wheel cleaning/sand blaster

[mark123]

I've got some wheels that have years worth of track pad dust baked on.

I want to get them clean/preped so I can paint them.

The only way I can get it off is by scraping with a screwdriver, but I really can't be arsed.

So I was thinking of buying a cheap sand blaster e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-SB...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item3cd2df98ed

Any one tried cheap sand blaster like the above would they get my wheels clean? I'm not bothered if it removes the paint as I want to paint them anyway.

Happy to hear any other ideas but I don't want to spend hours cleaning them - it has to be relatively quick...

 

[loggyboy]

Might be worth a few quid extra for a full on cabinet.
I keep wanting to get one but really want one I can fit an alloy in.
This one is quite good for average size parts, and should squeeze a 16" alloy in.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-head-...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item462764c81a

 

[Addicted]

Can't you take them to a place that powdercoat them and get them to sandblast them for you?

You can get refurbs for 20 quid a wheel, so I'm sure it'd cost at least the same if not less than the machine? Depends if you want it for more than one use or not though.

 

[loggyboy]

I suspect a £20 quid refurb would be basic rub down and overspray, not a fully stripped to bare metal and well prepped one.

 

[mark123]

I'd consider paying 20 quid a wheel for a refurb but that's cheaper than anywhere I know.

I have a load of wheels to do, probably 6-12 I haven't actually looked at how many need doing.

 

[Tyler@Ultimate]

If you was closer, we could do them. Only issue with the sand blast is you'll need a pretty think coat of paint if you're not going to get them powder-coated.

 

[Addicted]

I suspect a £20 quid refurb would be basic rub down and overspray, not a fully stripped to bare metal and well prepped one.

Depends where you go, City Powdercoating strip to bare metal! :]

 

[Simon@SprayShack]

What is the coating? Here if the paint is failing, we have them acid dipped, then very very lightly blasted with fine glass bead, they are then nearly ready for paint after a light sand, we had some done the other day, and they were back to bare alloy, totally unpitted smooth from the factory bar a few user inflected defects.

The acids works best on powder coated wheels generally (which is the opposite of what you might think), but if your not in a rush it will remove most of the 2K stuff as well over a few days.

Just sand blasting them at any old place, as stated above, will leave you with a heavily pitted wheel, which on multi spoke wheels or complicated wheels you may never get smooth again in certain areas, or will mean you'll need a very heavy priming then a serious sanding, and possibly repeating this process multiple times.

Thick paint means a high risk of chipping down the way, if you have to go that route have them powder coat primed afterwards, atleast then they can give you the build quick and easy and you can sand them afterwards ready for the wet spray. Good powder coats & sand blasters are seriously hard to find, you want someone who'll give it the time to preserve the condition of the alloy under the paint.......

Also one of the benefits of certain powder coat primers is they remain solvent sensitive, so if its already smooth you only need to do a light scotch bright on the wheel to get a good surface for professional paints to adhere too.

The bad news is, you'll probably be looking at £50 a wheel for a dip, strip & powder prime, from anyone who actually gives a flying feck about finish quality.

Just my thoughts,

Si @ SS

 

[Darius]

£20 a wheel for shot blast and powder coat refurb

 

[bloke]

autosmart do an acid cleaner, think it's called triple x? i use that when wheels are minging before i dip them, will get anything off.

 

[mark123]

They're currently either have original paint, rattle can or plastidip.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Mark, I've used City Powdercoaters on all the race car wheels, they have been fine.

 

[bozothenutter]

Why not blast with another medium?
I heard of good results with walnutcasings or co2

 

[MaLicE]

Use nitromors it will strip them

 

[Daniel]

Use nitromors it will strip them

It won't! I bought some last month and they've watered it down now.

Bloke in the shop said the old formula (the GOOD formula) couldn't pass health and safety.

 

[MaLicE]

Oh did 2-3 years ago

 

[Daniel]

Oh did 2-3 years ago

Yeah I bought some for a BMX resto years and years ago and as I painted it on the paint was just peeling off. Was bloody brilliant stuff!

 

[GrahamS]

Would be interested if there was a powdercoaters in the SE that could do them for £20/30 a wheel inc painting the centre caps.

 

[Sideways182]

I'm in the middle of refurbing my own wheels. Forget nitromors, this is the stuff you need:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Starchem-..._Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item540e17660c

Contains methylene chloride (the stuff taken out of nitromors) - it is seriously strong. Makes my eyes water. Definitely need goggles and a respirator/mask.

 

[Valver16]

The above =

 

[loggyboy]

I have that starchem sysnstrip stuff, and its ok, still not great at removing factory paint. I placed it on some 172 rims that had been painted white. Admittedly, the white literally fell off, but it left the original paint below and even with 2 more application it only softened it.

 

[koi]

Starchem sysnstrip stripped my oz's right back, much better than Nitromors

 

[bloke]

you need an immersion stripper for wheels really, the one i use is nasty to say the least but it will strip a clio wheel to bare metal in about 5 minutes at the most, good quality epoxy primer can take an hour or so to remove though!!