DIY shot blasting

[alex_m]

Hi all, My 7.5ton merc 814 chassis needs a good old clean up. I'm wondering if it would be best (financially) to buy an air compressor and 10 gallon shot blaster and do it myself, or pay someone to come and do it professionally.

Thanks

[scraggs]

you will be there until the cows come home with one of those pots

Will be far cheaper in cost and time to get it done properly imo

[alex_m]

Haha, thought as much. Although i don't mind spending a while on it. (I even considered using a wire brush on my angle grinder) Then at the end i'd still own some very handy kit.

[treequip]

Blasting needs a lot of air, a screw (hydrovane) compressor is your only candidate, as well as that and a blasting pot you will need an air fed helmet, you can do without for a one off job but a balaclava and goggles is for the brave.

 

A 10 gallon pot is a small thing to take a wagon chassis on with

 

I have owned blasting pots in the past, now I get a bloke in to do the job.

[scraggs]

Those small pots are handy for small stuff but once you start getting onto larger area's you need the cfm of the bigger compressors and reliability of proper pots.

The small ones suffer badly from the grit just wearing its way through valves and nozzles at a fair rate.

[alex_m]

Thanks for the replies. I'll phone about for some quotes. (will have to be mobile as the lorry isn't on the road at the moment)

[Peter]

Get someone to do it. Horrible horrible work, especially if you dont have the right kit.

[Goaty]

I own a pot and a capable compressor, It is tedious work. As said nozzles are soon useless. I only ever do small components with it. Largest thing I have done is a twist beam axle off a ford KA. I could of gone and done a days paid work and left the blasting to the pros. A better idea all round.