A Few Words About Blasting Media Types and "Dustless" Blasting
Medium Grit Crushed Glass Media
Blasting media comes in many varieties and sizes intended for a host of different purposes. First, we do not blast with play sand, this is why we refer to ourselves as a "media blaster" not a "sandblaster." The reality is, blasting with sand is very dangerous as it contains silica, the major cause of silicosis (which can also lead to bronchitis and cancer). We blast with both people -friendly and environmentally-friendly inert crushed glass media, which is a recycled product.
There are many different media types that can be used. Options can include: coal slag (commonly referred to as "Black Beauty"), walnut shells, soda, glass, plastic, corn cob, aluminum oxide, and a host of other options. Choosing a media is typically dependent on two things: 1) the substrate that is being blasted - you do not want to use a very aggressive/large grit media on body panels and 2) availability - corn cob is very popular in the Midwest where corn is grown and coal slag is popular in New England as it is produced here.
We can use just about any media, but we recommend and primarily use crushed glass media on body panels and full car bodies, as it will not warp body panels or leave behind any residue/contaminants. It allows us to remove rust, bondo, and undercoating without doing damage. Crushed glass is also inert, environmentally friendly, and comes from a recycled source. Stop by our showroom and check out our results...and you will be a believer in crushed glass too!
Dustless Blasting
We do not offer "Dustless Blasting." We choose to blast indoors in a blast booth, as we believe that this provides a better and more complete service to our customers. Blasting indoors allows us to completely clean a body shell and do both sides of body panels. In other words, we provide a complete media blast for someone doing a full restoration. Our customers usually disassemble most, if not all of the car.
Like the marketing behind soda blasting years ago, Dustless is getting a lot of press as manufacturers of these systems promote selling it. As the marketing increases, so does the hype.
Here is our position on the myths of Dustless Blasting:
Myth: It is marketed as "environmentally clean."
Reality: Dustless Blasting is still blasting with a media (crushed glass, which is clean), but the car is still being stripped (including all of those old materials), meaning that all of that old material is going somewhere...now it is just mixed with water (and chemicals) and going into the ground! And it does make a mess AT YOUR LOCATION.
Myth: It is cheaper.
Reality: It is not any cheaper than traditional media blasting and is often more expensive due to additional costs (equipment, water and chemicals). But they do blast less surface area than we do!
Myth: You will get a complete media blast.
Reality: We do the inside, outside and underneath of car bodies and both sides of panels. Dustless give you a "walk around."
Myth: You will get the best surface that is "primer ready."
Reality: You want a slight profile ("tooth") on the metal for good paint adhesion...not a smooth surface! We believe that we offer the "correct" metal profile that is both "primer ready" and does not require the use of high build primers. Stop by our shop to see and feel a sample of metal media blasted with our process. It is IDEAL for priming.
Myth: Dustless Blasting leaves you with "cleaner" metal.
Reality: Water + crushed glass = sludge. You have now just "forced" this sludge into your car's seams. Also, the water takes the "edge" off of the crushed glass, meaning that it does not "cut" the material (paint/bondo/rust) as well as crushed glass alone.
...In addition, do you really want treated water seeping into all of your body seams and panels?
Soda Blasting
Several years ago there was a lot of marketing surrounding soda blasting and we occasionally get calls asking for it. However, we do not offer soda blasting for several reasons; the main one being the residue that is left behind. The reality is, soda blasting leaves behind contaminants that must be dealt with. Most paint manufacturers will not guarantee their product on cars that have been soda blasted. We are not saying that soda blasting is "bad." We just believe that there are better options for metal stripping.
There is a lot of confusing information available about media blasting. We are always happy to discuss the needs of your project and our process of media blasting...give us a call!
There are many different media types that can be used. Options can include: coal slag (commonly referred to as "Black Beauty"), walnut shells, soda, glass, plastic, corn cob, aluminum oxide, and a host of other options. Choosing a media is typically dependent on two things: 1) the substrate that is being blasted - you do not want to use a very aggressive/large grit media on body panels and 2) availability - corn cob is very popular in the Midwest where corn is grown and coal slag is popular in New England as it is produced here.
We can use just about any media, but we recommend and primarily use crushed glass media on body panels and full car bodies, as it will not warp body panels or leave behind any residue/contaminants. It allows us to remove rust, bondo, and undercoating without doing damage. Crushed glass is also inert, environmentally friendly, and comes from a recycled source. Stop by our showroom and check out our results...and you will be a believer in crushed glass too!
Dustless Blasting
We do not offer "Dustless Blasting." We choose to blast indoors in a blast booth, as we believe that this provides a better and more complete service to our customers. Blasting indoors allows us to completely clean a body shell and do both sides of body panels. In other words, we provide a complete media blast for someone doing a full restoration. Our customers usually disassemble most, if not all of the car.
Like the marketing behind soda blasting years ago, Dustless is getting a lot of press as manufacturers of these systems promote selling it. As the marketing increases, so does the hype.
Here is our position on the myths of Dustless Blasting:
Myth: It is marketed as "environmentally clean."
Reality: Dustless Blasting is still blasting with a media (crushed glass, which is clean), but the car is still being stripped (including all of those old materials), meaning that all of that old material is going somewhere...now it is just mixed with water (and chemicals) and going into the ground! And it does make a mess AT YOUR LOCATION.
Myth: It is cheaper.
Reality: It is not any cheaper than traditional media blasting and is often more expensive due to additional costs (equipment, water and chemicals). But they do blast less surface area than we do!
Myth: You will get a complete media blast.
Reality: We do the inside, outside and underneath of car bodies and both sides of panels. Dustless give you a "walk around."
Myth: You will get the best surface that is "primer ready."
Reality: You want a slight profile ("tooth") on the metal for good paint adhesion...not a smooth surface! We believe that we offer the "correct" metal profile that is both "primer ready" and does not require the use of high build primers. Stop by our shop to see and feel a sample of metal media blasted with our process. It is IDEAL for priming.
Myth: Dustless Blasting leaves you with "cleaner" metal.
Reality: Water + crushed glass = sludge. You have now just "forced" this sludge into your car's seams. Also, the water takes the "edge" off of the crushed glass, meaning that it does not "cut" the material (paint/bondo/rust) as well as crushed glass alone.
...In addition, do you really want treated water seeping into all of your body seams and panels?
Soda Blasting
Several years ago there was a lot of marketing surrounding soda blasting and we occasionally get calls asking for it. However, we do not offer soda blasting for several reasons; the main one being the residue that is left behind. The reality is, soda blasting leaves behind contaminants that must be dealt with. Most paint manufacturers will not guarantee their product on cars that have been soda blasted. We are not saying that soda blasting is "bad." We just believe that there are better options for metal stripping.
There is a lot of confusing information available about media blasting. We are always happy to discuss the needs of your project and our process of media blasting...give us a call!