Stripping rust from an old trailer frame - Wet sand blasting

[RetchedOne]

I'm purchasing a frame from an old 18 foot camper trailer. I'm cutting it down and moving the axle (axles perhaps). I may built it 12' and would use both axles, still undecided...
Being a old travel trailer that leaked and wasn't worth saving, it has sat outside for the last 10 years and the frame is covered in flaky rust. It rolls and has electric brakes, and for the price I can't complain.
I have not been able to inspect the spindles yet.

I was going to take the trailer down to a local sand blaster and have them media blast the frame and axles... But I enjoy doing things myself, especially if I get a new tool out of the deal.

I thought about picking up a sand blaster from harbor freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/110-lb-pre ... 10377.html

Then i saw a sand blaster that attaches to a pressure washer...
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... Au7f8P8HAQ
Found a review on Youtube where a guy said he used play sand and it worked great. 4 bucks for a 50 pound bag at hoem depot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f87jqnbELfY
Here's a different brand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfA-IkaMRGE

Problem is I dont know how much sand I would need... and you cant exactly re-use wet sand.
I plan to take a wire wheel brush on a grinder to most of it before either paying someone or doing the blasting myself,,,
Hoping someone has done this before... and has some ideas or experience!

I found a local place so i'm also getting a price... 40 hours of strippign a frame doesnt sound all that appealing.
http://skagitpowdercoating.com/

[Midget]

I have this HF blaster and I don't like it. My compressor is not big enough so I have to wait for it to catch up. I'm sure that if my compressor was big enough it would work okay. I don't do enough blasting to make it worth the expense of a new compressor. We are restoring a 20 foot Airstream and I ended up taking the frame down and have it blasted professionally. They got into all the nooks and crannies and also underneath which would have been a pain doing at home.

Bob

[RetchedOne]

Kinda the way I am leaning.
Just waiting to get a email back from a local guy to blast the whole thing for me...

[dales133]

I've sandblasted in the past and it's tedious and nothing close to fun, plus you go through alot of media.
I'd get the guy to do it, will work out far cheaper unless you plan to do it all the time.

[kayakdlk]

I would just wire brush, scrape, grind, and sand all the loose rust off and then paint with POR paint.

Dan

[Vedette]

Sandblasting fee is the best and smartest money you will ever spend!
Don't waste your time and money on sanding discs, wire wheels, your time etc. and POR 15 is junk.
Take it from someone that does this type of restoration for a living.
Sandblast (White blast) then paint or primer blasted surface with a quality epoxy primer or paint designed to be sprayed "direct to metal".
Years ago I had my 15 year old son sandblast his own car with one of those 100 lb sandblasters and a regular 20 cfm compressor. At the end of the week (his Easter Vacation) I asked him what he had learned from the experience..........his answer was "Stay in School!"
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[dales133]

Lol that was my point exactly.
Sandblasting sucks and you'll usually find a place that does it pretty cheap

[Esteban]

I had a local welder build my trailer frame so it had only light surface rust. If you have your trailer professionally sandblasted I "think" you'd only have new surface rust too. I used Rust Bullet to paint it. www.rustbullet.com I'm pleased with it.

Beware any Rust Bullet that gets on your skin cannot be washed off. It will stick to your skin for a week or more before it wears off.

[RetchedOne]

I had a local welder build my trailer frame so it had only light surface rust. If you have your trailer professionally sandblasted I "think" you'd only have new surface rust too. I used Rust Bullet to paint it. www.rustbullet.com I'm pleased with it.

Beware any Rust Bullet that gets on your skin cannot be washed off. It will stick to your skin for a week or more before it wears off.

A buddy of mine spilled herculiner while doing the tub of his Jeep... He was sitting in the tub and knocked over the quart cup of bed liner... Needless to say he was wearing shorts and got some on "the boys"...

I sent emails to two local places to get quotes... depending onteh outcome of those i'll decide if it's worth my time or not.

[Vedette]

Here the rate is $145.00 hour.
Td trailer chassis would cost between $50.00 and $75.00 to blast. Actual time would be 15 to 20 min at professional blasters.
I am taking Kermit in to have the body blasted on Monday. Should be $150.00 to $200.00?
I will; let you know!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Dale M.]

Listen to Vedetta...

Should not take more than a hour or so..... Have primer (rust inhibiting) ready and it should be primed same day or it will start to rust... Yes that fast....

I had a car chassis done took 45 min., you can never do it by hand and be as effective and as clean..... And it will take you MISERABLE DAYS to do it.....

Dale

[RetchedOne]

Local guy wants 400 bucks to blast and prime... Hmmm

[dales133]

Get another price I recon it shouldn't cost more than 150

[Esteban]

Local guy wants 400 bucks to blast and prime... Hmmm

I agree its best to get another sandblasting quote.

At the $400 price you've been quoted for sandblasting and priming, plus other costs to repair and/or upgrade the old trailer frame, you're edging into the cost to have a new custom frame fabricated. IMHO.

[dales133]

I forgot prime it yourself.hell be charging you at least as much to prime as to blast .
Call him back for strip only price.
Just make sure you etch prime it straight away