# heavy rust removal (sandblasting)



## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

I have a large trailer (actually, it's starting gates for horses).

It's made of square tubular steel and sheet metal (1/4" atleast, thick++). It's approximately 9' x 25'.

It's in decent shape as far as starting gates go, but it needs some work. There is a heavy coating of rust in many spots. Not to the point where the structures integreity is comprimised, but a good amount of surface rust. Basically it's been living in a field for 10 years.

I was thinking of renting a heavy sandblaster and sandblasting the entire thing, but I have never sandblasted something this big. How far does a 100lb bag of sand go, and how much roughly does one cost? I will be doing this outside, so I can recover some sand, but not all of it. Also, do I want just sand? or something heavier? I'm not looking for a mirror finish, just a clean surface that will make this last another 10 years.

My other options are chemical, but I'm not sure how much this will cost. Is acid bathing expensive?

They look similar to these to give you an idea...


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## Crash935 (Sep 3, 2003)

Mike, you must be crazy!

For what it would cost you to rent a good blaster and buy the sand (100 lbs doesnt go far with out a good blaster and the air pressure behind it) you could probably have someone come in a do it.

Just kidding about being crazy, but then agian i havent meet you and thats what they call you, sooo.....


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

Crash935 said:


> Mike, you must be crazy!
> 
> For what it would cost you to rent a good blaster and buy the sand (100 lbs doesnt go far with out a good blaster and the air pressure behind it) you could probably have someone come in a do it.
> 
> Just kidding about being crazy, but then agian i havent meet you and thats what they call you, sooo.....


that was my thoughts at first. But... a guy told me I'm looking at $2000 to get it sandblasted and primed. That is too pricey. However, I will investigate further as his price very well may have been a guestimate.


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## fernalddude (Feb 15, 2004)

*sand*

I use the cheapo blaster from harbor freight works great but you got to have the air i use two compressors for the air flow. The sand is a pita blast and sift blast and sift. I was talking to some guys about diping they used to refurb trailers and they said his dip was 175 bucks to drop it in the tank. so i would look at the dip for cost and time. The place here is ready strip dont know if its national chain. 
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202


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## ICindrich (Dec 21, 2005)

We just bought a 90 pound sand blaster for about 500 bucks and 100 pounds of black beauty (black silica) costs about $14... So rather then renting one or paying some one else to do it, it might be worth while to buy your own and have it for good.

Ivan


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## scholzee (Nov 9, 2001)

You say "heavy rust in many spots" Is the rust less than 50% of the unit. You could buy a cheapo sand blaster and only do the rust areas, scuff up the remaining paint with sandpaper and paint the whole unit. That should save considerable time and no sense in exposing more metal by balsting if some areas have decent paint on them. No offense but I think you may be going overboard stripping and painting the whole thing. It is a starting gate and will probably get banged up if other people are moving and using it besides yourself. I can appreciate people who take pride in their equipment and want it to look nice but you could be putting more money in it than you will ever get back. Just clening up the rust areas and painting it I think you will be surprised how mush better it will look.


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

scholzee said:


> You say "heavy rust in many spots" Is the rust less than 50% of the unit. You could buy a cheapo sand blaster and only do the rust areas, scuff up the remaining paint with sandpaper and paint the whole unit. That should save considerable time and no sense in exposing more metal by balsting if some areas have decent paint on them. No offense but I think you may be going overboard stripping and painting the whole thing. It is a starting gate and will probably get banged up if other people are moving and using it besides yourself. I can appreciate people who take pride in their equipment and want it to look nice but you could be putting more money in it than you will ever get back. Just clening up the rust areas and painting it I think you will be surprised how mush better it will look.


We are the only ones who will use them. They are basically impossible to find. I got them for 1/5 the price these ones are worth. To buy a new set would be around $15,000+ They have to be custom made and have some tricky parts to it.

So if I can get them to last another 15 years I'm ahead of the game. Some of the horses going in these gates are worth several hundred thousand dollars. So it's in your best interest to have good looking equipment for when clients come and visit.


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## scholzee (Nov 9, 2001)

I noticed you are in Toronto, I am just 2 hours South in Buffalo NY, we snowmobile alot way North of you and have always been treated great by our Canadian neighbors. You may try checking with some construction equipment seller, they often repaint excavators, dozers, backhoes, they may be able to give you a number of someone or a shop that locally does blasting and painting for them. I forgot how expensive the horse business can be and understand much better what you are trying to accomplish now, good luck.


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

100 lbs of Black Beauty will last about 15 minutes!

IF you want to blast it yourself buy a pressurised blaster (like the one shown in the photo) not a gravity feed- they clog alot. (I have both...)
Set up a tent of some kind, like a cover-it garage and put tarps on the ground to collect the media. Blast in it to contain the media. YOu will need to sift it before useing it again- childs play sand is the best (econimical) thing. BB is highly abrasive and overkill. You want the sifted play sand at the orange box store for $2.50/40lbs. Sift it through an old window screen.


Buy a blaster's hood too, not just a face shield and a dust mask- in an enclosed area you will have alot more blowback.


All that said- look into a dip- it's going to be more econimical for labor versus costs. It's alot of work to blast that thing- look at all the small areas to be covered- a large single solod panel would be easier.....

Also, consider an angle grinder (cheap from Northern, or a good one under $100 fro orange box store) and flap discs. They are heavy sand paper in an overlapping pattern for grinding which work very well for rust removal. You should be able to remove most of the rust with that more effeciantly than blasting the whole thing then just blast what you can't grind.

That's what I use all the time.


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

thanks for all your help guys.

I'm going to get some estimates and call around and take it from there. I just didn't want to jump in the wrong direction because I didn't look first.

I had never even considered a dip until I read this thread. Thanks a lot guys.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Fernalddude

Where's your Dust mask at in that picture?
I bet ya coughed up some rust colored stuff later in the day.
I did that one time and had a sore throat for 2 days.


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## Big Dog D (Oct 1, 2005)

Reusing the media will make it take longer too. It breaks down and looses it effectiveness when you reuse it. The key like has been said before is Air. We rent a 100CFM tow behind compressor and it makes the jobs go so much faster. We have a 100 lb pressurized blaster and buy the media in bulk, it's like $50 per ton, way cheaper than bags.


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## zapster (Feb 21, 2006)

eastwood has some rust neutralizing paint that stops rust in its tracks.. 

all you need to do is get as much rust off with a wire brush of any kind by hand..

paint and forget

i'm gonna try it on my dump bed..

the salt did a number on it 

but anyway spray or brush..look into it

...zap!


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## Keith_480231 (Jul 13, 2004)

Whats the Brand info on the rust stoper?


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

I sandblasted and painted my plow mount with with the stuff from Eastwood....worked pretty good.......

Don't breathe silica dust.......

Derek


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

_Don't breathe silica dust......._

That's why I asked "where's your mask". You should wear one anytime you sand blast, shoot paint or sand drywall.

Advance Auto Parts has a solution in quart bottles for rust,it costs $5,it's green. You can spray it with a regular spray bottle after wire brushing the surface and washing it down.
(windex,cleaner etc-> spray bottle). I let it dry/cure for 24 hrs then paint.


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## dmontgomery (Oct 3, 2003)

I used Black Beauty.....they say that is much safer......

D


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