To Blast Or Not To Blast

[bills2002]

I'm thinking of having my strut tubes soda blasted for painting. Good idea or not? If I do this, any ideas on how to protect the spindles in the process?

[ahlem]

A chunk of rubber hose will protect the spindles. I'd consider threading a plug into the gland nut end of the tube. You could make one out of a chunk of wood wrapped in duct tape. I'd figure out what the paint and prep process is to be sure you don't waste the effort on a poor paint job.

[Richard]

Duct tape to protect. You may want to consider a rougher medium as soda is so smooth its hard to paint...

[blepley]

I just duct taped the spindles and put the assembly in my blast cabinet with some aluminum oxide media. Came out looking like new.

I am not sure is soda blasting would have removed all the grit and grime that was on mine.

Good Luck!

[bills2002]

Duct Tape = Eighth Wonder of the World

Thanks all.

[jerry]

keep in mind that abrasive blasting is NOT a substitute for proper degreasing prior to blasting. your parts should be clean and dry prior to blasting otherwise you'll be:

1. contaminating the blast media for the next guy,

2. affecting the flow characteristic of the blast media with oily residue

3. clogging the filter media prematurely

4. buying more abrasive media

5. contaminating the surface you want to paint

i've been known to merely grab hold of the spindles when i blast that area and try to avoid directly aiming at them. i purposely blast the threaded area at the top.