted regardless of what its made of. You'll get just as good results using paint stripper & proper grade scotch pads along with some wet sanding. There are no shortcuts when it comes to painting a bike. The paint booth & blasting was the first time I ever painted a bike. And I learned my lesson that there are no shortcuts if you want pro results.

 

[shrubs]

Restoring an old Fuji. Blasted a rusted boat trailer years ago…used my neighbors compressor, a HF portable sandblaster. Worked great.

Have some other hard to sand or paint strip items that could be soda blasted to save beaucoup time and effort. Figured with newfound knowledge I would work the frame in too.

Seems like the consensus is to discourage DIY sand blasting. That I don’t get. The bugger seems to be a compressor that has high CFM being $$$$ to buy or rent.

 

[stan01]

The reason why blasting should be left to pros is that depending on the frame material & level of corrosion that you are trying to remove could result in damage if you blasted in one area for too long. Some of the ultra high strength steel alloys in the butted sections are only 0.3mm thick. It wouldn't take much to blow through it if your pressure setting is too high or you are using the wrong grade of blasting media. I actually recently just finished painting an old mtb bike frame. Just used paint stripper gel. I'll take some pics.

 

[shrubs]

Thanks for the caution. And the info. Professional bicycle frame sandblasting not a thing near me-no demand or I would allow, no knowledge base for a well engineered bicycle frame and its peculiarities. Oh well.

edit for an afterthought

 

[tlg]

Thanks for the caution. Professional bicycle frame sandblasting not a thing near me-

You don't need a professional bicycle sandblaster. I don't think that's a thing anywhere.

Just find anyone who does powder coating and paint blasting. They're pros. Have them walnut shell blast it. It's perfectly safe.

 

[KWL]

You don't need a professional bicycle sandblaster. I don't think that's a thing anywhere...

Groody Bros Bicycle Restoration in Kansas is one. I wish they were local to me. The shipping to/from just about doubles the cost for a frame blasting, powder coating and decal application.

 

[tlg]

Groody Bros Bicycle Restoration in Kansas is one. I wish they were local to me. The shipping to/from just about doubles the cost for a frame blasting, powder coating and decal application.

Cool. $50 to blast a frame and fork. $150 for media blasting and powder coating is a good price.

But blasting and powder coating isn't rocket science. If you're not looking for bike restoration and decal matching, there's hundreds of companies that do blasting and powder coating. I can find over a dozen within 50mi of me.

 

[stan01]

An old frame that I stripped & repainted. First time using 2K urethane clear coat. Frame hasn't been polished post painting.

 

[ljvb]

Another option is dry ice blasting.. less mess, and less likely to damage anything (unless it's carbon), and won't leave any residue. Might be harder to find the equipment though depending on location.