The first big decision on my restoration - Help!

[DW]

I started my first full-blown resto about 3 months ago.  This post,

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11180.0.html

will give you an idea, with pics, what I'm working with.  So my initial plan was to have the body soda blasted.  But it seems that's gonna cost me about $800-$1200.  So I started looking at compressors and sanders.  I only have a little pancake comp now, it'll barely air up a tire.  After researching those, it seems it's going to cost about the same as soda blasting to get a good compressor and tools to sand the body myself.  So I thought I might try that.  Part of the reason I was going to blast it though, was because I live in a suburb where the houses are about 15 feet from each other and I've got neighbors on all sides.  One is kind of a known complainer.  I was afraid the noise and mess I might cause sanding the body would create neighbor problems.

So my question is, how messy is sanding a car to bare metal?  I found a company that sells a DA sander that you can hook to a vacuum or dust control system.  Anyone ever used one of those?  Also, how long does it take to sand a whole car to bare metal using a good compressor and DA sander?  Please give me the wisdom of your collective experience, as I am just a grasshopper at this stuff. 

[terrible one]

how about using a grinder with a paint stripping disc? You'll go through several discs, and it will be slower, but it's definitly a lot cheaper.

[parkerswede]

My brother-in-law recently did the major panels and quarters on my Charger. Used a flexible head on an air powered grinder. Used 32 grit green pads (I cringed at first, but it works fine - just don't hang around on the panel too long). Takes it off right down to the bare metal pretty quickly. Used 80 grit to smooth after that.

[BigBlockSam]

how about using a chemical paint striper. you know , brush is on  scrap it off. it will cut your sanding down to a minimum and cheaper.  Rene

[DW]

I've kinda decided against a chemical stripper.  I'm too clumsy with strong chemicals, I get them everywhere they don't belong.  As far as the stripping discs and such, I have the same question about them as the DA sander.  How much dust and debris am I going to create?  Will it coat everything in my garage and the surrounding area?  I don't really mind the expense of the compressor and sander as I've put aside money for this restoration.  My real question is how much time will it take and how big of a mess is it.  Is it practical to do in a 2-car garage in a typical suburban neighborhood?  The upside to getting the tools to do it are that I can use them on the next project rather than paying for blasting again.  But if I piss off all my neighbors with clouds of paint dust floating around the neighborhood, it's just going to be a pain.

[terrible one]

No matter what, you will make dust and debris, be it an air or electrical grinder, media blasting, etc. The only thing that wouldn't do that is the chemical stripper but it will take a couple years off of your lifespan lol. Really though, that is some strong stuff. I once got a tiny drop on my hand and it burnt it quick. I don't like that stuff.

I think that you could do it in your garage if you contained it. What I mean by that is set up an area using wood and tarp or plastic or something. I don't know. I'd do it.

[Winged 1]

Unless your a real glutton for punishment, and don't mind sand or soda in every crack of your being, and don't think the wife will mind the dust thru out the house if your doing this on an attached shop I would not advise doing this your self. Plus it will take many weekends. I have a larger 125 compressor you tow behind a pickup, and large sand blaster. It took at least 6 full days for the paint on the body. Beings that I am pretty much anal, I also did the undercoating wanting to get the perfect job.. Add 6 more full days. That is some tuff stuff.. Not to mention there are alot more hidden corners on these cars than you think till you get started. Highly suggest you go to a sand blast shop and spend an hour watching them and then see if you want to do this yourself.. Best of luck.
Let us know what you end up doing and for crying out loud, send or post some pix....//
Eric

[Mike DC]

You can definitely strip a car at home.

Is is worth it?  I dunno.

---------------------------------------------------------

I had my car media-blasted by a local business, and I'm REALLY glad I did it.  
They charged me about $600 three years ago.  It was a flat rate that my local blaster charges to do anyone's car/truck project.  If it had been $1200 I might have thought twice about it, but at $600 it wasn't even a question in my mind.  Let someone else buy that stuff, set it all up, and then clean up the huge mess it all makes.  

If you pay someone to blast the car body, then you're basically comitting to spraying the entire car with a layer of primer or something to protect it from rust IMMEDIATELY.  The surface rust can start in a matter of hours depending on the climate.

-------------------------------------------------------

Either way I think that if you're considering doing any bodywork at all, you'd be wise to drop $500 (or more) on a good air compressor.  Get one that seems like more power than you really need (it won't be), and definitely get one with a 2-stage motor which is belt-driven and needs to be oiled.  (The single-stage "Oil-Free" compressors are basically a cost cutting move that causes nothing but louder noise & shorter life from the motor.  If you wanna use it more than once a month, get a 2-stage.)

   

[DW]

No matter what, you will make dust and debris, be it an air or electrical grinder, media blasting, etc. The only thing that wouldn't do that is the chemical stripper but it will take a couple years off of your lifespan lol. Really though, that is some strong stuff. I once got a tiny drop on my hand and it burnt it quick. I don't like that stuff.

Yeah, I'm afraid of that stuff.  Plus I'm doing this project with my 13 YO son.  I don't want to expose him to some chemical that will give him cancer in 30 years.

Unless your a real glutton for punishment, and don't mind sand or soda in every crack of your being, and don't think the wife will mind the dust thru out the house if your doing this on an attached shop I would not advise doing this your self. Plus it will take many weekends. I have a larger 125 compressor you tow behind a pickup, and large sand blaster. It took at least 6 full days for the paint on the body. Beings that I am pretty much anal, I also did the undercoating wanting to get the perfect job.. Add 6 more full days. That is some tuff stuff.. Not to mention there are alot more hidden corners on these cars than you think till you get started. Highly suggest you go to a sand blast shop and spend an hour watching them and then see if you want to do this yourself.. Best of luck.
Let us know what you end up doing and for crying out loud, send or post some pix....//
Eric

Eric, I'm going to blast off the undercoating too, that wasn't even included in the 8-1200 quote.  I was going to have to take it to a separate guy to have it sandblasted for 300-400.  Maybe I'll look around to see if I can find a cheaper blaster. 

You can definitely strip a car at home.

Is is worth it?  I dunno.

---------------------------------------------------------

I had my car media-blasted by a local business, and I'm REALLY glad I did it. 
They charged me about $600 three years ago.  It was a flat rate that my local blaster charges to do anyone's car/truck project.  If it had been $1200 I might have thought twice about it, but at $600 it wasn't even a question in my mind.  Let someone else buy that stuff, set it all up, and then clean up the huge mess it all makes. 

If you pay someone to blast the car body, then you're basically comitting to spraying the entire car with a layer of primer or something to protect it from rust IMMEDIATELY.  The surface rust can start in a matter of hours depending on the climate.

-------------------------------------------------------

Either way I think that if you're considering doing any bodywork at all, you'd be wise to drop $500 (or more) on a good air compressor.  Get one that seems like more power than you really need (it won't be), and definitely get one with a 2-stage motor which is belt-driven and needs to be oiled.  (The single-stage "Oil-Free" compressors are basically a cost cutting move that causes nothing but louder noise & shorter life from the motor.  If you wanna use it more than once a month, get a 2-stage.)

     

Mike, I have read so much about compressors that I'm sick of them.  You're right about all that.  Plus you gotta make sure it's a cast-iron motor, not aluminum.

[BigBlockSam]

I'm going to blast off the undercoating too 

blasting will not get all the undercoating off. it will remove whats kinda loose but you have to remove the rest yourself. my guy blasted the outside of my car for $650. Rene