Sand/Bead-Blasting Made Easy - Project Car Magazine

Parts List
MSRP
Street Price
Blasting Cabinet $260 $220 80 Grit Glass beads (media) $40 $40 Small Vacuum $30 $30 TOTAL $330 $290

If you’ve ever had to use sandpaper or paint stripper to remove paint, you know how messy and how much trouble it is. A sandblaster does the same job but cleaner and in a fraction of the time. If you’ve already used a sandblaster, then you know it can be used for much more than stripping paint, such as simply bringing a new finish to existing bare metal. Think of it like sanding off a fine layer of dirty clearcoat on your paint. If you have the space, an inexpensive sandblaster can be a godsend when building/restoring an older car.

Blasters can use all sorts of media, not just sand. You can substitute the sand with glass beads, crushed walnut shells or even baking soda. These substitutes are less abrasive than sand, and are commonly used on sensitive metals for a smoother finish. Some of these media contain silica, which is extremely hazardous to breath in. Buying a blasting cabinet like ours will keep the media contained so it doesn’t blow all over the place. You don’t want to just buy a blasting gun and try this out in the open (unless you’re using baking soda). We chose to use glass beads for our projects. This will give the metals a nice smooth textured finish much like when they were new.