B81 Build

Vladislav · January 8, 2016

If your cab is a naked skeleton it wouldn't be a great issue to remove sand with a compressed air. Sure outside.

The most trouble is seams and other sammich areas where you're not able to take rust from in between's. So it worth to observe every doubty spot on how to work it out. Maybe open some splices drilling off weld spots to get a gap between parts wich allows you to blast inside. Anyway scratch off, remove or cut out everything you don't need in the cab before blasting.

Overall it takes some while for a good preparation but as a pay back you get all ready surface to cover with primer and than continue working where weld/hit repairs are required only. And with incomparable level of rust clean.

eddeere · January 8, 2016

DodgeMan The local sand blasting shop here will not do any sheet metal. They say it can warp the metal. They recommended a soda blasting shop but said it will not do a good job on deep rust. Thinking on having my cab dipped. I have had a lot of things dipped with good results, but there can be some problems with this also. Not sure what way I will go.

fxfymn · January 9, 2016

They say it can warp the metal.

Yes, you can warp the metal, but the chances of warping something as heavy as an old truck is basically nil unless you point the nozzle at one place and leave it there.

If you use soda make sure the cleaned metal is properly neutralized or the new paint will blister. I am not a fan of overall soda blasting since it would be so easy to miss a spot when it is neutralized.

Standard blast media is messy as hell, but that can be a blessing when it comes to post blasting cleaning of the project since it is so obvious to see.

eddeere · January 9, 2016

I thought of sandblasting my cab and agree if you hold the nozzle back and do not stay in one place to long it should work. The commercial blasters usually have large units that spay a lot of sand at once. Like Vladislav indicated the blast media cannot get into areas that are sammiched together. This is the advantage of dipping.

hicrop10 · January 9, 2016

I have sandblasted my cab off of my B87 and as long as you hold the gun not right up on top of the piece you are doing, you will be find.If you are still worried make a couple of passes over the piec e.Good luck.

Vladislav · January 10, 2016

As MikeD said.

You should be careful about big flat "unsupported" areas like hood and door shells.

Just do many times spraying sand from longer distance.

I work together with my "blast guy". He wears a full dress with helmet and can't see rust perfect through his glass.

So he makes blast and than I comes close to check out. Make marks with a piece of chalk and he repeats there. Up to 4 times to get it clean completely. I was told you can easily deform a car's roof or hood (bonnet). With Mack R-model parts I had no issues so far.